Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Sarah Fasha

Months after the Queen of the Universe Pageant, Egypt's Sarah Fasha was the subject of online abuse coming out of her home country, as it emerged she had served with the US Military. We talk to the beauty queen to find out more about the madness..

Staff Writer

In January of this year, Sarah Fasha, an American born Egyptian who once served in the US military was crowned “Miss Egypt 2013” for the Queen of the Universe Pageant.

In typical style, Egyptians found out about this 11 months later and were absolutely fuming, with scathing online attacks on her being the viral sensation du jour. They were angry because she wasn’t really Egyptian (she is, both her parents were born and raised in Cairo), they were angry because she served in the American military (it was the Navy, she was 18, it was for educational purposes and at a time when relations between the two nations weren’t volatile), they were angry because she was ugly (she’s fine by us), they were angry because she was in a porn film (she was not, trust us, we did thorough research on that) and they were angry because she was crowned Miss Egypt (she wasn’t, it’s a different competition all together). She managed to take the vulgar barrage of hypocritical comments in her stride, and now that things have calmed down a bit, we have a chat with the budding actress to find out what she thought about all the madness... Were you surprised by the aggressive reaction in Egypt due to your background in the US military, upon being crowned Miss Egypt Universe?

Yes, I was very surprised, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal seeing how I was in the military (US Navy) YEARS ago. I have completely forgotten about my life at that time and for everyone to go nuts over it was very strange to me. I guess I would understand if I was currently in the military but the fact that it was so long ago is a bit strange to me. With the way the political climate is in Egypt and what was going on with the Obama administration I would never join the US military today because I have so much respect for Egypt. But when I was in, there were no conflicts whatsoever, so yes, the reaction is strange to me.

What was your own reaction? What do you have to say to people who question your own patriotism? 

My reaction was very shocked. I didn’t know so many people would find out about me first of all and then for people to be so upset over something they didn’t understand was a bit disturbing. I have said several times that I love Egypt, because I do. At the end of the day I really only care about what people think when it is based off truth, and the truth is I am very patriotic and I have always supported the Egyptian people throughout the revolution and everything else that transpired since. I stay up to date with the current news and am always very concerned for not only my family, but the safety of the Egyptian people. Yes, I was born in America, but I could have been born in Egypt and I think either way I would have been happy with whatever Allah chose for me.

Why did you join the US military?

I actually joined the US Navy after high school with my best friend with the goal of receiving a scholarship for my college which I received and later completed my Bachelor’s degree.

What is your take on the Egyptian army at the moment?

I stand with the Egyptian Army and I support the new constitution and the right to vote.

What message do you have for Egyptian women as far as celebrating their natural beauty?

I guess it’s easier said then done because people want to constantly compete with the women on television, but that’s not real life. No one wakes up looking “beautiful” and I mean no one. If you love Allah then you will respect and appreciate what he has given you and learn to love yourself. You cannot love anyone else until you love yourself so you have to make sure you accept yourself for who you are and the way you look. I have seen some of the most beautiful people have the most ugly hearts. Imagine if what you saw in the mirror was your character and not your looks. I think people would look at their physical appearance a lot differently.

What do you say to Egyptian women who always straighten their naturally curly hair?

Well, I straighten my hair too but not all the time. It depends on my mood or event. Straight hair is easier to manage, I’ll be honest, but I think curly hair makes you unique and that is one reason I wear my hair curly a lot. Once you learn how to manage it, I think it’s very beautiful and it makes people remember you because you look different from everyone else. Many people have remembered me because of my curly hair.

How did you prepare for the Queen of the Universe pageant?

I did a lot of dieting, working out, seeking wardrobe, makeup and hair stylists to help me in preparation. In addition to very long nights of rehearsal in 6 inch heels. It was a great experience but it was like boot camp all over again for pageant girls. Lots of hard work.

How often are you in Egypt?

I come to Egypt almost every year. Typically towards the end when the weather isn’t as hot. I’ve been to Sharm, Giza and I‘ve even taken a cruise down the Nile. I really do love it there.

According to IMDB you're also a DJ in your free time. Tell us about that? What kind of music do you play?

I haven’t DJ’d in a very long time but when I did it was mainly American music such as Hip-Hop and R&B because that is the music I know best.

Keep up to date with Sarah Fasha on her fanpage here