Miss Universe Iraq Sarah Idan (right) and Miss Universe Israel Adar Gandelsman
Nearly a month ago, Sarah Idan was in a hand-beaded Swarovski crystal gown representing Iraq in the Miss Universe pageant.
It was the first time in 45 years that Iraq had a contestant in the pageant.
But all of that suddenly changed over a selfie seen around the world.
Idan and Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman, took the picture during a pre-pageant photo shoot in Las Vegas.
In the caption, she wrote "Peace and Love from Miss Iraq and Miss Israel."
The reaction wasn't what she expected.
Six days before the pageant, she woke up to threats from the Miss Iraq organization, warning her to take down the photo or she'd be stripped of the title, others threatened her life.
Idan says she was also being threatened online because she wore a bikini during one of the preliminary competitions.
Her family has been forced to flee the country since then.
comments powered by Disqus
.jpg)
All feeds
