Mia le Roux has made history by becoming the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa after a controversial competition.
One finalist stepped down from the competition after facing cyberbullying due to her Nigerian heritage.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Le Roux expressed hope that her win would inspire others who feel marginalized to pursue their “wildest dreams, just like I am.” According to the BBC, she aims to support those who are financially marginalized or differently abled.
Recently, 23-year-old law student Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the competition amid allegations that her mother may have assumed the identity of a South African woman. Ms. Adetshina, born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican origin, faced scrutiny about her right to represent the country.
She stated that she was a target of “black-on-black hate,” shedding light on a specific form of xenophobia in South Africa referred to as “Afrophobia,” which discriminates against individuals from other African countries.
Ms. Le Roux, 28, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one and had a cochlear implant to aid her hearing. She revealed that it took two years of speech therapy to utter her first words.
After her victory, the model and marketing manager stated, “I am a proud South African deaf woman, and I understand how it feels to be excluded. I now realize that I was placed on this earth to break barriers, and I accomplished that tonight.”
