The Miss Universe pageant, which has been mired in contention over biological men competing alongside women, found a new controversy to be embroiled in when Brooke Bruk-Jackson, a 21-year-old native-born Zimbabwe citizen was chosen to represent the nation in the coming pageant.
“I have gained this crown for our beautiful country, to love and to serve our people, to represent Zimbabwe Internationally and to show the world the uniqueness of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans,” Bruk-Jackson wrote on her Instagram page. “I want to be an example of grace, understanding and inspiration to the youth of Zimbabwe, to instill the spirit of ‘ubuntu’ and know that together we are strong and anything in life is possible.”
What’s the controversy, you might ask? Miss Bruk-Jackson had the gall to be born white in a majority black nation. A part-time model who hails from Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, Bruk-Jackson’s wish was to be “an example of grace, understanding and inspiration to the youth of Zimbabwe.”
Instead, she’s become yet another victim of woke outrage run amok as she is currently facing a barrage of attacks on social media. The 21-year-old pageant queen was forced to turn off comments on her Instagram page after being inundated with racist rants and being called a “colonial,” a “disgrace,” and “tragic.”
Critics say that Burk-Jackson won the contest because of her white skin. However, it should be noted of the seven judges who decided the contest — Luis Munana, Zodwa Mkandla, Pokelo Nare, Joana Sharpe, Langa Sibanda, Simbarashe Chinyemba, and Karin Davis — six were black. (Zimbabwe is more than 99-percent black, mainly the Shona and Ndebele people.)
Nevertheless, outrage ruled the day as many believed that Bruk-Jackson was not worthy of the crown because of her white skin.
“Lmao the shot is still tragic though!! All those beautiful melanated women and you telling me the European woman won a contest for black people!!??” wrote X user Vibrating on a Higher Frequency than you.
“So disappointing to see these colonizers representing an African country,” wrote another commenter.
The account named Mskana wekuMasvingo, which describes herself as a “social media influencer,” commented: “I don’t want to be racist but It’s not giving Zimbabwe.”
Yet another X user, “Omg! It’s Aishat,” blasted Zimbabwe for allowing a white person to represent the nation. “And Zimbabwe is letting that other girl represent them for miss universe, Africans need to know we’ve not gotten to that level of equality don’t be fooled,” she wrote. “We will still be the one to suffer. Diversity and inclusivity are just words to these people trust me.”
Another X user, Loveledge Shambare, argued that a white woman wearing the crown of an African nation was, somehow, against the spirit of the pageant.
“Miss Universe should truly represent the heart and soul of her nation. My sister, my mother, they don’t mirror this girl. She may hold a Zimbabwean ID, but she resonates British vibes. When we talk about Miss Zimbabwe, it should be about a woman radiating authentic Zimbabwean spirit,” she wrote,
By that logic, shouldn’t Ireland have chosen a red-headed girl with freckles to represent them last year instead of Fionnghuala O’Reilly in 2019? (O’Reilly is a black woman.)
Bruk-Jackson appeared to address the controversy in a subsequent Instagram post.
“The colour of our skin should not define a person or who each person chooses to associate with… This is to say we are all born the same way, no matter the colour or your skin. We are brought into earth through the same path.”
Bruk-Jackson is right, of course, but she appears to live in the world of common sense. It’s not a place where the so-called “woke” reside. While many of those same woke will root against Miss Zimbabwe because of the color of her skin, they will also root for Miss Netherlands — a man named Rikkie Valerie Kollé.
