Following multiple resignations, the Miss USA organization crowned the new Miss USA, Savannah Gankiewicz, in Hawaii on May 15. During her speech, the reigning champion said she had received death threats and bullying since winning the title following the departure of her predecessor, Noelia Voight.
In a video shared on X/Twitter last week, Gankiewicz spoke about the backlash and hateful comments she has received since May 15, saying: “Since receiving this title, I have experienced a lot of bullying and harassment. It really hurts my heart.”
“I want people to know where my heart comes from — to help the people of Lahaina and Maui… not only to have a platform, but to show women that even if you’re bullied or hurt, you can still stand up, you can still keep moving forward, you can still use your voice,” she added.
Ms. Gankiewicz will retain her title until August, when a special coronation ceremony will take place, after which a new Miss USA will be announced.
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Investigating the ongoing Miss USA controversy:
Gankiewicz’s comments about the public backlash came just weeks after former Miss USA Noelia Voight resigned on May 6. Voight announced her resignation on Instagram, emphasizing that she was taking a different path to prioritize her mental health.
But her unsubtle comments were later backed up by a copy of her resignation letter, obtained by NBC News, in which she accused the organization’s CEO of perpetuating a toxic work environment. Voight rose through the ranks to win the 2023 Miss USA title, while Gankiewicz came in second behind her.
Excerpts from Voight’s resignation letter read: “There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA Organization that is at best poorly managed and at worst bullying and harassment. She stressed that this storm of abuse “began immediately after I won the title of Miss USA 2023.”
She is said to be setting an example for others involved in the pageant as the list of celebrities stepping down from their roles grows. Just days after Voight relinquished her crown, Miss Teen USA Umasofia Srivastava, who won the crown last September, also stepped down midway through her term, citing her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
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Their resignations also drew attention to the departure of Miss USA’s social media director, Claudia Michelle, who resigned just days before Miss USA and Miss Teen USA voluntarily stepped down from their posts. Michelle denied “toxic workplace behavior or bullying of any kind” and alleged that current management had made inappropriate comments about titleholders. Titleholders also reported that Miss USA’s social media rules had left them feeling suppressed, intimidated, and unable to express their personal views.
Along with Michelle, who could not bear to witness Voight’s mental deterioration, Miss Colorado USA Ariana Lemus also called for major changes to the organization and announced her resignation in May. She stood in solidarity with Voight and Srivastava, citing “the need for reform within the Miss USA organization.” She said, “Noelia and Uma Sofia’s voices have been stifled by contractual restrictions that undermine their rights and dignity.”
