Miss North Carolina USA has lost her crown a little more than a month after winning the pageant, following the resurfacing of alleged racist social media posts.
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, was officially removed from the title on Wednesday after organizers said they completed a “thorough review of recently surfaced information.”
A-Blaize Productions, the organization behind the Miss North Carolina USA competition, described the move to revoke Boltinhouse’s title as a difficult but necessary decision.
In a statement, pageant officials said the decision “was not made lightly,” adding that it came after reviewing the newly emerged material and considering “the totality of the circumstances,” along with the organization’s duty to protect the reputation of the Miss North Carolina USA title and its stated values.
The group said that because it is responsible for choosing and preparing women to represent their states nationally, titleholders are expected to honor the standards they agree to uphold when they accept the crown.
Thom Brodeur, president and CEO of Miss USA, did not detail the specific contents of Boltinhouse’s alleged posts, but stressed that the Miss USA brand “does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, nor language that strips any person of their dignity – whoever they are.”
Brodeur added that the stance is “not a policy written for a press release,” but rather the basic expectation for anyone chosen to represent the Miss USA organization.
He said a pageant title is more than a symbolic honor, calling it a position of public trust. When the expectations attached to that role are violated, he said, the title cannot simply remain in place as if nothing occurred.
“What was brought to us was not a single moment. It reflected conduct over an extended period of time.
“That is why this outcome was reached and I stand behind it without qualification.”
Boltinhouse apologized, according to Brodeur, but the executive said her confession “does not undo the harm, and it does not change the outcome.”
Boltinhouse, a business owner in Wilmington, is accused of writing a slew of social media posts containing a racial slur under an alias between 2017 and 2019, the NCBeat reported.
She allegedly used the n-word several times and framed herself as “toxic” in the posts under the username Sosa the Stallion.
Boltinhouse, a Honduran-Mexican model, goes under the name “Sosa” on social media. She was the first Honduran model to win the Miss North Carolina USA title.
“There are moments in life that forever change who you are. This is one of mine,” she said, reflecting on her June 28 success before paying tribute to her parents.
“As for me, I carry this crown with immense pride. Representation matters, and I hope every little girl who has ever wondered if she belongs can see that she does.
“Mom and Dad… thank you for being the foundation of the woman I am today. Your sacrifices, your faith, and your love built the character that stands beneath this crown. This crown is bigger than me. It’s for the people who have been underestimated.”
Boltinhouse was set to participate in the 75th annual Miss USA three-day competition, which gets underway in Miami, Florida, on August 24,
Myla Hadley, who finished as the contest’s first runner-up, has now assumed Boltinhouse’s title.
She said she’s been left “humbled” by the congratulatory messages she has received, and is ready to represent The Tar Heel State at Miss USA.
