Alleged bias in the beauty industry is once again in the headlines, this time here in South Florida.
Génesis Dávila was crowned Miss Florida USA last month but has since been stripped of her title. On Monday she filed a $15 million defamation lawsuit against the owners of the Miss Florida USA pageant in order to win back her title.
Richard Wolfe, Davila’s lawyer, says the pageant owners claim she violated the contest' rules by getting her hair and makeup done professionally. The alleged proof was a post in Davila's Instagram account.
“There is an unfair system going on in which the Miss Florida pageant is beholden to a group of girls who are 'insiders' and this was all done to get rid of my client so one of the insiders could be propped up," Wolfe says.
Wolfe says Dávila did hire professional hair and makeup artists but for a photo shoot that happened nine days before the pageant.He says the pageant organizers also questionedDávila’scitizenship status even though she was born in Puerto Rico.
Dávila says she was shocked when she found out she was going to be denied the title.
“I have faced many challenges in my life, but nothing like this,”Dávila says.
Miss Florida USA pageant declined to comment due to the ongoing litigation.
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