A young girl, who was left by her parents due to her appearance, is determined to prove the world wrong. And guess what? She is now a successful model for Vogue magazine!
Growing up without our parents for any reason can have a detrimental impact on both our emotional and physical well-being.
Xueli Abbing, a 16-year-old girl from China, was left at an orphanage by her parents because they thought she was too “weird.”
The staff at the orphanage decided to name her “Xueli”, which means snow white and beautiful in Chinese. It’s a perfect fit for this precious child who was born with albinism.
Albinism, a genetic condition, leads to reduced production of melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes. This results in a light color or complete absence of color in these areas.
From a young age, she was nurtured and cherished by a warm-hearted Dutch family who lovingly welcomed her into their home. At the tender age of 11, an opportunity arose for her to showcase her unique beauty as a model for a designer in Hong Kong. The designer aimed to capture the diverse forms of beauty through a captivating photo session.
Abbing shared in an interview with the BBC that she named the campaign ‘perfect imperfections’ and invited me to participate in her fashion show in Hong Kong. She described it as an incredible experience.
People with albinism often face stigmatization, prejudice, and discrimination due to their race and skin color. In certain extreme cases, they may even be targeted and pursued because of the unfounded belief in the supposed healing properties of their bones.
Abbing mentioned that he was fortunate to have been abandoned.
Abbing expresses sadness when models with albinism are occasionally portrayed as angels or ghosts.
Abbing had a fortunate star shining above her head. Despite that, she did exert a great deal of effort.
The London-based photographer took her under their wing and treated her with the utmost care, just like a model deserves. Thanks to their stunning photo session, she graced the pages of Vogue Italia’s June 2019 issue!
“Back then, I had no idea how significant that magazine was, and it wasn’t until later that I understood why everyone was so thrilled about it,” reminisces…
In the interview, she expressed that although there are still models who are extremely tall and thin, it is encouraging to see more representation of people with disabilities or differences in the media. However, she emphasized that this should be the norm rather than an exception.
She explained that perhaps due to her visual impairment, she pays closer attention to people’s voices and words, valuing their inner beauty above all else.
Her goal is to change people’s perception of individuals with albinism. “I aim to utilize modeling as a platform to raise awareness about albinism and emphasize that it’s a genetic condition, not a curse,” she explains. “The best way to address it is by referring to someone as ‘a person with albinism’ rather than labeling them as ‘an albino,’ as it implies that their condition defines their entire identity.”
She expressed her determination, stating, “I refuse to accept the fact that children are being killed due to their albinism. My goal is to make a difference and transform the world.”
We send our warmest wishes to the snow white beauty for her upcoming journey! We truly hope that she will have a positive impact on how people perceive individuals with albinism.
Don’t forget to spread the word about her inspiring journey and make a difference by sharing this story!
