Two Miss USAs resign to protect their “mental health”.

Miss USA 2023 and Miss Teen USA both returned their crowns this week. “Never compromise your physical and mental well-being, our health is our wealth,” said Miss USA Noelia Voigt.

A series of resignations. The 2023 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA winners returned their crowns this week citing “psychological” reasons, following the resignation of the US pageant manager who denounced the “toxic” working environment for these young women.

“Disrespect” and “Toxicism”

The new controversy surrounding the race, which dates back to 1952 and was held by businessman and former president Donald Trump until 2015, began last Friday. Claudia Mitchell, head of social media for the Miss USA Organization, announced her departure in a message on Instagram.

They are Venezuelan-American Nolia Voigt, 24, who was crowned Miss USA 2023 in September and Umasofia Srivastava, of Indian and Mexican descent, who was 17-year-old Miss Teen USA 2023.

“I had the privilege of working closely with Nolia, and unfortunately from our first meeting I noticed that her mental health was suffering,” Claudia Michael writes on her Instagram account.

“I was on the frontline to see the lack of respect for Uma and her family,” he laments, adding that “Nolia and Uma's mental health and happiness has suffered” and hopes to “rest in peace”. .

Claudia Mitchell says “avoid toxicity and intimidation in the workplace” by mocking the “unprofessional and inadequate” way “the current administration talks about winners.”

“Prioritize your mental health”

As a result, on Monday, Nolia Voigt announced on Instagram that she was relinquishing the Miss USA 2023 title, citing her “mental health.”

“I feel the trauma that this can cause to many people. Never put your physical and mental well-being at risk. Our health is our wealth (…) Prioritize your mental health, protect yourself and protect others by speaking without fear. What will be your future,” said the young The woman pleads.

Nolia Voigt was followed on Wednesday by her junior, Umasophia Srivastava, who announced on Instagram that “(her) personal values ​​are no longer fully aligned with the management of the organization.”

The latter pledged on the social network to “respect and support Nolia's decision to leave her activities (because) the well-being of (our) winners will always be prioritized”.

The Miss USA pageant has been fraught with controversy for nearly ten years, the magazine recalled Thursday ForbesBut this is the first time in seven decades that a winner has resigned from the Miss Universe pageant for reasons other than the coronation.