After the Miss America Organization endured a revolt by dozens of states and former contestants this summer against the national leadership of the pageant, Miss America has terminated the licenses of four states.
On the other hand, Miss America has thanked officials that stood by the national leadership in the first Miss America pageant without a swimsuit competition.
Georgia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and a fourth unidentified state have received notices that their state licenses to hold Miss America pageants were revoked, according to the Associated Press.
Those state organizations that had its license terminated can no longer claim to be affiliated with the Miss America Organization. They must, among other things, turn over bank accounts with scholarship money to the national organization.
The terminations came as Miss Arizona 2015 Madi Esteves and two other past contestants told the Arizona Republic that they were bullied, belittled, and forced to lie by pageant organizers.
It was reported that the three former contestants were inspired to come forward after Miss American 2018, Cara Mund, accused the national organization of bullying just days before her successor was crowned.
This year’s pageant took place last month, after 46 of the 51 organizations, along with 23 former contestants, called for CEO Regina Hopper and chairwoman and former Fox News Host Gretchen Carlson to resign. There wee claims that the two were perpetrators of bullying and manipulation. And last December, Miss America Organization CEO Sam Haskell resigned after leaked emails revealed that past contestants and winners were body shamed.
By: Maytinee Kramer
