The woman who lost her crown as Miss North Carolina because of alleged racist posts is now claiming she was discriminated against due to her religious and political beliefs. It’s a claim the pageant organizers flatly deny.
Brittany Boltinhouse was recently stripped of her title after several posts using the n-word came to the attention of the organizers, A Blaize Productions.
Miss USA Chairman Thom Brodeur said in a statement that the inflammatory and racist language was not a “single moment,” but represented a pattern over “an extended period of time.”
The crown went to runner-up Myla Hadley, who is Black, and who will represent North Carolina in the national pageant on August 27.
‘A Conservative Christian Woman’
Boltinhouse made the discrimination accusation in an Aug. 7 interview with Carolina Journal, telling the outlet she lost her title because of her “political stance and belief system as a conservative Christian woman.”
She went on to explain that she is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church.
“I’m proud of my faith, I’m proud of my standards, I’m a proud conservative woman, but a Christian woman, a God-fearing woman,” the 27-year-old told editor-in-chief Donna King. “And also I love this country, that’s something I want to make clear.”
A Blaize Productions wasted no time rejecting her version of events. In an Aug. 8 statement, the pageant organizer said the “decision was not based on Brittany Boltinhouse’s political views, religious beliefs, or protected viewpoints.”
The organizer emphasized, “Our organization includes people from various backgrounds, political views, personal beliefs and values. We welcome and celebrate that.”
When asked whether being conservative was “disqualifying to a certain degree in the pageant system,” Boltinhouse said she did not experience discrimination from organizers during the competition. Even so, she maintained, “I think and believe my title was ripped from me because of my beliefs.”
Racists Posts
The posts that led to her removal included phrases like, “this n—- has me 50 shades of f—-up…” and “not yo n—.” During the interview, she neither confirmed nor denied having written those words.
Instead, she simply replied, “Every teenager has made a mistake, every person has made a mistake, but I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about the woman I am today.”
She described herself as the “hard-working” winner of four awards, including Miss Congeniality and People’s Choice. “Miss Congeniality was given to me because of my character, and I’m the first married woman to have that title,” she added.
A New Era
In the meantime, Hadley is ready to step into her new role as Miss North Carolina.
In an August 8 Instagram post, Hadley said she was “filled with gratitude” despite the sudden transition.
“With only 11 days until Miss USA, I am prepared and ready to represent North Carolina with love, respect, and diligence,” she wrote.
“While I may have received this crown under unexpected circumstances, I did not begin preparing for it 11 days ago.” She noted she has competed in pageants since age 12.
“Titles can change overnight,” she added. “However, character is built over a lifetime.”
