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Nurul Shamsul: Between hijab and Miss Universe
The finalist of 2018 Miss Universe New Zealand, Nurul Shamsul, shares her story as a hijab-wearing woman in a beauty pageant.
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Nurul Shamsul, the first hijab-wearing finalist in Miss Universe New Zealand. (instagram.com/nurulzbshamsul/File)
Nurul Shamsul has shot to fame as the first hijab-wearing woman to be listed as a finalist of Miss Universe New Zealand.
Shamsul did not consider her hijab as a barrier to entering the beauty pageant. “Not once have I felt that my hijab is a disadvantage in any situation or opportunity,” Shamsul, whose father and mother are Malaysian and Indonesian, respectively, told The Jakarta Post in an e-mail.
Pursuing her undergraduate studies at the University of Waikato, Shamsul is often asked about the swimsuit section, which is part of the pageant. Shamsul said the contest was more than just about physical beauty.
A post shared by Nurul Shamsul 🌺 (@nurulzbshamsul) on
“Six years ago the organizers took the live bikini round out of the competition and instead they do a calendar shoot. However, for this calendar shoot, we were able to wear swimwear or active wear. This year, they’ve given me something modest to wear,” she said, acknowledging that her fellow contestants have been supportive and treat her equally.
During her time in Malaysia and Indonesia in mid-July for photo-shoots and interviews, Shamsul realized how the competition has changed her life. She has also received many comments and messages from people, especially from women. “They’d message me to say they’re happy that I’m in the pageant because now there’s someone they can relate to,” she said.
Read also: Woman with Malaysian roots wearing hijab is Miss Universe New Zealand finalist
In the beginning, the psychology student, who also writes poetry and has a lifestyle blog, kept quiet about her decision to apply for the competition until she received an e-mail saying that she was a semi-finalist. “I was optimistic. I just wondered what would happen if I entered it,” she said, also noting that it was not difficult to persuade her parents to support her.
Having lived in New Zealand since she was 5-years-old, Shamsul finds it easy to keep her Malaysian-Indonesian legacy. Her teachers and parents encouraged to keep talking in Malay or Indonesian, her mother and grandmother always cook both countries’ delicacies and the family gathers with the Malaysian and Indonesian communities.
For the upcoming Grand Final, Shamsul has made many preparations, including learning to love herself, so that she will feel confident in answering the judges’ questions.
“For the past two weeks I’ve been waking up to the same question: Do I want this? But the thing is, I need to do it,” she said. “If I win Miss Universe New Zealand, I won’t be just representing the country, I’ll be representing Malaysians, Indonesians, Islam, women wearing the hijab and minorities. If I win I could also be the first hijabi to make it to the international stage of Miss Universe.”
Furthermore, she also believes her taking part will open many opportunities for women all around the world. “It has always been about breaking boundaries and stereotypes as well as going beyond beauty,” she said.
The Grand Final of the 2018 Miss Universe will be held on Aug. 4 at Skycity Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, and it will be streamed live worldwide. Voting will be online. (mut)
