Loyal viewers of movies like Miss Congeniality and Drop Dead Gorgeous are likely all too familiar with the fact that beauty pageants like Miss USA aren’t just, in fact, about beauty (despite their somewhat regressive name). They also often provide winners with significant scholarships and, in their best iterations, allow contestants to flex their skills, smarts, and senses of humor. Unfortunately, not all pageants are necessarily built around the best interests of the young women who compete in them, as Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava proved this week when they each resigned from their positions within days of one another; below, find all the details about what’s ailing the U.S. pageant world in 2024.
When and why did Voigt resign?
Voigt, who was crowned the first the first Venezuelan-American Miss USA in September of 2023, announced on Monday that she would be giving up her title as Miss USA in order to focus on her mental health. Voigt seemed relatively at peace with the decision in her Instagram post announcing the news, writing: “In life, I strongly value the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health.” In a bizarre twist straight out of a detective novel, though, eagle-eyed viewers noted that the first letter of each paragraph of Voigt’s resignation statement spelled out the following sentence: “I AM SILENCED.” (Many have speculated that this could be a reference to a non-disclosure agreement, but you can head to TikTok to fall further down that rabbit hole if you’re so inclined.)
What were the circumstances of Srivastava's resignation?
Srivastava posted a lengthy explanation of her decision to Instagram on Wednesday, writing in part: “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to resign as I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
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Who has spoken out in support of Voigt and Srivastava?
Last week, Miss USA social media director Claudia Michelle announced that she, too, would be resigning, writing on Instagram that she felt both Voigt and Srivastava had been mistreated: “I have had the privilege of getting to work with Noelia closely and have unfortunately seen a decline in her mental health since we first met. I feel like her ability to share her story and her platform have been diminished. I have firsthand seen the disrespect toward Uma and her family…I believe Noelia and Uma’s mental health and happiness has taken a toll and I cannot remain silent about that.”
Have the affected organizations responded to Voigt and Srivastava’s resignations?
“We respect and support former Miss USA Noelia Voigt’s decision to step down from her duties,” Miss USA said in a statement this week, adding: “The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time.” Miss Teen USA made a similar statement shortly after Srivastava stepped down, saying in part: “We respect and support UmaSofia’s decision to step down from her duties. The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority.” (Okay, but…is it?)
What happens next?
This controversy is coming after a rough few years. In 2022, a former Miss USA died by suicide; that same year, several contestants accused the contest of being rigged after the winner was announced. It would seem that the pageant organization has some serious work ahead of it. Miss USA said in a statement posted to its Instagram that it is reviewing plans for “the transition of responsibilities to a successor” and will make an announcement soon about its next steps. However, it’s hard to imagine either that organization or Miss Teen USA emerging from this complex situation without at least some lasting reputational damage.
Vogue reached out to Voigt and Srivastava as well as the Miss USA organization but did not hear back before publication.
