As an almost 40-year-old mother who was born in Iran, the new Miss Germany Apameh Schoenauer stood out in the beauty pageant.
But these traits also exposed her to a wave of online abuse.
“I knew I would have a little setback, but not like this,” Schoenauer, 39, told AFP.
Many of the hate messages directed at her after her coronation in February about her appearance and ethnicity were “superficial,” she said.
But it was also her unconventional profile that persuaded her to register for the competition.
“I took part in the Miss Germany pageant because I wanted to change something,” said Schoenauer, an architect and mother of a small child who moved to Germany when she was six.
After the birth of her daughter, Schönauer decided to do something to serve as more of a “role model” to young girls.
Schönauer’s own roots were a source of inspiration.
The images of “strong Iranian women taking to the streets every day to fight for their freedom” after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 motivated them to do something, Schönauer said.
A wave of protests erupted in Iran following the death in custody of the 22-year-old, who was arrested by moral police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women.
Schönauer is not only an architect, but also the founder of the Shirzan network – “Lion Woman” in Farsi – which advocates for women’s rights.
Most Iranians, she said, were “proud” to see her crowned Miss Germany.
“They draw hope from the fact that as an Iranian you can make a difference in another country where you grew up and have lived for more than 30 years.”
– ‘Prevail’ –
Since the revision in 2019, the Miss Germany competition has become less about waist size and appearance and more about the character and achievements of the participants.
The most recent edition of the pageant, which is not affiliated with the Miss Universe pageant, also removed the age limit and opened up to older women.
The angry online reactions to Schönauer’s coronation showed that her election campaign “couldn’t be more important than it is now.”
It was “very sad” to attack her because of her appearance or her origins, said Schoenauer.
“If you have the courage, you should sit down at a table and talk to me constructively,” she said.
“But if someone is hiding behind their screen, behind an anonymous name… I don’t waste my energy on that.”
After graduating, Schoenauer experienced a shock when she entered the male-dominated world of architecture.
“I learned what it means to assert yourself, to fight your way as a woman in a man’s job and then also as an Iranian, as a migrant.”
Schoenauer said her mission as Miss Germany is to “inspire young women to become the best versions of themselves,” regardless of their history.
“You can never forget where you came from, but you have to look to the future now to do your best,” she said.
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