Luana Sandien: Model poses topless in Dubai, says she's done nothing wrong as she ‘covered breasts' with hand after outrage
When 27-year-old Brazilian model Luana Sandien flew to Dubai, she was making an 'essential work trip' necessary for her 'mental health'. But when she posed for steaming topless photographs for her Instagram, she lost her peace of mind.
Taking to Instagram, Sandien uploaded a series of sultry images at the weekend. She posed in just a pair of white trousers and a headscarf as she hid her breasts with her hand. She captioned the photos in Portuguese, which translates to, "The beauty of the desert is that it hides a water well anywhere... (Antoine de saint)".
And while there is no denying that Sandien shared some very steaming images, not everyone was impressed. In fact, many slammed her for not being sensitive to the country’s strict laws around dress code.
Due to the religious nature of Dubai, topless exposure and nudity are not at all accepted by the people and is frowned upon, many consider it a mark of public indecency. The Foreign Office advises, "UAE laws and customs are very different to those in the UK. Be aware of your actions to ensure that they don’t offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. Women should dress modestly when in public areas like shopping malls. Clothes should cover the tops of the arms and legs, and underwear should not be visible. Swimming attire should be worn only on beaches or at swimming pools."
One of Luana's 20,000 followers joked, "How come your ass ain't arrested taken your titties out there". Luana says she didn’t “mean to embarrass anyone”. Luana, who lives in Spain and will soon be published in Playboy Denmark, told the Daily Star how some people had accused her of “insulting the signs of state sovereignty," and added that "It was one of the best pictures I've ever taken, but I didn't mean to embarrass anyone."
In addition to this, Sandien also mentioned that she was careful of how she was behaving in a foreign nation with strict governance. “I was careful to cover my breasts with my hands, knowing that in the country it is forbidden to be naked, and even so I was threatened by haters,” she said.
One follower asked how she had evaded being arrested for the topless trio of snaps. To this, she replied, "They let me do whatever I wanted ( I have my charms)."
Travel influencers are often criticized for using exotic destinations as a prop. 'Love Island' contestant Georgia Steel was recently dragged on social media for flouting strict anti-nudity laws in the Maldives as she posed topless at a luxury resort. Taking to social media, she was seemingly unaware that nudity is illegal in the conservative Muslim country and carries a jail term. The country also dishes out public floggings and even the death sentence for the most serious offenses.
Anger over Sandien's pictures comes at a time when influencers and fashion bloggers have started traveling around the world. Several countries might have relaxed their international travel regulations, but that hardly means that the pandemic is over. If anything, going by the last reports about new variants, we haven't even seen the worst of this health crisis.
One reportedly islander said, “It may seem strange to Westerners, but coming here and failing to observe our laws and customs is incredibly insulting. Influencers who think the Maldives is just a great backdrop for their Instagram should stop and think before one ends up in jail," adding, "The resorts could also be in serious trouble if guests like Georgia are found to be generating ‘pornographic images’ on the premises."