ROME — Italy’s most iconic beauty pageant has crowned a Black woman as Miss Italy, and the country is losing its mind.
The new winner, an African-descended stunner with long flowing hair, took the stage to gasps, cheers, and immediate backlash Sunday night as she accepted the crown and sash in front of a stunned audience. Video of the moment shows her beaming while other contestants, mostly fair-skinned Italians, stand awkwardly nearby, some looking less than thrilled.
The dig points straight at Netflix’s recent documentary “Miss Italia Mustn’t Die,” which follows pageant boss Patrizia Mirigliani’s battle to keep the 80-year-old tradition alive amid scandals and pressure to “modernize” beauty standards. Critics say the streaming giant’s involvement has turned a celebration of Italian heritage into a woke experiment.
It’s not the first time the pageant has ignited a firestorm. Back in 1996, Dominican-born Denny Méndez became the first Black Miss Italy, sparking similar fury and even getting two judges suspended for saying a Black woman couldn’t represent the country.
Fast-forward three decades, and the debate is raging again. Italians took to social media to fume that the winner doesn’t look like the classic Mediterranean beauties who made Miss Italy famous, Sophia Loren wannabes with olive skin, dark eyes and curves that scream “la dolce vita.”
“Why is an African representing Italy?” one commenter asked. Others mocked the winner for allegedly wearing a wig and questioned whether she was even Italian-born.
Pageant officials haven’t commented on the uproar, but the crowning comes as Europe wrestles with mass immigration and questions of national identity.
France, the UK and others have seen similar controversies in beauty contests and modeling.
Supporters hailed it as a “historic step forward for diversity,” while traditionalists called it the final nail in the coffin for a pageant that once proudly showcased Italian women.
One thing’s clear: This Miss Italy won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Whether she becomes a global star or the face of a culture clash remains to be seen, but the crown is already sparking a very Italian drama.
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