The new Miss Teen USAÂ had just stepped into her new title when social media backlash erupted over racially offensive tweets she had posted.
Karlie Hay, 18, of Tomball, Texas was crowned at the pageant in Las Vegas on Saturday and it didn’t take long for social media users to dig up tweets, allegedly from Hay’s account, containing the N-word.
The new Miss Teen USA used to use the N-word on Twitter, like, a whole bunch
https://t.co/ETgiriB4r9 pic.twitter.com/EqsXve2OLN— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 31, 2016
People are dragging Miss Teen USA 2016 Karlie Hay for using the n-word repeatedly on Twitter https://t.co/idpqVtDXHY pic.twitter.com/SnmE75M5Zz
— Mic (@mic) July 31, 2016
The tweets appear to be from 2013 and early 2014.
Here’s the winner of #MissTeenUSA pic.twitter.com/L0volbvEmW
— josh (@VaultJosh) July 31, 2016
Soon, Twitter users were posting criticism of Hay and the pageant, calling into question the choice of Hay as a role model for young women.
No excuse for using a word whose only impact coming from white ppl is harm. And @MissTeenUSA is a role model? Ok.https://t.co/854T1aF8oI
— Sam White (@samwhiteout) July 31, 2016
Director Xavier Burgin called on pageant directors to revoke Hay’s win.
Here is your @MissTeenUSA (@haaykarrls) spewing racial epithets. Kudos… pic.twitter.com/nGgPrZCw89
— X (@XLNB) July 31, 2016
Here’s a few excuses we will hear:
– that was three years ago
– ppl change!
– so you can say n*gger but we can’t?
– she’s a child!— X (@XLNB) July 31, 2016
If you’re old enough to have social media, you’re old enough to know what is and isn’t racist @haaykarrls & @MissTeenUSA
— X (@XLNB) July 31, 2016
You can win Miss Teen USA, you can handle the extra (justified scrutiny) for your racist behavior.
— X (@XLNB) July 31, 2016
And @MissTeenUSA needs to address this and revoke Karlie Hay’s win, or set the precedent racists are welcome to their event.
— X (@XLNB) July 31, 2016
Former Miss Teen USA Kamie Crawford joined the critics, asking why Hay had not prepared better by cleaning up her social media account before competing.
I can take the #missteenusa top 5 being an all white, all blonde top 5. What I can’t take is – why didn’t the winner clean up her page? ???
— Kamie Crawford (@TheRealKamie) July 31, 2016
If u win any pageant – first things first. Clean up ur page. Cus if ur under 21 u shouldn’t b drinking&if ur WHITE the n word ain’t yo word!
— Kamie Crawford (@TheRealKamie) July 31, 2016
Within hours, Hay responded on Twitter, citing “personal struggles” but not formally apologizing for the controversial tweets.
Several years ago, I had many personal struggles and found myself in a place that is not representative of who I am as a person…
— Karlie Hay (@RealMissTXteen) July 31, 2016
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…
— Karlie Hay (@RealMissTXteen) July 31, 2016
Miss Teen USA winner Karlie Hay apologizes for using language ‘I am not proud of.’ https://t.co/KYz87ptt33 pic.twitter.com/eW3dhVkwho
— ABC News (@ABC) August 1, 2016
Despite the controversy, the Miss Universe Organization, which owns the Miss Teen USA pageant, issued a statement that defended Hay, formerly Miss Texas Teen USA.
The statement, obtained by KTRK-TV read:
“The language Karlie Hay used is unacceptable at any age and in no way reflects the values of The Miss Universe Organization. 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.”
New story: Miss Teen USA winner to keep crown despite racist tweets https://t.co/COAYonmeA0 #wral
— WRAL NEWS in NC (@WRAL) August 1, 2016
The pageant had also come under fire for its lack of diversity in its contestants.
So brave of Miss Teen USA to promote diversity of eyebrow shape!!! pic.twitter.com/nENY8jMs7e
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) July 31, 2016
Chrissy Teigen just burned the Miss Teen USA Pageant so hard https://t.co/SgjLGRfZLo pic.twitter.com/4BLkYpwY39
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) July 31, 2016
This one photo shows Miss Teen USA’s diversity problem https://t.co/hJqAKc8KEZ pic.twitter.com/IqiaZY5yqH
— TIME.com (@TIME) July 31, 2016
Amid all the backlash over Hay’s tweets, some social media users came to her defense.
@mic @PageantsNEWS She doesn’t mean it in a derogatory way. It’s just 21st century language. Grow up people.
— Ceferino Garcia (@ceferinog6181) August 1, 2016
@mic ok wait. She would have been 13-14 years old when these tweets happened y’all. I do admit though not a good look
— Jackie Vermillion (@GridironGirl13) July 31, 2016
@mic black peoples cry for everything lol! If you don’t want people to say nigger don’t say it yourself. Put the example for the rest of us
— #Trump2016 (@AdolfTrump2016) July 31, 2016
@mic really people leave this girl alone. Her platform is bullying and that is just what you are doing.
— Paula Fortner (@pbbest912) July 31, 2016
@FlamesCupDreams @LeftSentThis @ABC why should she be stripped when it was a stupid mistake she made YEARS ago People deserve second chances
— Bryson Blaine (@BrysonBlaine) August 1, 2016
@LeftSentThis @dcfab why do you people actually care about a pageant? like she messed up and admitted it was wrong. sit the fuck down
— queen (@queenpatriarchy) August 1, 2016
@VanityFair When will we stop these goofy pageants?
— Vicki Colello (@vixenC) July 31, 2016
Tell us what you think . . .Â
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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