Brittany Boltinhouse: Family of Dethroned Miss Carolina Blasts Miss USA Organizers for ‘Saving Face’ After Racism Row

Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse’s family has reportedly criticized pageant organizers, accusing them of trying to “save face” after she was stripped of her title over alleged racist social media posts.

“I think it’s important to share her side of the story and make sure the right narrative is out there, rather than one that protects the image of an organization,” a relative told the Daily Mail. The comment marked the first public statement from Boltinhouse’s family since she was abruptly stripped of her title on Wednesday. Boltinhouse was stripped of her Miss Carolina title on Wednesday on grounds of racism, which has since created a wild debate.

Family Comes to Defense

“As you can imagine, there’s a lot we would like to say but we are taking the time to be in prayer and unity and [will] respond in a manner [that] God calls us to,” the family member added.

Boltinhouse, 27, was officially stripped of her title after A-Blaize Productions, the organization that runs the Miss North Carolina USA pageant, carried out “a thorough review of recently surfaced information,” according to a statement from the group.

The former beauty queen, who is from Wilmington, allegedly used the N-word multiple times and described herself as “toxic” in a series of resurfaced social media posts made under the username Sosa the Stallion between 2017 and 2019, according to NC Beat.

Boltinhouse has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Her removal has sparked widespread reaction in the pageant community, with one fellow contestant previously telling The New York Post that the controversy had “caused a lot of pain.”

“She seems to be a really sweet girl, and I’m sorry this is happening to her, but I really do stand with the Miss USA organization on where they have made their decision,” said Alexis Yearde, 26, who competed alongside Boltinhouse in the June pageant.

“It’s really hurtful because we have such a small community” and “because we were all so excited for her journey,” continued Yearde, who lives in Greenville, about 100 miles north of Wilmington.

“I hope that she learns and that she uses this opportunity to become better educated on these things that have happened and why it’s so important to be knowledgeable on these things,” the pageant girl added.

Giving Their Clarification

Miss USA President and CEO Thom Brodeur said on Thursday that Boltinhouse is expected to release her own statement addressing the controversy “soon.” “She should be the one to address this in her own voice,” Brodeur wrote on Instagram, adding that the organization “does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, or language that takes away any person’s dignity.”

Brodeur also called on the public to show compassion toward Boltinhouse, saying she had “been named, examined, and judged in public in a way that most of us would not survive.”

“Zero tolerance is a standard for conduct. It is not permission to strip someone of their humanity — which is, after all, precisely the thing we are holding her accountable for doing here,” he wrote.

He added that Boltinhouse’s actions were not limited to “a single moment,” but involved “conduct over an extended period of time.”

Following Boltinhouse’s removal, the Miss North Carolina USA title was immediately given to first runner-up Myla Hadley. Hadley, 24, will now represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA competition, which is scheduled to begin in Miami on Aug. 24.