An Assault-Surviving Beauty Queen Quit After Her Pageant Made Fun of #MeToo

Trigger Warning: This article discusses sexual assault.

A newly-crowned beauty queen has abdicated her throne, following a skit that mocked the #MeToo movement during her very coronation.

Speaking to NBC News, Maude Gorman explained why she resigned as Miss Plymouth County following the Miss Massachusetts pageant last week.

"To mock a movement that has empowered survivors to stand up is inappropriate, and especially a women's empowerment organisation, should be unacceptable," said Gorman.

In 2015, Gorman attended the Miss World America pageant on behalf of Massachusetts, where she spoke candidly about her gang rape at age 13. She had pledged to use her platform to speak on her experiences.

Gorman announced her resignation from her latest position, Miss Plymouth County, on Instagram, saying "as both a survivor, and advocate for victims['] rights and sexual violence on a whole, I refuse to stand idly by and simply 'let this go'."

 

Today, I officially resigned from the title of Miss Plymouth County 2018. While I’m grateful for the opportunities that @missamerica creates for young women, I am also internally conflicted; as the #metoo movement was mocked on stage during the final competition of Miss Massachusetts. As both a survivor, and advocate for victims rights and sexual violence on a whole, I refuse to stand idly by and simply “let this go”. Instead, I will stand up for every individual who has ever had the courage to speak out; and for every person who felt liberated by the #metoo movement. I will not allow ANYONE to take away that empowerment and liberation, or make it anything less than what it is: AMAZING. #metoo #missplymouthcounty #nomore #rainn #surviveandthrive

A post shared by Maude Gorman 🇺🇸 (@maudernliving) on Jul 5, 2018 at 9:03am PDT

According to the Observer, the extremely bad-sounding skit showed a contestant lamenting the pageant’s exclusion of the swimsuit competition, with an actor, playing God, holding up a sign that read "#MeToo".

Jokes usually sound terrible when they’re being retold, but even by that metric: yeesh.

The Miss Massachusetts Board of Directors apologised for the sketch on Facebook. The evening’s MC, Rich Allegretto, also apologised, revealing he is a male survivor of sexual assault, and explaining that "[t]he skit was meant as a satirical poke at those who are upset that swimsuit is going away… It was intended to be a nod to the #MeToo movement, not a knock on it."

Gabriela Taveras was selected as the overall Miss Massachusetts at the same ceremony, and she too is a survivor of child sexual abuse.

Have you experienced sexual assault or sexual violence? Seeking to support someone who has? Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732. 

If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Header Image: Instagram (maudernliving)