Former Miss USA Noelia Voigt urges pageant to lift her NDA after CEO's 'contradicting' statements
Beauty queen Noelia Voigt, who resigned from her title as Miss USA 2023 this May, urged for her non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to be lifted so she could address claims by the pageant's head that allegedly "contradicted" her experience.
In case you missed it, Voigt announced on May 6 that she is relinquishing her post to prioritize her mental health. However, Miss USA President and CEO Laylah Rose recently issued a statement denying issues related to her resignation.
"I am constrained by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and would like to emphatically assert that, following the unauthorized circulation of my resignation letter, Laylah Roses' assertions in her recent statement that contradict my experience after three weeks of unanswered resignation notification are unequivocally inaccurate," the beauty queen wrote on Instagram.
"I strongly encourage her to waive our NDA to enable me to speak," she added.
In Rose's open letter which she issued on May 30, she highlighted how mental health "is a serious concern for all of us, especially for those working in the public eye" amid Voigt's decision to step down.
"We have collectively recognized the importance of prioritizing mental health, influenced by the shared experiences of various renowned athletes," she wrote. "State and national pageant titleholders often exhibit qualities similar to those seen in high-performing athletes. Participants in competitions devote considerable time, money, and effort to prepare and take part."
In the later part of her statement, however, Rose addressed online rumors of mistreatment within the Miss USA institution. She said that they are "very disappointed to hear the recent false allegations" made by individuals speaking on behalf of Voigt.
"The allegations of sexual harassment, toxic environment and bullying are not true. To be clear, such behavior is not accepted, and we can assure you that if such behavior ever occurred, we would take immediate steps to protect our titleholder and provide access to appropriate resources," she stressed.
"The suggestions of a lack of communication and support for the prior titleholder are likewise false; we provided constant communication about events and procedures and provided access to all of the services needed, much of which went ignored or unused by our titleholder," she continued.
Rose also claimed that the organization had arranged events where Voigt could "showcase her achievements and highlight her passion projects," but many of these were canceled by the beauty queen herself "at the last minute and without good reason."
Rose assured the public that they would address the issue further in the coming days.
During her resignation announcement, Voigt noted how her journey as Miss USA has been "incredibly meaningful" and that it was a "very tough decision" for her to give up the title.
"Deep down I know that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for me, and my hope is that I continue to inspire others to remain steadfast, prioritize your mental health, advocate for yourself and others by using your voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain," she wrote.