Another week, another beauty pageant scandal…
On Saturday night, Karlie Hay was crowned Miss Teen USA, representing the state of Texas and taking home the crown over four other finalists (who were all blonde-haired and blue-eyed).
But it didn’t take long afterward for a few comments from Hay’s past to come back and haunt her.
An astute Twitter user has tracked down a number of Tweets Hay sent in 2013 in which she dropped the N-Word on multiple occasions.
It’s difficult to make out the context of this racial epithet use based on the following messages…
… but what context could there really be for white woman to use this word that would make it remotely acceptable?
Former Miss Teen USA Kamie Crawford read about the scandal and decided to speak out on Twitter regarding Hay’s controversial past.
“I can take the #missteenusa top 5 being an all white, all blonde top 5. What I can’t take is – why didn’t the winner clean up her page?” Crawford wrote on social media.
“If u win any pageant – first things first. Clean up ur page. Cus if ur under 21 u shouldn’t b drinking&if ur WHITE the n word ain’t yo word!”
We may have phrased it differently, but she makes some good points.
Once Hay’s Tweets went viral, Karlie issued a public Mea Culpa that reads as follows:
“Several years ago, I had many personal struggles and found myself in a place that is not representative of who I am as a person. I admit that I have used language publicly in the past which I am not proud of and that there is no excuse for,” she wrote on Instagram.
She went on:
“Through hard work, education and thanks in large part to the sisterhood that I have come to know through pageants, I am proud to say that I am today a better person.
“I am honored to hold this title and I will use this platform to promote the values of The Miss Universe Organization, and my own, that recognize the confidence, beauty and perseverance of all women.”
Soon afterward, The Miss Universe Organization issued a statement to E! News.
“The language Karlie Hay used is unacceptable at any age and in no way reflects the values of The Miss Universe Organization. As Karlie stated, she was in a different place in her life and made a serious mistake she regrets and for which she sincerely apologizes,” the statement read.
“Karlie learned many lessons through those personal struggles that reshaped her life and values. We as an organization are committed to supporting her continued growth.”
Hay is only 18 years old.
She’s young and we all make mistakes.
But we say this after every beauty pageant, even the ones that lack scandals, because the year is 2016 and everything. So here we go:
HOW ARE BEAUTY PAGEANTS STILL A THING?!?
