Miss Finland's Crown Revoked Over Racist Gesture
The beauty pageant's organizers announced on Thursday that Sarah Dzafce, the newly crowned Miss Finland, will be stripped of her title. This decision comes after a photograph of Dzafce making an apparent racist gesture was posted on the Jodel platform, sparking a social media storm.
The image shows Dzafce pulling her eyes into a slanted shape with her fingers, accompanied by the text "kiinalaisenkaa syömäs" in Finnish, which translates to "eating with a Chinese person." This gesture was widely interpreted as Dzafce mocking Asian people.
Initially, Dzafce defended the gesture, claiming it was due to a severe headache and rubbing her temples and stretching her eyes. However, the Miss Finland organization, which manages the annual contest, issued a statement on Wednesday, emphasizing its zero-tolerance policy towards racism and discriminatory behavior.
On Thursday, the organization expressed sincere apologies for the incident and announced Dzafce's removal from her title. As a result, Tara Lehtonen, who finished as the runner-up in September, will take on the role of Miss Finland.
Dzafce, born in Oulu and residing in Kuopio, has a foreign background through her Kosovan father and a Finnish mother. She expressed her regret for any offense or hurt caused by her actions on social media, as reported by Iltalehti.
This incident highlights the importance of addressing and condemning racist behavior, even among those in positions of prominence. It serves as a reminder that beauty pageants must uphold high standards of integrity and respect, ensuring that such incidents do not occur in the future.
