“JUST GAVE MY PERSPECTIVE”: MISS UNIVERSE 2021 ON HIJAB COMMENTS

Wed 30 March 2022:

Days after her remarks on hijab made headlines, Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu on Wednesday said as a youth of the country she simply shared her perspective when asked to comment on the issue.

The 24-year-old, who won the coveted pageant earlier this year, said the matter in question was something she felt she “needed” address because she believes in letting one live the way they choose to.

‘Let girls live way they want’, says Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu on Hijab Row#Harnaaz #MissUniverse2021 #Hijab pic.twitter.com/QVP5GG9KNX

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) March 30, 2022

“Being the youth of my country… I’m a student of Masters in Public Administration, it’s important to have your perspective about anything that’s happening around the world,” Ms Sandhu said at an event here.

A clip of the model-actor went viral on social media last week in which a reporter can be seen asking Ms Sandhu about her views on hijab. The video was part of an event held in Mumbai on March 17 in the honour of the Miss Universe 2021’s homecoming.

In her response, she had appealed to society to stop targeting girls, including on the issue of hijab, saying “Let them live the way they choose to.” On Wednesday, Ms Sandhu reiterated her views, adding after she spoke out people started suggesting that she was “supporting” the practice of hijab.

“I think I just gave my perspective to it. And at the end of the day, that girl is dominated by the patriarchy system or if that girl is wearing a hijab, that’s her choice. Even if she’s getting dominated, she needs to come and speak.

“Until she doesn’t support herself, how can I support her? And if that’s her choice, then that’s her choice. Let her live the way she wants to live. We are women of all colours, we are women of different cultures, we need to respect each other… I think we all have different lives, so why do you want to pressurise and dominate somebody else?” she added.

“And if I am going through that… I know there are a lot of people who are trolling me and it’s okay because that’s their mindset, their stigmas, but there are a lot of other individuals who are trolled every day irrespective of their Miss Universe or not. I’m empowering them by making them feel that if I feel gorgeous, you are beautiful too,” she said.

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