Noelia Voigt, the previous winner of the Miss USA pageant, stepped down from her position this week and has alleged experiencing “bullying and harassment” during her time as the titleholder.
In her resignation letter, which has been obtained by multiple news outlets, Noelia Voigt specifically called out Laylah Rose, the president and CEO of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA organizations. Voigt claimed that Rose is fostering a toxic work environment characterized by fear and control, which goes against the principles of women’s empowerment and makes the workplace unsafe for future titleholders and employees.
Following Voigt’s unexpected resignation, another resignation followed this week from Miss Teen USA 2023 winner UmaSofia Srivastava, who expressed that her personal values no longer align with the organization’s direction.
These resignations have caused upheaval in the beauty pageant world, raising uncertainty about the future of the longstanding Miss USA and Miss Teen USA competitions that have been around since 1952.
Noelia Voigt, age 24, detailed in her letter that she felt unsafe at events she attended during her reign, including being sexually harassed at the 2023 Sarasota Christmas Parade. She also mentioned that Rose was difficult to reach for communication, did not provide support, and allegedly slandered her, leading to significant negative impacts on her mental health.
Voigt emphasized that the mistreatment she faced will have lasting effects on her health and declared that she will no longer allow herself to be victimized.
