Beauty queen quits her 'Miss USA' crown

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Like beautiful Prince Siddhartha doing the unthinkable, renouncing his place of privilege and influence, to strive for something better, Miss USA is rejecting the title, dumping the throne, and tossing off the crown. Why? She says "I am silenced." So we are not likely to hear the real reason. What reason is she giving up what other competitors would kill for? It must not have been all it's cracked up to be.

Who me? I beat everybody else on this stage?

Miss USA Noelia Voigt, 24, has announced she is relinquishing her Miss USA crown and throne to preserve her mental health.

The beauty pageant winner, who was awarded the prestigious title Sept. 29, 2023, in Reno Tahoe, announced her decision to step down today (May 6, 2024) on Instagram, which is encoded with message "I am silenced." (See below).

Noelia Voigt, crowned Miss USA 2023 in 2023, has decided to step down (© Jason Bean/RGJ).

“My journey as Miss USA has been incredibly meaningful, representing Utah with pride, and later the USA at Miss Universe (held in November),”

Voigt said in the lengthy statement posted to her account. “Sadly, I have made the very tough decision to resign from the title of Miss USA 2023.” USA TODAY has reached out to the pageant for comment.

"I AM SILENCED" (Noelia Voight on IG)

“Never could I have imagined the journey that my childhood dream would take me on,” Voigt, 24, continued.

“Constant and consistent hard work and dedication all lead me to where I am today, and I hope that the last seven years of competing in pageantry and sharing my journey with you all is something that inspires you to never give up on your dreams, whatever they may be.

• Miss USA Noelia Voigt makes 'tough decision' to step down. Read her full statement
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• Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, May 6, 2024; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly