Women in Iraq are ignoring the death threats from religious extremists to become the first Miss Iraq in almost four decades. In the pageant there are over 150 women that applied which the people running the
pageant says its a chance to "create life in Iraq and revive our country after years of bloodshed and
internal chaos." Its very sad to say but 15 of the women who had applied had to drop out because of death threats from hardliners and even also barrage of criticism. One the women Shaima Qassem Abdulrahman, said that the controversy didn't keep her from being in the contest. Freshman told NBC news that "Our people are badly in need of such cultural activities. After all we have been through, we need to do something new that would reform our society." Even Abdulrahman and other Iraqis had been directly affected by violence brought to her country by ISIS. She also told NBC News "Two of her cousins were members of Iraq's federal police until they were killed while fighting the militants." Last year Abdulrahman said five of her fellow women who applied for the pageant had to find new homes because ISIS overran the northern city of Mosul. Abdulrahman explained her decision said that "Such activities can rebuild what has been destroyed." Beauty pageants in Iraq has a long record of history and in the 1930s women applied and competed in monthly events which included "Miss Baghdad" and Baghdad Queen of Beauty. There point to get to the people was that "Our message is to show the world.... That we are a civilized Country." This year when the organizers hold the pageant contest it will hopefully offer a more clam, and fun loving side to their troubled country. The organizers aren't just looking for a beautiful women but a "women who is going to carry the message to the world that we love life.......... She will talk about how great Iraq and Iraqis are, and how Iraqis are struggling to stay alive." Even though we know pageant contest can not solve Iraq security problem, Al-Obaidi said "It could give Iraq a much needed PR overhaul, letting the world know that there's more to the country than strife. For some reason some people think the Middle East is where all the terrorist live and all the wars are but Iraq is trying to change the picture by holding beauty contest. All the women who applied to be in the pageant came from different parts of Iraq so they had all different religion but Kamel said "We do not care what religion they are." Abdulrahman, had to figure out a way to convince her parents to let her enter the beauty pageant after they tried to banned her from participating. Abdulraham must keep this involvement quiet to some of the neighbors in her neighbors but she said "confident that I am doing the right thing for myself." Also Abdulraham said "the contest is far more significant than most beauty pageants; it could be crucial part of modernizing Iraq. Miss Iraq could enlighten the thinking of Iraqis, especially those who live a life of hundreds of years ago, who do not want to witness a life that is developed and improved."
My reaction to is wow this is very eye opening to see that these women who applied for these beauty pageants in Iraq it more than beauty it could be a chance to tell the world how they and there fellow Iraqis are struggling to stay alive and that Iraq is not connected to all war and terrorism. Even though so of the women who have applied in the pageant have received criticism and death threats some of the women still participate even though they could get killed. And last year some of the contestants had to find new homes because ISIS overran the northern city of Mosul. In conclusion the main thing that I thought stuck to me is the reason why they do the pageants and they do the pageants because they want a chance "to create life in Iraq and revive our country after years of blood and internal chaos."
Very interesting. I'm not a big fan of beauty pageants, but I can appreciate the risk these women are taking to make a positive change in their country!
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