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Newly-Crowned Miss Teen USA Will Keep Title Despite Racist Tweets

August 1, 2016
Nadirah Simmons

Newly-crowned Miss Teen USA Karlie Hay‘s celebration has been cut short. After her win on Saturday [July 30] social media users found tweets from her now private personal Twitter account in 2013 and 2014 using the N-word.

Hay responded on both her Instagram and Twitter accounts, but did not apologize directly for her use of the word.
“I admit that I have used language publicly in the past which I am not proud of and that there is no excuse for. 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,” she wrote. “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.”
Despite calls for her to be stripped of her crown, Miss Teen USA issued a statement standing by its latest winner.

“The language Karlie Hay used is unacceptable at any age and in no way reflects the values of The Miss Universe Organization,” the statement read. “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. 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.”

Kamie Crawford, a former Miss Teen USA, shared some advice: “If u win any pageant – first things first. Clean up ur page.”

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The pageant was already under fire for its lack of diversity, as the top five contestants for the title were all blonde white women. Chrissy Teigen jokingly tweeted: “Wow how can we choose from such a diverse bunch.”

https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/759661045707378688