Vida Samadzai’s daring escapades have put the spotlight on Afghan women
STANDING at a little over five foot nine, the 25-year-old Afghan brunette, Vida Samadzai caused a global sensation last year when she became the first Afghan woman ever to appear in a swimsuit competition.
Weighing at slightly over 126-pounds, Vida was participating in the Miss Earth Pageant Contest where she paraded onstage in a bikini, on November 9, amid criticism from the conservatives of her predominantly Islamic country.
It was the first time in 31 years that a Miss Afghanistan was seen in a beauty pageant, after Zohra Daoud in 1974. No one paid attention when Vida wore a one-piece swimsuit in a beauty contest, in the US, last year. But after a little encouragement from Susan Jeske, the reigning Miss America, Vida decided to join the Miss Earth contest, which was created to appeal the socially conscious women. As a dual citizen, Samadzai didn’t need permission from Afghanistan to enter. “My goal was to raise cash and goodwill for the needy there,” Vida told me.
Although, Vida could not win the contest, she was, however, awarded a special award — Beauty For A Cause.
Born and raised in Kabul, where her mother worked as a kindergarten teacher for 25 years, Vida’s father holds a Master’s degree in Public Relations from Lucknow University, India. She has three brothers and one sister and is studying in California State University of Fullerton, in pursuit of two degrees — International Business and Speech Communication.
Vida lived in Pakistan for some time. She remembers going back and forth and staying in refugee camps for three months to help people in 1999. She established a non-profit group Afghan Women’s Organization last year in the US, with the primary goal of educating Afghan women of their rights, and raising funds for educational facilities being put up in key areas in Afghanistan.
My first question to Vida was, what motivated her to participate in the contest despite knowing that she will have to wear a bikini and thereby inviting trouble?
“I was getting negative reaction from the West about the Afghans, particularly the women. I wanted to tell the world that they are not inferior to the women in other parts of the world. If provided opportunity and not suppressed, they could rub shoulders with the women of developed countries. I had received a lot of bad opinions about Afghan women in the college. I could not take it anymore. This opportunity came and I decided to let the world know that Afghanistan had professional and courageous women throughout its history,” Vida said. She does not think that missed the ‘opportunity’ and thus conveyed the world successfully that Afghanistan was going through reconstruction. It had professional women, doctors, lawyers and teachers, who with different regimes had lost their profession with their lives. Afghan women needed help and opportunities. And the world should pay attention to them.
Unfortunately, even the liberal Afghans did not hail Vida’s initiative at home. I interacted with a group of Afghan journalists at a workshop. The group was represented by moderate Afghans. I found them condemning Vida’s act of participating in the competition and parading ‘semi-nude’ in a red-bikini. But Vida is least perturbed by such criticism and at the same time she is a bit apologetic too.
“Some women might be thinking like that due to their surroundings, lifestyle, lack of basic education, culture and religion. It could be their personal opinion. But it was me who was being represented. It was not only a bikini that provoked Afghan women. Wearing two pieces of conservative swimming suit was inconsistent with Afghani culture and religion, however, that was part of the qualification in order to move on with the pageant. I understand, some did not agree with it. I respect their perspective. I do apologize if I have made some Afghan women uncomfortable, but I am glad I got the world’s attention as to helping Afghans. My voice out there could bring in more positive reaction that could help me help Afghans.”
The group of Afghan journalists also made a point when they asked, who had given Vida the license to represent the women of Afghanistan.
“I don’t need a license to do that. I was born in Afghanistan and my identity proves that. I know my banner said Afghanistan,” was Vida’s response to this denigration.
When she was accused of violating the injunctions of Islam by wearing a bikini, she responded: “I have not violated the injunctions of Islam by wearing a bikini. We have a saying in Afghani: ‘It’s better to help someone by sacrificing than to not do anything and let them get hurt’. Wearing a bikini may have violated it, but there are a majority of Muslims that should not drink alcohol, kill, lie or cheat — but they do! Keep in mind, I am an Afghan-American. We are Afghan-born, but currently studying, working and living in totally different places and parts of the world. We do like to carry on our cultural values at the same time get educated and live in the 21st century.”
However, I am still confused as how could Vida claim to have served the women of Afghanistan by wearing a red-bikini? In my opinion, it was taking another extreme position — burqa to bikini. But Vida disagreed with this assertion saying: “I never wore a burqa. We had swimming pools in Afghanistan. A majority of Afghans living away from Afghanistan do wear swimwear whey they go to swim. I represent myself as someone who has been currently educated in America.”
Vida, despite losing the contest, believes that she was ‘most favourite’ for Miss World. According to her, Miss World should be a good social worker, a fundraiser for a social cause. And she was one such person! She thinks she has not lost the contest.
“My goal was not to win the crown. I did win. I won an award and I accomplished my goal. My goal was to travel and meet the girls from different part of the world and get their views about women around the world; send my voice to the world and bring attention to my cause, which was to help my Afghan women. I was in 240 newspapers that I am aware of. I was in magazines, TV shows, TV segments, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Times, LA Times, Orange County Register, international papers and more. I got all the attention of the world during and after the pageant. And the queen (the girl who has won the competition) is a very beautiful and sweet girl!
“I found it strange that she was pursuing a degree in International Business and Speech Communication. She should have been in the world of showbiz; or she should be in Hollywood movies.
“I would like to be a highly educated woman. I would like to be a spokeswoman. I am currently up for a movie, Dying Flowers that talks about the life style of Afghan-Americans in the Europe. The movie shows the communication-gap between the parents and the younger generations, the expectations of boys from girls and vice-versa. I have also been offered to do some more modelling. I do love the Indian movies and I would like to act in them,” was her reaction to this.
Unlike other Afghans, Vida is not hostile towards Pakistan. She has not forgotten Pakistan’s warmth, hospitality towards Afghanistan. “I did enjoy staying in Pakistan. People out there are like my own people and every time I go there, I feel like I am home. I am not a politician. So, I won’t put blame on Pakistan. Neither, am I interested in it. I just care about innocent people’s safety, life and happiness. I just wish peace in the world for poverty’s alleviation and rights to all.”
Vida became a star overnight. It is good to note that she is lives in the present. She knows that the media’s fascination is very temporary with stars.
“Yes, I am aware of it and I can’t wait to get back to my normal life. I never planned to be a star. It just happened.”
When she was reminded that she would become old and will not be as beautiful as she is today, she said it won’t frustrate her.
“Beauty is inner nor outer. No matter how old I get, I will still be active, friendly, nice and happy. I would be a good mom, neighbour, grandma and a person. Why would it get frustrated? We all pass the same road.”
Vida plans to continue her struggle of portraying the plight of Afghan women. She has been asked to write a book and is meeting women advocates to set up a legal aid centre for oppressed Afghan women in Afghanistan. She would like to go back to Afghanistan and teach women and children and give any kind of help to them.
Vida has no regrets in life. She does not regret anything!
“Because everything that had happened in my life has made me stronger and given me a personality and built a character in me. I am glad and happy to be alive and have God’s blessing.”
Vida Samadzai’s daring escapades have put the spotlight on Afghan women 
