1katie_j_williams/InstagramMs Nevada has been stripped of her beauty pageant title, and has now claimed to be a victim of censorship.
29-year-old Katie Williams has said her crown was removed because of her ‘conservative values’ and open support for President Donald Trump.
The beauty queen had expressed her support for President Trump over Facebook, and has also spoken out against anti-fascist organisations, gun reform and feminism.
Williams had been due to compete in the national Ms. America Pageant on Saturday, August 24. However, this year there will be no Ms. Nevada, and the state will not be represented at the pageant.
Speaking in a Facebook video, Williams addressed the ban and claimed she wouldn’t have been disqualified if she had expressed liberal rather than conservative views:
I just don’t understand how you can censor someone with conservative values when I’m not even really saying anything that’s bad,
If I had more liberal views, less conservative views, this wouldn’t be an issue.
Williams – who was crowned Ms. Nevada 2019 in April – was reportedly informed she was ‘too political’ by pageant officials, and was instructed to limit her political opinions to her personal Facebook pages.
Thank you to everyone who supported me, but I have to get this off my chest!SHARE IT! I'M TIRED OF BEING CENSORED FOR NOTHING!Ms. America Pageant #follow #share #repost #dethroned
Posted by Katie Williams on Monday, August 19, 2019
The Ms. America Pageant organisers have since said Williams has distorted the facts of the case, and have released a statement to tell their side of the story:
Katie Williams is distorting the facts.
ALL the pageant asked of Ms. Williams, in writing, is to keep separate social media accounts. (ie: Facebook) One is for politics where she can voice her own opinion as Katie Williams and the other is a new Facebook page for the pageant representing Ms. Nevada State 2019.
None of this had to do with her personal political views. They are immaterial. She has her Personal Facebook page to voice her political views.
She could be a President Trump supporter on her Personal Facebook page all she wants for everyone to read. However, the Ms. Nevada Facebook Page should be devoid of political content.
Williams has insisted she did create a separate Facebook account for her Ms. Nevada material aside from her personal account, in accordance with the pageant’s wishes.
However, Ms. America CEO Susan Jeske told NBC News that while Williams did indeed have two separate accounts, she used her personal Facebook page to air her political views alongside mentions of her pageant activity, meaning she was still in breach of the rules.
Jeske told NBC News:
If you’re putting pageant stuff on your personal page, then that’s a pageant page. You’re combing it.
Birth Control isn't a right. It's your responsibility. Men buy condoms, women can buy birth control. #equality
Posted by Katie Williams on Friday, August 9, 2019
According to the eligibility requirements of the Miss America pageant, contestants agree not to ‘post political statements, opinions or opinion on any forum of social media, media or Internet’.
Pageant queens are also forbidden from using their title to ‘promote any political agenda’ and are not permitted to ‘endorse any political figure’.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.