A reigning beauty queen in Massachusetts quit the Miss Massachusetts Miss America Organization pageant after the host cracked a #MeToo joke.
Maude Gorman, 24, first started participating in beauty pageants in an attempt to build up her self-esteem after she was raped by three men when she was 13 years old, Fox News reported.
She slowly began to make a name for herself in the local circuit, earning the title of Miss Massachusetts World America in 2015 and becoming the reigning Miss Plymouth County beauty queen.
However, she was prepared to give it all up after the emcee for the Miss Plymouth County pageant, Rich Allegretto, joked about the #MeToo movement during an onstage skit last week referencing the removal of the of the swimsuit competition from the pageant.
In the skit, a woman asks God why the Miss America pageant removed the swimsuit competition, stating that it was "very upsetting" and she was "trying to understand why it happened," at which point the man responds by saying "me too, Amy" while holding up a sign reading #MeToo.
Gorman said the joke was "heartbreaking to hear," adding that, "in that moment, everything collapsed right in front of me," The Boston Globe reported.
Both Allegretto and The Miss America pageant have issued apologies however, Gorman’s mother, Mary Ellen, said her daughter would not be swayed from her decision.
"It's very hard to win a title, but she felt very strongly about giving it up. She had to be true to herself," she said, according to the Globe.
The Miss Massachusetts Board of Directors noted that the skit was not in the script and was not authorized by the board.
"Moving forward, we will review all content with future emcees and other participants prior to our show to be sure offensive or potentially offensive content is not allowed," the board said in a post to Facebook.
Allegretto meanwhile said the skit was "meant as a satirical poke at those who are upset that swimsuit is going away," according to The Wrap. "It was intended to be a nod to the #MeToo movement, not a knock on it," he said.
Taking to Instagram, Gorman said she refused to "stand idly by and simply 'let this go.'"
Instead, she vowed to "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."
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