Miss North Florida stripped of crown over refusal to support men in women’s beauty pageant

Kayleigh Bush was crowned Miss North Florida in August of 2024, but was stripped of the title in November over wording in the contract, which she said violated her religious beliefs, and also expressed concerns about Florida law.

Liberty Counsel said in a press release that the Miss Florida and Miss America organizations have refused to revise the contract twice, and noted that the Miss Florida competition begins on Wednesday.

Liberty Counsel had sent a letter demanding that Bush’s title be restored in April. The organization noted that the contract initially given to Bush incentivizes "child abuse in violation of Florida law," due to many Miss and Miss Teen contestants being minors.

"The specified Contract provision incentivizes the castration of minor boys. Thus, Kayleigh could not sign the Contract, and Miss Florida, Inc.’s demand that Kayleigh sign with this provision violates not only Kayleigh’s beliefs, but also Florida law and public policy," the letter stated.

The contract that was given to Bush states that an "Applicant must be a Female," which is defined as those born female or "an individual who has fully completed Sex Reassignment Surgery via Vaginoplasty (from male to female) with supporting medical documentation and records. Supporting medical documentation must be in the form of the certification attached, signed by the surgeon who performed the surgery and notarized, along with a copy of board certification and a current medical license. No alternative gender affirming surgery will suffice as acceptable in place of a Vaginoplasty."

Liberty Counsel wrote that Bush objected to the contract "in part because of her own religious, scientific, political and moral beliefs that sex is immutable; that individuals are born and remain either male or female; that the word 'Female' indeed 'means a born female;' and that it is offensive to Female dignity to require Females to compete against males claiming to be the opposite sex"

"Aside from these entirely legitimate objections, Kayleigh’s strongest objection is to how this Contract’s false additional definition of 'Female' incentivizes and promotes grievous harm to the health and safety of minor boys."

The legal group said that female beauty pageants count as speech protected under the First Amendment, and noted that contracts governed by Florida law must be consistent with laws in the state, and the current contract Bush rejected "contradicts Florida’s legal definition of 'Sex' as 'the classification of a person as either male or female based on the organization of the human body of such person for a specific reproductive role, as indicated by the person’s sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth.'"

The group also noted that Bush had entered into an oral agreement after winning her title that was enforceable by law in the state. "Kayleigh invested time, money and effort in participating in the pageant process, based on the truthful, natural, normal and usual definition of 'Female' that she and every other person understands… Thereafter, on September 1, 2024, Miss Florida, Inc. presented Kayleigh with un-bargained-for and novel terms in the Contract."

Bush said in a statement, "Early last August I was crowned 2025 Miss North Florida — a title I worked hard for, prayed over, and earned under the clear understanding that this was a pageant for women. The rules were clear: you had to be a female to compete. That’s what was written on the website, and that was confirmed before entering. Four weeks later, everything changed."

"I was handed a new contract, a contract that was revised AFTER I was crowned. That contract redefined “female” to include individuals who are biologically male but have undergone medical mutilating surgery. That was not the agreement when I stepped onto that stage. That was not the standard I — or any of the other young women — signed up for. I was told to sign it, or step down. And I couldn’t sign it. Not because I don’t have compassion, but because I have conviction. No crown is worth a child’s safety. I believe the healthy bodies of children matter. I believe that women’s spaces — and women’s competitions — matter. I believe that biology is real, and that redefining what it means to be a woman after the fact isn’t just unfair — it’s dishonest."

She later added, "I want to be clear: I didn’t lose my crown because I broke a rule. I lost it because I wouldn’t rewrite the truth to keep it. To the young women watching: stand firm in what you believe. Your dignity is not up for negotiation. To the organizations redefining womanhood: we see you. And we’re not afraid to speak up. To those who’ve supported me — thank you. Your prayers, your messages, and your voices have meant the world. I may no longer hold the Miss North Florida title, but I haven’t lost my voice. And I will continue to use it — not in anger, but in truth, grace, and courage."