Miss World America (MWA) stripped a beauty pageant winner of her crown after learning of her conservative viewpoints.
Kathy Zhu, who held the title of Miss Michigan, winning the title days ago, was told by the organizer to return her sash and crown, and to not mention that she had anything to do with the pageant, according to Yahoo.
Zhu posted communication she had with conference organizers to her social media followers.
They asked you to delete these photos. pic.twitter.com/8SGVWKvMld
— Chuck (@poochy_chuck) July 19, 2019
In an email from the Michigan director of the pageant, Zhu is told that her social media post are “offensive, insensitive, and inappropriate.”
“Therefore, effective immediately, MWA does not recognize you as a participant of any sort or in any capacity as it relates to any and all events of MWA. Furthermore, let this communication serve as official notice to remove any mention of yourself as a participant in MWA from all social media platforms (including photographs of you wearing the MWA Michigan sash and/or crown, and any text claiming to be a participant of MWA events).”
Zhu is a Trump supporter and in retweeted photos from other Twitter users can be seen wearing the “Make America Great Again” hat.
Zhu revealed a text message conversation in which MWA staff informed her that her social media activity was being investigated, but would not reveal why.
I woke up this morning with an overwhelming amount of support; I can’t thank you all enough.
I am glad this story came to light because this is more than just some beauty pageant, this is about the prejudice views against people with “different opinions”.
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
“Miss World America’s State/National/Chief Director accused me of being racist, Islamaphobic, and insensitive. They stripped me of my Miss Michigan title due to my refusal to try on a hijab in 2018, my tweet about black on black gun violence, and ‘insensitive’ statistical tweets,” Zhu wrote on Twitter.
Zhu received abundant support from social media personalities and political pundits after the news came out.
“Kathy Zhu would not bow to the PC Police at Miss World. Now they could explain why they wanted to indoctrinate her into wearing garments from someone else’s religion and asking her to not talk politics when liberal contestants are allowed to bash Trump,” wrote political pundit Carmine Sabia.
Thank you ???????? pic.twitter.com/quEC4ibjCp
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
“Apparently you can’t even participate in a @MissWorldLtd pageant if you’re *gasp* openly Republican. What a sorry bunch of bigots. @PoliticalKathy you’re still Miss Michigan to anyone with a functioning frontal lobe in their brain,” tweeted Cuban-American Producer and Director Robby Starbuck.
One America News Network Host Jack Posobiec posted to Twitter that Zhu is a Chinese-American naturalized citizen, and that she was active in getting other Chinese-Americans to support Trump in the 2016 election.
CAFT Communications Director Kathy Zhu has been stripped of her Miss Michigan Title because she politely refused when asked to wear hijab in 2016. This is not FAIR! https://t.co/luiCjN8hGA
— David Tian Wang (@david_tiantian) July 19, 2019
“I am completely disheartened by this situation,” Zhu told The Gateway Pundit. “I was so excited to represent the state of Michigan and advocate for ‘don’t be afraid to speak your truth’ as my main statement. For them to take my title away due to right-leaning tweets shows that they only want pageant girls to have brainless statements like ‘world peace’ and not meaningful ideals that would actually make a difference.”
The Miss World America Organization strips conservative activist Kathy Zhu of her Miss Michigan title for refusing to Wear Hijab and “insensitive” social media posts. pic.twitter.com/mxNRH5MeVu
— Fox & Friends First (@FoxFriendsFirst) July 19, 2019
In the revealed text messages, Zhu told the organizers that she would be returning her sash and crown. She also tweeted why she would not be taking legal action.
“I will not be taking any legal action against the organization, I think they have suffered enough negative publicity—especially because they wanted to decrown me due to not wanting bad publicity in the first place. When they go low, we go high,” Zhu tweeted.
