Miss USA’s shocking resignation has fans worried after they spotted an apparent hidden message in her exit statement.
This week, Noelia Voigt, 24, became the first title holder in Miss America’s 72-year history to give up her crown, saying she has struggled with her mental health since becoming champion seven years ago. months.
But eagle-eyed fans spotted a code in her statement, with the first letter of each sentence reading: “I AM SILENT.”
Her resignation was quickly followed by Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, who also resigned Wednesday, saying in her own statement that her values ”no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
Noelia Voigt, 24, became the first title holder in Miss America’s 72-year history to give up her crown, saying she has struggled with her mental health since becoming champion seven months ago.
Eagle-eyed fans spotted an apparent hidden message in her resignation statement, with the first letter of each sentence reading: “I AM SILENT.”
Voigt’s resignation was quickly followed by Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava (pictured together), who said her values ”no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
The beauty queens’ sudden resignations come amid accusations of a “toxic” environment surrounding the Miss USA Organization.
This reportedly includes strict contracts that force contestants to smile at all times, as well as harassment and widespread mental health issues among pageant queens.
An informant said The New York Post that Voigt’s mental health declined dramatically while serving as Miss America, saying she suffered from “micromanagement up to the 10th grade and bullying.”
‘Noelia wakes up every day with tingling from harassing emails [from pageant organizers]: “Don’t do this”, “Don’t do that”, “Delete that post”, “Unlike that post”.
They added that she would be told to “remember her NDA” constantly, and that Miss USA Organization president Laylah Rose would allegedly post on social media under Voigt and Srivastava’s name on a whim.
The Miss USA Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
In the days leading up to Voigt’s resignation, the organization’s social media manager, Claudia Michelle, also resigned, writing in her own statement that “being offered your dream job and seeing it was nothing was very discouraging.” .
“This is a women’s empowerment organization and my hope in making this statement is to restore some of the empowerment that these champions lost so profoundly in their year,” the former employee wrote.
She claimed she was left to run Voigt’s social media almost entirely alone, and during the time she worked with the 24-year-old, she “unfortunately (saw) a deterioration in his mental health.”
He added that Voigt’s “ability to share his story and his platform has been diminished,” and said he witnessed “disrespect” directed at Srivastava.
“I believe their voices and their stories should be heard and not silenced,” he wrote. “I repudiate toxicity in the workplace and harassment of any kind.”
The Miss USA Organization’s social media manager, Claudia Michelle (center), also resigned, and inside sources alleged that the trio decided to resign together and strategically time their statements.
Voigt allegedly suffered from “micromanagement up to the 10th grade and bullying” while reigning as Miss USA, and was reportedly often reminded to “remember her non-disclosure agreement.”
The parents of Miss Teen USA UmaSodia Srivastava (pictured being crowned seven months ago) reportedly banned the organization’s president from speaking to their daughter amid the controversy.
Srivastava’s statement thanked his followers for “who I am and have always been, not who I have momentarily become,” along with a scathing quote from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
Experts who spoke to The Post echoed the issues alluded to in Michelle’s statement.who said contestants have strict contracts to smile despite “harmful working conditions.”
“This toxic atmosphere is a serious concern,” they told The Post. “There is an urgent need for intervention at the leadership level.”
A source also alleged that Voigt, Srivastava and Michelle agreed to resign together and strategically timed their statements.
‘The decision was not easy. Noelia and UmaSofia are extremely dedicated people who worked incredibly hard for the pageant. The decisions were not made lightly. “They all decided to do this together,” the source said.
‘They are afraid to speak more right now because of the organization. They don’t want this to have any lasting detrimental effect on their future.’
The president of the Miss USA Organization, Laylah Rose, would allegedly post on the contestants’ social networks
While Voigt’s apparently coded statement focused on his appreciation for the organization and his “pride” in his involvement, Srivastava’s statement more clearly alluded to problems.
He said he was resigning because “I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
“The most important thing is to thank those who support me for what I am and have always been, not for what I have become momentarily,” he concluded.
The statement also included a quote from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche that read: “There are no beautiful surfaces without terrible depth.”
The source told The Post that the “toxic” environment surrounding the pageants has become so dysfunctional that Srivastava’s parents refuse to allow Miss USA Organization president Laylah Rose to speak to their daughter.
‘All correspondence had to go through his parents. Her parents meet weekly with the Miss Universe Organization to try to change things with Miss United States, but nothing is ever done. No changes, no nothing,’ they said.
A source spoke out to claim that contestants like Voigt (pictured) have strict contracts to smile despite “harmful working conditions.”
Voigt’s fellow competitors took her side this week in a joint statement, calling for her to be released from her confidentiality agreement “to give Noelia her voice back.”
The Miss USA organization was purchased by Thai trans businesswoman Anne Jakkaphong (pictured) in 2022
As the decades-old competition faces controversy, Voigt’s fellow competitors took his side this week in a joint statement.
The contestants said that “the majority of members of the Miss USA class of 2023” support her decision and asked that she be released from confidentiality clauses in her NDA.
‘We are asking the Miss USA Organization to release Noelia from the confidentiality clause of her contract, in perpetuity, so that she is free to speak about her experiences and her time as Miss USA. We request a response within 24 hours,’ she reads the statement.
‘Our goal is to give Noelia her voice back. “We ask for full transparency for contestants in the class of 2024 and beyond.”