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Miss USA 2023, Miss Teen USA, and a social media director have all announced their resignation from the ‘Miss USA organization over the past two weeks, making allegations of bullying and toxicity.
Claudia Michelle, a Social Media Director, first shared a statement detailing her resignation on May 4 on Instagram.
On May 6, Noelia Voigt, Miss USA, then announced she’d be stepping down before Sofia Srivastava, Miss Teen USA, made a similar announcement on May 8.
The three ex-employees have all leveled serious accusations about a culture of toxic abuse at the Miss USA organization.
Michelle, in her statement, claims that she was not compensated for her first two months of employment, and the alleged mistreatment of titleholders such as Voigt and Srivastava forced her into leaving her “dream job.”
“I feel the way current management speaks about their titleholders is unprofessional and inappropriate,” Michelle wrote. “I disavow workplace toxicity and bullying of any kind.”
According to the social media director, she observed a decline in Voigt’s mental health and witnessed “disrespect” toward Srivastava, who is 17 years old.
Her statement foreshadowed the letters of resignation from Voigt and Srivastava, which rocked the pageantry world.
"Toxic work environment within the Miss USA Organization"
“There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment,” Voigt wrote, explaining her decision to step down to protect and improve her mental health.
Srivastava’s note informing her followers of her resignation was more reserved, stating that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
Michelle’s statement added while she feels Voigt has “lost her ability to share her story,” she herself has not signed an NDA or contract, so she feels free to speak out. The first letter in each sentence of Voigt’s statement spelled “I am silenced.”
“This is a women’s empowerment organization and my hope in making this statement is to restore some of the empowerment back to these titleholders that was so deeply lost in their year,” Michelle wrote. “The brand IS the titleholders. Without them, there is no Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. I believe their voices and their stories should be heard and not silenced.”
Her statement adds that national directors at the company had been “nothing short of amazing,” but claims they were let go for reasons undisclosed to her.
Laylah Rose, CEO and President at Miss USA, has responded to the allegations. “Our all-encompassing goal at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women,” she said in a statement to PEOPLE.
"Calling me 'mentally ill' in a derogatory way"
“All along, my personal goal as the head of this organization has been to inspire women to always create new dreams, have the courage to explore it all, and continue to preserve integrity along the way,” Rose continues. “I hold myself to these same high standards and I take these allegations seriously. Please be assured that the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”
Voigt said that Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose consistently failed to communicate and that when she did, she was “often cold and unnecessarily aggressive.” She also alleges that Rose criticized her mental health difficulties and wished physical harm upon her.
“Comments have range from her… calling me ‘mentally ill’ in a derogatory way, to expressing that she hoped I would get hit in the face by a baseball at an event where I would throw out the first pitch,” the letter claims.
The letter also details alleged sexual harassment at a Christmas event, in which Voigt asserts a man “made several inappropriate statements to me about his desire to enter into a relationship with me” whilst they were alone in a car.
Rose is accused in the letter of telling Voigt “we cannot prevent people saying things to you at public appearances, it is, unfortunately, part of the role you’re in as a public figure.”
The Miss USA organization had earlier thanked Voigt for her statement and remarked that “the well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time.”
Voigt’s statement hit back at such claims, saying that “Every statement you have ever put out about MUO’s morals and integrity directly contradicts what is happening within the USA organization.”
