Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt has relinquished her title, sharing on social media a need to focus on her mental health.
“Never compromise your physical and mental well-being. Our health is our wealth,” Voigt wrote on Instagram.
“In life, I strongly value the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health,” she said. “As individuals, we grow through experiencing different things in life that lead us to learning more about ourselves.”
Voigt, 24, was the first Venezuelan American woman to be crowned Miss USA. She received the title last September while representing Utah in the national competition.
“My journey as Miss USA has been incredibly meaningful, representing Utah with pride, and later the USA at Miss Universe,” she continued. “Sadly, I have made the very tough decision to resign from the title of Miss USA 2023.”
Upon receiving Voigt’s resignation, the Miss USA organization released a statement saying Voigt had its “respect and support.”
“The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time,” Miss USA said, according to a report. “The organization is currently reviewing plans for the transition of responsibilities to a successor and an announcement regarding the crowning of the new Miss USA will be coming soon.”
In the post, Voigt shared “eternal gratitude” for the opportunities she was given throughout her pageantry journey and for the support of her family, friends, coaches, and fans.
“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 her be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain,” she wrote.
Voigt’s mother commented on the post, affirming her daughter’s decision: “As your mother, it has been a huge relief to see my Noelia’s personality restored. We are extremely proud of you for your selflessness in standing up for what is right while also prioritizing what is best for you. I observed how your personality changed and how your light faded. It broke our hearts. We are so happy today to see you being you again. Welcome home.”
Miss USA’s social media director, Claudia Michelle, who resigned from her role last Friday, also shared on social media how she had observed a negative impact on Voigt’s mental health.
“I have had the privilege of getting to work with Noelia closely and have unfortunately seen a decline in her mental health since we [first] met. I feel like her ability to share her story and her platform have been diminished,” she wrote. “I feel the way current management speaks about their titleholders is unprofessional and inappropriate,” she went on to write. “I disavow workplace toxicity and bullying of any kind.”
Voigt’s resignation has brought renewed attention to the topic of mental health among pageant winners.
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In January 2022, Miss USA 2019 Chelsie Kryst died by suicide. Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins, has since helped to publish a posthumous memoir that includes a note Kryst left, sharing how she felt she “had to be perfect because I had to represent for all youth, women, and Black people who also wanted to be in the room but had been denied access.”
Kryst and Simpkins’s book, By the Time You Read This, was released in April.
