While the Miss USA organization speaks publicly about “empowering women” it appears contracts are designed with iron clad non-disclosure agreements which prevent the women from using the power of their voices.
NPR reports, “Days after a the resignations of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, organizers have found a successor for Miss USA but appear to be struggling to do the same for Miss Teen USA.
In the latest twist, the runner-up from last year’s Miss Teen USA competition, Stephanie Skinner, Miss New York Teen USA, says she has turned down the offer to succeed Srivastava. She wrote, “Although I do not know exactly what Noelia and Uma went through to led [sic] them to resign, I am sending them immense love and support,” she wrote. “What I do know is that my core values are integrity, honor, kindness, and most importantly I will always stand for female empowerment. I believe we all deserve the power to use our voices..” (NPR)
Many Miss USA 2023 state titleholders, including the now-former Miss Colorado, have expressed public support for Voigt by sharing an Instagram statement that asks the organization to release her from the confidentiality clause of her contract “so that she is free to speak on her experiences and time as Miss USA.”
The Miss USA organization, which runs both pageants, has come under fire amid accusations of mismanagement, a hostile work environment, and conditions that led, in particular, to Voigt’s resignation on the grounds that her role was impacting her mental health.
Per Time: On May 10, the Miss USA organization announced the new Miss USA titleholder, Savannah Gankiewicz, and wrote: “We are committed to fostering a healthy, communicative and supportive environment for all contestants, state titleholders, national titleholders and staff involved with the Miss USA organization, it’s our mission. We ask for community, empathy and kindness to be restored.”
The Miss USA organization wished Voigt and Srivastava well in public Instagram posts, but has not responded to NPR’s requests for comment even as the fallout from their resignations has continued.