Farida Abdel Malek 
Beauty pageants have seen a lot of controversy because of the old and traditional form of holding a beauty contest, questioning what are beauty standards and why beauty standards still exist.
Hijabi, 20-year-old law student with Pakistani origin became a finalist at Miss England 2018, making us question the change that could be happening. There have been Hijabi competitors before but Sara Iftekhar is the first finalist.
The Hijab is misconceived as a form of concealing and hiding beauty. Sara even got a lot of hate and online bullying from people who believe so. Sarah talked about how beauty shouldn't have a definition and it needs to be diversified regardless of race, body shape or weight. This was her motivation behind joining the pageant.
There are still a lot of question marks when it comes to how competitions are following certain beauty standards especially when it comes to body shapes, but having a hijabi finalist is a great step forward. Contestants are encouraged to show the world the competition is not just about how they look, it should be much more than that, the more important forms of beauty is what comes from within. The Miss World organization "Beauty with a purpose" raises money to support disadvantaged children from around the world and contestants use the platform to raise awareness for it.
Highlighting the different talents and strengths of the contestants. Instagram: @missenglandnews
Sarah also makes eco dresses that are made from recycled materials like paper boxes and plastic bags. She cares about redefining the stereotypes that are associated with her religion by talking about the true meaning of her beliefs and how she grew up with liberal mentalities and parents letting her freedom reign.
Another intelligent passionate winner this week was Maya Reaidy. She took the crown for Miss Lebanon 2018. The 22-year-old beauty is a pharmacy student at the Lebanese American University. She wore an incredible, feathered baby blue gown by Nicolas Jebran, who was also a part of the judging panel along side George Kordahi, Adel Karam, Nancy Ajram, previous Miss Lebanon Nadine Njeim and some others.
Main Image Credits: Instagram @sara_iftekhar
Details sources: CNN & Daily Mail & Arab News
