Beauty queen stripped of crown following online posts
Not as glamorous as it seems: Britney Boltinhaus, a 27-year-old model who won the title of Miss North Carolina USA, has launched a legal battle after being stripped of her title following posts that were apparently racist in nature.
Not as glamorous as it seems: Britney Boltinhaus, a 27-year-old model who won the title of Miss North Carolina USA, has launched a legal battle after being stripped of her title following posts that were apparently racist in nature.
Boltinhaus was stripped of her title last week, just over a month after winning it. Organizers stated that the unusual decision was made after a "thorough review of information that recently surfaced," following reports that years ago she published a series of posts under a pseudonym in which she used a racist slur against African Americans.
However, Boltinhaus claims that her political and religious views are actually behind the decision:
"I think and believe that the title was taken from me because of my beliefs. I am proud of my faith and I am proud of my principles," she said in an interview with the Carolina Journal.
According to her, she identifies as having conservative political views and believes that this identification was the background for the decision to remove her. Her lawyers adopted this claim, defining the case as an example of a "shameful cancel culture" directed against her because of her religious and political beliefs.
Attorney Patrick Mincy, who represents her, argued that the pageant organizers have not yet presented any specific behavior that justifies the removal:
"Their unwillingness to present concrete facts or any violations speaks for itself. Due process, fairness, and transparency have been cast aside."
