Miss North Carolina has vocally criticized the pageant officials for revoking her title following allegations of sharing racially insensitive posts online.
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, recently celebrated her win last month and was preparing to represent her state at the national pageant on August 27. However, attention quickly turned to controversy when a social media account, thought to belong to her, shared posts that included racial slurs.
A Blaize Productions, responsible for the Miss USA pageants’ management in North Carolina, promptly rescinded her title, granting the crown to first runner-up Myla Hadley, citing ‘newly emerged details’ as their reasoning.
Boltinhouse, however, disputes this reasoning, insisting the decision was less about the alleged social media activity and more about her political ideology.
Speaking with Carolina Journal in a conversation with editor-in-chief Donna King, she expressed her belief that her removal stemmed from her ‘belief system as a conservative Christian woman.’
Boltinhouse explained that she was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon religion.
She touted herself as a ‘proud conservative’ and ‘God-fearing’ woman, adding, ‘I also love this country. That’s something I want to make clear.’ Boltinhouse continued that she believed in ‘A nation under God.’
When asked about the alleged racist posts, Boltinhouse did not confirm whether they were from her, but said that ‘every teenager has made a mistake.’
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, was stripped of her title after alleged racist posts resurfaced last month
She recently spoke out about the allegations in an interview, claiming that she believes her title was revoked due to her ‘belief system as a conservative Christian woman’
Boltinhouse began competing last year and won several titles before posts circulated online appearing to come from her social media account that used a racial slur
‘Every person has made a mistake. But I’m not really here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about the woman I am today.’
She continued that despite what happened ‘decades ago,’ Boltinhouse believes she is a ‘hardworking woman’ who won her titles fair and square.
The pageant queen cited her Miss Congeniality award, which is given to a contestant based on their character.
‘I’m also the first married woman who had that title, and that’s something that I’m proud of,’ she continued.
‘I won’t be judged for my past and I won’t be judged at all because I am the woman I am today.’
Boltinhouse reflected on her short-lived pageant career, having just started competing last year.
She explained that her experience with Miss USA went from a ‘dream to a nightmare’ after the allegations surfaced.
Despite the media firestorm, Boltinhouse said she was glad the controversy happened to her, boasting that she could handle the scrutiny and had made peace with her unwanted departure from pageantry.
A Blaize Productions said in the announcement that the decision to revoke her title ‘was not made lightly’
Boltinhouse touted herself as a ‘proud conservative’ and ‘God-fearing’ woman, adding, ‘I also love this country’ in her first remarks since the controversy
When discussing the pageant executives who stripped her of her title, Boltinhouse said, ‘I show a lot of grace and a lot of love to those people because I know they make mistakes too.
‘I understand that they might not have the wisdom and knowledge that I do, but I forgive them,’ she boasted.
Boltinhouse refused to elaborate on the events that transpired before her title was stripped, citing a confidentiality clause, but said that the narrative against her was untrue.
Thom Brodeur, the chairman of Miss USA, addressed the matter in a lengthy Instagram message, explaining that the organization ‘does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity.’
‘A title here isn’t a trinket. It is a position of trust, extended by an organization and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public,’ he added.
‘When that standard is broken, the title cannot continue as though nothing happened.’
He said that the decision didn’t come down to a ‘single moment,’ but rather ‘conduct over an extended period of time.’
‘State titleholders are recruited, vetted and approved for competition at the state level. We acted as soon as this reached us.’
Boltinhouse said that she was proud to be the first married woman to receive the Miss Congeniality award
Thom Brodeur, the chairman of Miss USA, addressed the matter in a lengthy Instagram message, explaining that the organization ‘does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity’
A family member of Boltinhouse’s previously told the Daily Mail that ‘it’s important to put her truth out and have the proper narrative out versus a narrative that is saving the face [of] an organization.’
‘As you can imagine, there’s a lot we would like to say but we are taking the time to be in prayer and unity and [will] respond in a manner [that] God calls us to.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to A Blaize Productions for comment on Boltinhouse’s interview.