By: Kenneth Mokgatlhe
Like Russian revolutionary heroine Alexandra Kollantai, Sarah Idan was not content with just being somebody’s wife, mother, or aunt.
When she divorced her husband, Alexandra said: “I’m not the wife for you, for I’m a person first and a woman second… and that's all there is to it."
Idan was crowned Miss Iraq and represented her country at the Miss Universe 2017 pageant. What made her special is that she was the first Iraqi model to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in 45 years.
After achieving such a milestone in her career and restoring the pride of her country, which had been besieged by conflict, she was bullied for simply taking and sharing a picture with a fellow Miss Universe participant from Israel.
She did not see herself simply as a beauty model, she saw herself as an ambassador of peace. She believes that she has a duty to unite the world and teach people how to love one another.
South Africa is very lucky that Idan spent time here in the past week. She visited Sharpeville and Soweto. She addressed many audiences and entered into dialogue with girls and women, as she understands marginalisation as a woman, from her experience in a world where women are routinely marginalised.
Last week Thursday (March 24), she was in conversation with Miss Unity SA, Simphiwe Mdluli, and girl learners at Bona Comprehensive School in Soweto. The topic was about the staunch resilience that the former Miss Iraq shows when faced with a bullying campaign and death threats.
When she represented her home country in the Miss Universe pageant, she dared talk to her fellow participant, Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman, and took a picture that she shared on her Instagram. The picture caused an outpouring of hatred from Iraq and from Muslims all over the world. Idan's family back home was forced to flee Iraq.
Despite all the challenges she faced, she is pursuing peace and fighting oppression in the world.
The topic of bullying drew my attention as bullying is rife in South African schools and little has been done to address this. She spoke from a position of experience and the conversation was lively and informative.
South Africa needs people of Idan’s calibre, a person who does not give up, no matter what people say or the price that they may pay for taking a firm stance.
Idan does not have a “spaghetti” backbone. She is consistent, not flip-flopping as are so many of our leaders in this country.
Her story gives hope to many people from all walks of life in a similar situations. Idan is a symbol of hope to the oppressed people of Iraq, and she has elevated her responsibility to speak for all those who are at the receiving end of dehumanisation.
Like many other children, Idan started experiencing bullying from a young age, being teased for the shape of her body (body-shaming). It didn’t end there. Due to conflict that lasted for years in Iraq, she was forced to leave her home country and settle in Syria as a refugee. This was state bullying of the highest order.
Although oppression of women pre-dates capitalism as an economic system, historically it has been a global phenomenon and it may take various forms in line with various cultures, economies, politics, religion, and other social aspects.
Idan said gender-based-violence was rife in every country she visited, especially in her homeland, Iraq where, like in many Muslim countries, women are not allowed access to education. In Western countries, women and girls are regarded as equal to men and boys.
Like Alexandra Kollantai, Rosa Parks, Nomvo Booi and other progressive revolutionary women, Idan does not see herself as a mere wife, housewife or mother. She feels it her duty to make the voice of women across the world more audible.
It is through the message that Idan brings that we realise that there are people who are eager to fight for other people’s rights. She is driven by a passion for human rights, not only for women but for everyone who is experiencing oppression around the world. She does this because she knows better.
*Mokgatlhe is an independent writer
The Star