By Magda El Dada | Staff Writer
On March 9th, 2024, Yasmina Zaytoun shaped a new narrative for Arab women on the global pageantry stage. For the first time in Miss World history, our very own Miss World Lebanon won first runner-up to the renowned crown, marking the biggest international pageantry achievement since Georgina Rizk’s entitlement as Miss Universe in 1971. Beneath the guise of all the lights and glamor, this achievement has opened up infinite opportunities for young Arab girls who have long struggled with taking up space and amplifying their voices.
Yasmina is a 21-year-old journalism student from Kfarchouba. She has been vocal about her passion for speaking up on prominent social issues since the very beginning of her career when she started her own Instagram show, “With Yasmina Show”. She has interviewed political figures and has created empowering and motivational content for her audiences. After being crowned Miss Lebanon in 2022, she further expanded her mission and directed her focus to working with the Lebanese Food Bank and the Children’s Cancer Center in Lebanon (Miss Lebanon Yasmina Zaytoun first runner-up at Miss World 2023). Already endowed with a fervidness for enhancing the livelihoods of the Lebanese, Yasmina’s winning of the Miss Lebanon crown opened up a whole world of possibilities for her through which she could truly make an impact.
What is it that made Yasmina Zaytoun stand out among Lebanese candidates from the past years? The answer is simple yet significant: her faith in her purpose and the power of her voice. Yasmina was not afraid to speak up on issues that are labeled as “too sensitive” and sometimes avoided in an international setting. She boldly made use of the pageant’s head-to-head challenge to raise the issues of social inequality and refugee crises, and she made sure to channel all the emotion that had been building up inside her for years into her touching speech. Furthermore, during the live competition, she referenced Lebanon’s tragic August 4th with no hesitation, stressing on how even one of the biggest explosions in history failed to break the spirit of the Lebanese people. She was unafraid to yield the harshness of reality as her weapon and made sure that the world saw and appreciated the uniqueness of her culture. Her Mediterranean beauty paired with her brilliance and burning drive, Yasmine stormed the competition with rawness unforeseen by her predecessors.
Yasmina’s securing of the first runner-up title has redefined what it means to be an Arab woman whose voice and passion know no bounds. With younger girls normally viewing Miss World, or any international arena, as a far-fetched dream, Yasmina has paved the way for a future they can look up to and strive to reach. She has taught the younger generation of women to stay true to who they are on social media and hold on to their authentic selves, encouraging them to display their flaws without regret. In an interview with L’Orient Today, when asked about her message to younger Arab girls, she reassured them that they are fighters and ambitious dreamers and that she will continue to represent them and be their voice. Instead of viewing pageants as a minefield of insecurities, she stresses that the beauty of a true Miss World is the beauty that comes from within. Despite many critics judging Yasmina for having “normal” features and no distinctive facial qualities, she continues to embrace her individuality and emphasizes the subjectivity of beauty, embodying what it means to be a role model.
Representation matters, and the flood of support that the Arab World has given Yasmina stands as testament to that. Growing up, young Arab girls looked to their screens and failed to find a person through whom they could see themselves, so they shifted their values and rebranded their rich cultures to conform to the Western norms that have been ruling for decades. Ultimately, this may have made them lose sight of the privilege and honor of being tied to Arab roots, robbing them of a future where they embrace their true identity. With representation on a global stage, these younger girls no longer feel the need to constantly change themselves but instead learn to love and accept their heritage. If others before them could dream big and achieve, what is to stop them from taking that leap themselves?
Amid the tough times that the Lebanese have been grappling with, achievements like Yasmina’s runner-up title serve as a reminder that hope is not lost for our Lebanon. It is flawed and unstable, constantly at a paper-thin thread away from collapse, but it creates a fire within its people that guides and protects us for life. In the words of our very own Yasmina, “Thank you Lebanon, for teaching me to be what I am”.
References
Ari, Lior Ben. “Miss World Runner-up from Southern Lebanon Wants to ‘Spread Love.’” Ynetnews, ynetnews, 11 Mar. 2024, www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/skw2gv3ap.
Jadah, Malek. “Yasmina Zaytoun to l’orient Today: I Showed the World What Lebanese People Can Do.” L’Orient Today, L’Orient Today, 11 Mar. 2024, today.lorientlejour.com/article/1371034/yasmina-zaytoun-to-lorient-today-i-showed-the-world-what-lebanese-people-can-do.html.
“Miss Lebanon Yasmina Zaytoun First Runner-up at Miss World 2023.” L’Orient Today, L’Orient Today, 9 Mar. 2024, today.lorientlejour.com/article/1370918/miss-lebanon-yasmina-zaytoun-first-runner-up-at-miss-world-2023.html#: