Brittany Boltinhouse, the former Miss North Carolina USA who was stripped of her title last week, has stated she has no regrets for past social media posts containing the N-word and believes her removal was due to her political and religious views, not the language used.
Boltinhouse, 27, won the state pageant last month and was scheduled to compete in the national Miss USA competition on August 27. However, organizers revoked her title, citing "recently surfaced information." A runner-up, Myla Hadley, will now take her place.
While the Miss USA organization did not specify the information, screenshots circulating online appeared to show posts from an account believed to be Boltinhouse's using the N-word in 2017 and 2019. Addressing the controversy in an interview with the Daily Mail, Boltinhouse stated she would not apologize for her past statements.
"No. Not at all," she said when asked if an apology was warranted. Boltinhouse suggested her title was not removed because of the racial slur but due to her "political and religious stance." She indicated that her rights were violated and she intends to challenge the decision legally.
Thom Brodeur, chairman of Miss USA, stated that the organization "does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity." He noted that the decision was based on "conduct over an extended period of time," not a single incident.
Boltinhouse countered these claims, asserting she has "audio recordings" that support her allegations of being ousted due to her "conservative" political views. Her lawyer, Patrick Mincey, echoed this, stating the recordings will reveal the true reasons for her removal and that the posts are not indicative of racism. Mincey and co-counsel Stephen Bell claim Boltinhouse was labeled as prejudiced solely to justify her firing, which they contend was motivated by her conservative beliefs.
Blaize Productions, the executive producer and state license holder for the Miss North Carolina USA pageants, refuted Boltinhouse's claims. In a statement, the company clarified that Ms. Boltinhouse was not removed because of her political or religious affiliations. "Our agreements do, however, establish standards regarding conduct, decorum, representations made to the organization and the responsibilities associated with representing the Miss North Carolina USA title," the statement read.
The organization reviewed undisclosed information and publicly available material brought to its attention after Boltinhouse's crowning. Blaize Productions stated the decision was based on "the totality of circumstances, including conduct and material that the organization determined was inconsistent with the standards and responsibilities associated with serving as Miss North Carolina USA." They emphasized that the termination was not about her beliefs but about her conduct and representations.
Boltinhouse expressed feeling "unfairly targeted" and that her First Amendment rights to express herself were violated. She views the situation as an instance of "cancel culture" and has called the decision "wrongful and unjustified."
While Boltinhouse does not seek to regain her crown, she is pursuing legal action for "justice," aiming to ensure such an incident does not happen to someone more vulnerable. She stated her intention is not to harm the organization but to address what she perceives as an unfair process. "If it's between my principles and this crown, I'll choose my principles all day, and I stand by that," she said.
Mystery still surrounds the specific "previously undisclosed information and publicly available material" that led to the decision. Blaize Productions stated that due to anticipated litigation, they would not publicly discuss the specifics of private communications, recordings, or evidence. They stand by their decision and the process followed, while also discouraging any mistreatment or personal attacks against Boltinhouse.