Mothers of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA allege ‘abuse’

The mothers of former Miss USA and Miss Teen USA have explained why their daughters gave up their titles.

One mother told Good Morning America on Tuesday that their “dream job turned out to be a nightmare.”

Both pageant queens resigned within a day of each other last week.

Their mothers said they spoke on behalf of their daughters who are bound by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Barbara Srivastava, mother of Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, was interviewed alongside Jackeline Voigt, mother of former Miss USA Noelia Voigt.

Ms Srivastava told the program their families “cannot continue this charade”.

They claimed their daughters had been “mistreated, abused, harassed and cornered” and demanded an apology from the Miss Universe Organization, which owns Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

Miss USA and Miss Teen USA said last week that they supported both women’s decisions to step down and would announce a successor.

The Miss Universe Organization has not responded to the allegations of abuse and bullying. The BBC has contacted the organization for comment.

Noelia Voigt was the first of the two to resign on May 6, citing mental health issues.

“Never compromise your physical and mental well-being,” the 24-year-old wrote in an Instagram post. “Our health is our wealth.”

Some fans speculated about the meaning of his note, which they said appeared to spell “I am silenced” in the first 11 sentences.

Her mother declined to answer whether the cryptic message was intentional, but said she felt her daughter had been silenced by the organization.

“And she will be for the rest of her life if this NDA is not (lifted),” she added.

Noelia Voigt’s resignation came three days after Miss USA social media director Claudia Michelle announced her own resignation from the brand, citing allegations of “workplace toxicity and bullying” and saying that title holders “should be heard, not silenced.”

Just one day after Noelia Voigt’s departure, UmaSofia Srivastava resigned as Miss Teen USA. The 17-year-old also made the announcement on Instagram, writing that her “personal values ​​no longer fully align” with organizing the competition.

UmaSofia Srivastava’s mother said in the interview that her daughter was mistreated by the Miss Universe organization and that her personal social media was monitored.

She said her daughter’s resignation was prompted by the departure of Noelia Voigt.

Both mothers called for an end to participation in all Miss USA-affiliated pageants, saying they did not want others to suffer the same mistreatment their daughters allegedly suffered.