Mother of former Miss Teen USA speaks out after daughter gives up crown
The mother of former Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, who relinquished her crown last week, has spoken out on her behalf, expressing dissatisfaction with the Miss USA Organization.
Key points:
- In an interview with Good Morning America released on Tuesday, Srivastava’s mother, Barbara, and former Miss USA Noelia Voigt’s mother, Jackeline, spoke out about the “nightmare” their daughters faced with the Miss USA Organization after they were crowned winners.
- Both Srivastava, 17, and Voigt, 24, are bound by non-disclosure agreements with the organization and cannot talk about their experiences.
Catch up:
- Last week, Srivastava relinquished her crown just days after Voigt stepped down. Voigt and Srivastava cited mental health and a misalignment with the Miss USA Organization‘s direction, respectively, in their resignations.
- In response, several state titleholders have demanded more transparency from the organization.
The details:
- Barbara, whose daughter became the first Miss Teen USA of Mexican and Indian descent, said “The job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare. We could not continue this charade. The girls decided to step down and give (up) their dream of a lifetime — a crown, a national title. Why would two girls decide to give that up?”
- Barbara and Jackeline’s allegations include a toxic work environment, lack of support and safety measures for titleholders and mishandling of incidents such as sexual harassment.
- They also expressed dissatisfaction with the organization’s CEO Laylah Rose. In a resignation letter obtained by CNN, Voigt claimed that Rose is building “a culture of fear and control, the antithesis of women’s empowerment, that is…unsafe for future titleholders and employees.”
- Voigt cited instances where the organization allegedly neglected to arrange proper travel accommodations and supervision. She claimed that the lack of an “effective handler” also led to a Florida incident in which she was sexually harassed during a parade.
- The mothers are calling for accountability and apology from the organization. They are also warning prospective contestants against participating in Miss USA until issues are addressed.
What’s next:
- Miss USA runner-up Savannah Gankiewicz, of Hawaii, will reportedly assume the title. Meanwhile, Miss Teen USA remains uncertain as runner-up Stephanie Skinner, of New York, has declined the crown.
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