FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Miss Finland has been embroiled in a scandal of international proportions, after a gesture considered racist that led to her exclusion from the "Miss Universe" competition in Thailand and the loss of her national title.
Sarah Dzafce, a 22-year-old of Kosovar origin and born in Finland, had posted a photo on social media in which she, with her hands, pulled her eyes to make them look “Asian,” accompanied by the caption: “Eating with a Chinese man.” The post caused waves of indignation, especially in China, Japan and South Korea, where the media and social networks strongly condemned it as a clear act of racism.
In an attempt to defuse the crisis, the organizers of the Miss Suomi pageant acted immediately. The event's director, Sunneva Sjögren, announced the disqualification of Dzafce and the passing of the crown to the second runner-up, Tara Lethoten. She issued a public apology and promised that in the future the education of the candidates would be more rigorous.
Initially, Dzafce tried to justify herself, saying that in the photo she was massaging her eyes due to a headache and that the post was made by a friend without her permission. But then, in a response on Instagram, she apologized for the photo and said that she had not intended to offend anyone. “Respect for others is among the most important things to me,” she wrote.
The incident didn't stop there. After she was urgently returned to Finland, the issue took on a political dimension, when conservative Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called her action "irresponsible and reckless."
The statement sparked outrage in the far-right True Finns party (SP), which is part of the ruling coalition. Two of its MPs, Juho Eerola and Kaisa Garedew, posted photos of themselves imitating Sarah's eyes on their social media accounts as a sign of support for the former beauty queen. Eerola even changed her Facebook profile picture to read "Je suis Sarah", comparing the case to the freedom of expression that was attacked in the Charlie Hebdo case.
The vice-president of the SP party, Joakim Vigelius, strongly attacked what he called a “hate campaign” by “morality guards” who, according to him, are violating freedom of expression in society. Prime Minister Orpo immediately distanced himself from his political allies, calling these reactions “irresponsible and harmful to the image of Finland.”
This is not the first time that racism issues have caused tensions in the Finnish government. Prime Minister Orpo himself has previously been forced to expel several ministers from the SP party due to extremist comments or past pro-Nazi connections. In recent months, several cabinet members have even been forced to attend “anti-racism” training.
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