Karlie Hay

{{Infobox pageant titleholder

| image=

| name=Karlie Hay

| caption=

| title=Miss Texas Teen USA 2016
Miss Teen USA 2016

| nationalcompetition=Miss Texas Teen USA 2016
(Winner)
Miss Teen USA 2016
(Winner)

| birth_name= Karlie Denise Hay

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}

| birth_place= Tomball, Texas, U.S.

| hometown =

| birth_date={{birth date and age|1997|12|12}}

| eye_color=Blue

| hair_color=Blonde}}

Karlie Denise Hay (born December 12, 1997) is an American model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Teen USA 2016. She is the first Texan to win the crown since 2011.

Early life

Hay was born on December 12, 1997, in Tomball, Texas. As a child, some of her family members dealt with alcoholism and substance abuse.{{cite web|url=http://www.missuniverse.com/missteenusa/members/profile/825277/year:2016|title=Miss Texas Teen USA 2016|accessdate=July 31, 2016|publisher=Miss Universe Organization|website=missuniverse.com|archive-date=November 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129083624/http://www.missuniverse.com/missteenusa/members/profile/825277/year:2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/07/30/miss-texas-wins-miss-teen-usa-2016-karlie-hay/|title=Karlie Hay: Stunning Miss Texas Crowned 2016 Winner Of Miss Teen USA|last=LaCroix|first=Emy|publisher=Hollywood Life|website=hollywoodlife.com|date=July 30, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2016|archive-date=May 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522045220/http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/07/30/miss-texas-wins-miss-teen-usa-2016-karlie-hay/|url-status=dead}} She graduated from Tomball High School in 2016, where she was a cheerleader.

Pageantry

=Miss Texas Teen USA 2016=

Hay represented Kemah in the Miss Texas Teen USA 2016 pageant. On November 29, 2015, she was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder Chloe Kembel, beating out first runner-up Thekla McCarthy of La Grange.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

=Miss Teen USA 2016=

On July 30, 2016, Hay was crowned Miss Teen USA 2016 by outgoing titleholder Katherine Haik. She beat out first runner-up Emily Wakeman of North Carolina.{{cite web|url=http://heavy.com/entertainment/2016/07/miss-texas-karlie-hay-winner-miss-teen-usa-2016-who-won-crowned-tonight-competition/|title=Miss Teen USA 2016 Pageant Winner|publisher=Heavy|date=July 30, 2016|website=heavy.com|last=Weigle|first=Lauren}}

==Controversy==

Almost immediately following Hay's crowning as Miss Teen USA 2016, screenshots of her Twitter account dating from 2013 and 2014 were released with Hay repeatedly using the words "nigga" and "nigger". This sparked outrage amongst fans, who accused Hay of racism. Miss Teen USA 2010 Kamie Crawford condemned Hay for not cleaning up her Twitter account prior to becoming a public figure.{{cite web|url=http://www.aol.com/article/2016/07/31/miss-teen-usa-2016-karlie-hay-controversy/21442199/|title=People are dragging Miss Teen USA 2016 Karlie Hay for using the N-word a lot on Twitter|last=Provenzano|first=Brianna|date=July 31, 2016|publisher=AOL News|website=aol.com}}{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/07/miss-teen-usa-n-word-twitter.html|title=Wow, Miss Teen USA Karlie Hay Sure Liked to Use the N-Word on Twitter|last=Miller|first=Jenni|date=July 31, 2016|publisher=New York Magazine|website=nymag.com}} Hay went on to apologize on her Twitter account for what she calls language that she's "not proud of and that there is no excuse for."{{cite web|url=http://www.refinery29.com/2016/07/118471/miss-teen-usa-offensive-tweets|title=Miss Teen USA Winner Karlie Hay Apologizes For Offensive Tweets|last=Hickson|first=Ally|publisher=Refinery29|date=July 31, 2016|website=refinery29.com}}{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/miss-teen-usa-winner-karlie-hay-apologizes-language/story?id=41032291|title=Miss Teen USA Winner Karlie Hay Admits To Using Language 'I Am Not Proud Of'|last=McKenzie|first=Joi-Marie|publisher=ABC News|website=abcnews.go.com|date=July 31, 2016}}