Sarah Dzafce, who represented Finland in the recent Miss Universe pageant, has been dethroned following a social media post. The post featured a photo of Ms. Dzafce making a gesture by pulling the corners of her eyes, accompanied by the caption "eating with a Chinese".
The gesture is frequently perceived as disrespectful to individuals of East Asian descent. The post generated criticism in Japan, South Korea, and China. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo commented on the matter, describing such gestures as "thoughtless and stupid" and stating that the resulting controversy was "damaging" to Finland.
Ms. Dzafce subsequently stated that the gesture was a reaction to a headache experienced during dinner. She also claimed that a friend had added the caption to the December 11 post without her prior consent, according to local reports. Ms. Dzafce issued an apology for the photo, acknowledging that it had "caused ill will in many people". She further stated, "That was not my intention in any way... One of the most important things for me is respect for people, their backgrounds and differences," in an Instagram post.
The apology itself drew further criticism, with some respondents characterizing it as "insincere" due to being written in Finnish. Comments included observations such as, "Not sure Chinese outside of Finland would understand it. Such considerate and sincere apology," and "That was uncalled for, Asian people didn't do anything to you... We [are] still disappointed in you."
Following the initial controversy, two right-wing members of the Finnish Parliament, Juho Eerola and Kaisa Garedew, posted photos of themselves performing a similar gesture. These posts were intended to demonstrate support for Ms. Dzafce. Both posts were later removed after receiving public backlash. Mr. Eerola issued an apology, indicating that he felt Ms. Dzafce had received "disproportionately harsh punishment".
Prime Minister Orpo condemned the actions of the Members of Parliament, labeling them as "childish" and emphasizing that lawmakers should exemplify appropriate conduct. The Finns Party is reportedly discussing potential sanctions for the involved MPs.