Kathy Zhu, a University of Michigan student and reigning Miss Michigan World America has been stripped of her title over tweets the that the pageant deemed “offensive.” Zhu, when speaking with the Detroit Free Press, says it’s because she’s an outspoken conservative and support of President Trump.
The Miss World Pageant sent her a letter, telling her she was out because the content on her social media accounts was “offensive, insensitive and inappropriate.” Zhu shared the letter on her Twitter page.
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. pic.twitter.com/K1Btho0Pgq
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
“I have seen this happen before,” Zhu told the paper. “It is just not okay to be prejudiced against people who just have a different political view as you.”
Zhu also shared copies of text messages from the pageant state director who told her not to post anything on her social media page or go out representing Miss Michigan.
These are the text message exchanges between the state director and me. pic.twitter.com/HtHS1gns6X
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
These are the text message exchanges between the state director and me. pic.twitter.com/HtHS1gns6X
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
An outpouring of support from conservatives flooded her timeline after the story broke. Zhu also said she will not be seeking legal action against the pageant organization.
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.
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) July 19, 2019
She may not be Miss Michigan but @PoliticalKathy will always be our Miss MAGA! pic.twitter.com/oE3IXEcXg5
— Tanya Tay Posobiec 🕊✝️ (@realTanyaTay) July 19, 2019
I’m sick of seeing this from the pageant world. The thing is there are a lot of conservatives in the pageant world but many don’t speak up in fear of this exact scenario. Proud of you @PoliticalKathy for sticking to your guns on this. This pageant girl stands by you. https://t.co/Mt8jxZ3LJU
— Antonia Okafor (@antonia_okafor) July 20, 2019