"Naked" Miss Afghanistan slammed (Shut-Up Burqa Boys, she lives in the Land of the Free)

AFP via Melbourne Herald Sun ^ | 27 October 2003

[Stultis]

"Naked" Miss Afghanistan slammed
AFP
27oct03

PRESIDENT Hamid Karzai's minister for women's affairs yesterday condemned Miss Afghanistan, as Vida Samadzai became the country's first woman in the post-Taliban era to appear in a bikini during a beauty contest in Manila.

"Appearing naked before a camera or television is not women's freedom but in my opinion is to entertain men," Minister Habiba Surabi said.

"We condemn Vida Samadzai, she is not representing Afghanistan's women, and this is not women's freedom."

Surabi said according to Afghan culture women should not demonstrate their worth using their "beauty or bodies" but by their skills and knowledge.

"In the name of women's freedom, what this Afghan girl has done is not freedom but is lascivious," the minister said.

The 25-year-old Afghan contestant, who lives in the United States, is the first Afghan woman in 30 years to participate in the Miss World international beauty contest being held in the Philippines capital this week.

The dark-haired, black-eyed Samadzai, apparently from a Pashtun tribe, was born and raised in Afghanistan but left for the United States in 1996 to escape the extremist Taliban regime which forced women to cover themselves from head to toe.

Under the harsh regime women were not allowed to work outside their homes or go out without a close relative beside them. After the fall of the militia in 2001, an increasing number of women left the burqa, or veil, at home and some took jobs.

The only other Miss Afghanistan was Zohra Daoud, who joined the Miss Universe contest in 1972.

[Stultis]

[singing] Here she is, Miss Afghanistan...

[cyborg]

Won't be long before Heff finds a Afghani beauty to be a playmate

[Stultis]

From Sky News:

BEAUTY IN RED BIKINI ROW

They may no longer be in the grip of the hardline Taliban regime - but the sight of a bikini-clad Afghan woman at a beauty pageant has proved too much for many.

Miss Afghanistan Vida Samadzai prompted gasps from the crowd as she strutted down the catwalk in a sexy red bikini.

She was one of 60 competitors taking part in the Miss Earth contest in the Philippines.

For years Afghan women have been synonymous with the dour burqa - the full length body blanket forced upon them by their Islamic leaders.

But it seems liberation has gone too far - and a little to quickly - for some in the country.

"The way she appeared is not in our Afghan culture nor is endorsed by Islam," said Habiba Surabi, women's affairs minister.

"She is not an Afghan. I was shocked and felt embarrassed to see her," said 30-year-old Mohammad Ashraf, a Kabul University student.

It is the first time in 30 years that an Afghan woman has taken part in a beauty show.

The slim and dark-haired Samadzai was born and raised in Afghanistan, but left for the United States in 1996 to escape the civil war.

She told reporters she wanted to present a new image of Afghan women to the world.

"I would like to make people aware that as Afghan women we are talented, intelligent and beautiful.

"We are one of the people who can make a difference in this world," she said.

[Stultis]

What else are they hiding under those burqas? Enquiring minds....

[AM2000]

Hef's talented like that ain't he ;-)

[wallcrawlr]

Brave and beautiful...nice package..

[T'wit]

Waaaal... we could try having a beauty contest with 50 girls in full regalia, wearing those burqas or draperies or pup tents, whatever they are. We'd have to eliminate the evening gown competition and the swimsuit competition and the beauty competition and the talent competition. But we could ask the girls questions. "Nasreen, what are you going to do if you win the title?" "Well, Bob, the very first thing I'm going to do is take of this honkbleeping, %*$@$%#! burqa, put on something cool and cruise the malls. Hey, guys, get ready!"

[stylin_geek]

Ya know, if she is the norm for what is under those burqas, I think the U.S.A. should engage in more liberation.

[cyborg]

You should read Return to Modesty by Wendy Shallit... that's part of the whole appeal...covering it all up. It's so bothersome to men that some of these women get racy letters about their burqas.

I would love to look like her...lol

[Stultis]

Here's a story on the first Miss Afghanistan (from 1972):

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/afghan011205_beauty.html

Dec. 5 — At 18, she was crowned Miss Afghanistan, was jet-setting with some of Kabul's biggest pop stars and was on her way to launching a career in radio and TV. At 25, Zohra Daoud was scrubbing the floors of a Richmond, Va., bakery — a political refugee from one of the world's most troubled hotspots.

[Stultis]

Reuters photo, with some of the competition:

[cyborg]

Oh he certainly is...LOL

[Unam Sanctam]

The display is immodest and makes of woman a mere sexual object. Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers.

[T'wit]

If she were the norm, I don't think we'd hear those grumblehead mullahs bitching about their women.

[SandfleaCSC]

The display is immodest and makes of woman a mere sexual object. Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers

I thought she was hot too. :)

[ChemistCat]

I can't help but think that some of these young ladies look unhealthily thin. :-(

I worry about my daughters growing up in a world where nearly everyone is obese but we all want to look dangerously thin. It's just schizoid.

[Prime Choice]

Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers.

And the downside to this is...?

[montag813]

I can't help but think that some of these young ladies look unhealthily thin. :-(

Amen! These chicks are nasty. Washboard abs on a woman? No thanks. Nothing like a little belly on a girl to enhance her femininity.

[Unam Sanctam]

The downside is that we are trying to build a stable, human rights-abiding democracy in Afghanistan, not a Taliban/Al Qaeda Islamofascist state. What good does it do to give propaganda to the Taliban?

[Post Toasties]

The display is immodest and makes of woman a mere sexual object. Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers.

Most westerners believe pedophilia, bestiality and homosexuality are provocations or worse, yet they are widespread in Muslim countries. Clean your own house before you make hypocritical comments.

[Lion in Winter]

Every darn thing we do in Afganistan bad or good is proppaganda for those jerky talibans.

[Unam Sanctam]

I neither approve nor condone pedophiliac, bestial or homosexual activity wherever such sins be carried out, be they here or in the Moslem world. And I do believe in modesty of dress for women and men anywhere. And as a prudential matter, I don't see this as progress for Afghanistan, but rather a propaganda coup for the Talibans who will blame it all on us decadent infidels.

[Prime Choice]

The downside is that we are trying to build a stable, human rights-abiding democracy in Afghanistan, not a Taliban/Al Qaeda Islamofascist state. What good does it do to give propaganda to the Taliban?

The Taliban only need point to the U.S. major media as "proof" of our "decadence." To suggest that one bikini-clad woman is going to be a propaganda coup de grace is just silly.

[Prime Choice]

And I do believe in modesty of dress for women and men anywhere.

I personally think Kahlil Gibran said it best:

"Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean."

...be not unclean, mmkay?

[Stultis]

Well, frankly, I'm all for modesty, but I'm also for people wearing whateverthehecktheywannawear. And for those that don't like it, they can lump it (whatever their religion is).

[Alter Kaker]

Most westerners believe pedophilia, bestiality and homosexuality are provocations or worse, yet they are widespread in Muslim countries.

I have no use for Islam, but this is nonsense.

[mvpel]

Surabi said according to Afghan culture women should not demonstrate their worth using their "beauty or bodies" but by their skills and knowledge.

Yeah, their skills and knowledge honed to rapier-sharp perfection in all those schools that Rep. Patty Murray thinks Osama bin Laden has been building.

[FreedomCalls]

[sheik yerbouty]

Just about anything is a provocation with them. even their goats.

[GulliverSwift]

Nice cartoon!

[Post Toasties]

I've seen documentation of much of this type of activity in the Mideast. Denying it without any factual basis is not convincing.

[Hank Rearden]

The display is immodest and makes of woman a mere sexual object. Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers.

Good. Screw the Moos. Dumbass death cult.

[Mr. Mojo]

And as a prudential matter

Emphasis on "prude."

[Mr. Mojo]

lol

[Alter Kaker]

I've seen documentation of much of this type of activity in the Mideast.

Show me.

Denying it without any factual basis is not convincing.

In Saudi Arabia homosexuals are put to death. In your country, and also in my country, they are elected to political office.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

What in the heck is a "women's affairs" ministry? Do I even want to know?

[PhilDragoo]

And Khatami bleated sour grapes over an Irani woman getting the Nobel prize.

Here's to progress driving the hateful insane.

It's called freedom and they can get used to it or die.

[expatguy]

It is not nonsense, pedophilia and homosexuality are widespread in all Muslim countries.

As a Westerner, I find the rampant pedophilia quite disturbing.

[cherry]

"Surabi said according to Afghan culture women should not demonstrate their worth using their "beauty or bodies" but by their skills and knowledge."

how romantic and quaint to think that women can offer anything to society except their bodies..../sarcasm/

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

This is still my favorite post-liberation photo

[Alter Kaker]

As a Westerner, I find the rampant pedophilia quite disturbing.

I am Westerner and not supporter of pedophilia either. This does not address lack of support for contention that pedophilia is practiced more common in Islam than in other countries. In Afghanistan, perhaps (I hear reputation, but only been there once and see nothing). But in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia? These people have many problems, but among them is not pedophilia, at least not more so than we see anywhere else.

[Post Toasties]

Then we have white slavery which is endemic through the Muslim Middle East. There, when a girl or woman walks unclothed in front of others, it is not of her free will, but because she is about to be purchased.

[Atchafalaya]

And your response to that provacation is?

[LibertarianInExile]

Especially if she's barefoot and in the kitchen, eh?

ROFLMAO.

[expatguy]

...This does not address lack of support for contention that pedophilia is practiced more common in Islam than in other countries. In Afghanistan, perhaps (I hear reputation, but only been there once and see nothing). But in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia? These people have many problems, but among them is not pedophilia, at least not more so than we see anywhere else...[sic]

Im not aware of any studies on the subject, but my observations on the matter are based on my own experiences. The newspapers where I live have almost weekly accounts of such cases. In the United States they happen Im sure, but nothing like here.

Malaysia Reconsiders Death Penalty for Child Rapists

The interesting tidbit that was omittted from the above article is that all of the cases have been within Muslim households, not Chinese and not Indian which lends some credance to my allegation that this is somehow directly linked with Islam.

I have tried to hypothesize myself what the the link could be and have pretty much come to the conclusion that it is a combination of factors. One is the fact that women are for the most part considered a possession of the man rather than an individual combined together with the sexual repression that is prevalent in the society.

[Atchafalaya]

Legs from God.

[FreeReporting]

There was a news report on Israel radio yesterday concerning the fatal stabbing of a 17 year old girl in an Arab village. The girl had apparently got a new boyfriend that the family and the old boyfriend didn't approve of. This was their way of reasoning with her, I suppose.

[Rifleman]

"The display is immodest and makes of woman a mere sexual object. Moreover it is a provocation to Moslem believers."


Yup. Good.


Whiskey! Democracy! Sexy!

[FierceDraka]

Dumbass death cult

LOL LOL LOL! Thanks for the Monday morning laugh!