Cruel: Model left in an orphanage as a baby!
Albinism: Her parents left her in an orphanage because of this disease, today she is one of the most famous models in the world.
Her parents left her in an orphanage because of THIS disease, today she is one of the most famous models in the world and raises awareness of diversity in the fashion industry. Lately, there are more and more popular models that show that the world is full of imperfections, and that it is this imperfection that makes each person special.
China is a country where there are different beliefs and standards, and one of the many strange and cruel beliefs is that albinism is a curse, as evidenced by the story of famous model Xueli Abing, who was left as a child in front of an orphanage in China because of albinism.
However, she was adopted as a three-year-old by a family from the Netherlands, and her unique appearance took her into modeling when she was only 11 years old. “When I was born, the Chinese authorities passed a one child per family law. If that child had albinism, you were really unlucky. Some children like me were left behind, and the one they let go to school had their hair dyed black” - she told the BBC.
Albinism is an inherited disorder of melanin production that causes diffuse hypopigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes. It can include various complications on the skin and lead to vision problems. Xueli has only eight to ten percent of her eyesight, and her eyes are extremely sensitive to strong light. Because she can't look straight into the light, she has her eyes closed in most of the photos.
-“I was in a supermarket in the Netherlands once and a man asked me why I wear sunglasses. Then he asked my mother why she dyed her child's hair white.” She later became a model who raises awareness about albinism, and she collaborated with the world's greatest photographers and brands in the fashion industry. She also appeared in the famous magazine Vogue.
In the world of modeling, looking different is a blessing, not a curse. There are still models who are tall and thin, but now people with disabilities or differences are appearing more and more in the media and that is great and that should be normal. She currently works for the agency "Zebedee Management", which focuses on people with disabilities and diversity. They are trying to change the fashion, advertising, and media industries so that their campaigns are as diverse as a society.
