The mothers of the recently resigned Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava told Good Morning America today that their daughters were “ill-treated, abused, bullied and cornered” by pageant organizers, and that those circumstances led to the resignations last week.
Barbara Srivastava, mother of Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava, and Jackeline Voigt, mother of Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt, told GMA that NDAs prevented their daughters from speaking out personally.
Watch the GMA segment above.
Last week, Noelia Voigt relinquished her Miss USA crown, publicly stating that she wanted to prioritize her mental well-being. But in an eight-page resignation letter obtained by The New York Times, Voigt described “a toxic work environment within the Miss USA Organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment.” According to The Times, she also “complained in her letter that the organization had delayed making good on her prize winnings.”
On GMA today, Voigt’s mother gave as an example an unwanted advance made to her daughter at a Christmas parade in which a man asked if she was “into old men with money.” The incident “made Noelia very, very uncomfortable,” Jackeline Voigt said, adding, “She was so upset. This is not what she worked so hard for.”
When GMA‘s Erielle Reshef referenced online speculation that the public statement made last week by Noelia Voigt contained a hidden message – the first letters of each sentence spelled out “I Am Silenced,” Jackeline Voigt said, “I don’t feel comfortable answering that question.”
Barbara Srivastava said her daughter’s personal social media accounts were monitored and controlled by pageant officials. “The job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare,” she told GMA.
In a statement to ABC News, the Miss USA organization said, “We are committed to fostering a healthy, communicative and supportive environment for all contestants, state titleholders, national titleholders and staff.” Officials for the Miss Teen USA Pageant did not comment.
The CW is scheduled to air this year’s Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Teen USA Pageant in August but says it is evaluating its relationship with both pageants in light of the allegations.
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