The upbringing of young children is primarily shaped by their parents. From the time they enter the world, children depend on their parents for the love and security essential for their happiness, health, and overall growth and development.
If circumstances force us to grow up without our parents, it can negatively impact both our physical and emotional well-being.
Xueli Abbing, a 16-year-old girl born in China, was abandoned by her parents. She was left at the entrance of an orphanage because she was perceived as too “weird.”
The staff at the orphanage named her “Xueli,” a name that beautifully reflects her unique beauty. The word Xue means as white as snow, while Li signifies stunning. I find it hard to come up with a name for this lovely baby girl born with albinism.
Albinism is a genetic condition that leads to a reduced production of melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes, resulting in a pale or colorless appearance.
She was welcomed into a caring Dutch family who nurtured her with love. At just 11 years old, she was invited to model for a designer in Hong Kong during a photo shoot aimed at showcasing various forms of beauty.
In a BBC interview, Abbing shared, “She referred to the advertisement as ‘perfect imperfections’ and invited me to participate in her fashion show in Hong Kong. It was an incredible experience.
Unfortunately, individuals with albinism often face stigmatization, prejudice, and discrimination based on their race and skin tone. In some extreme cases, they may even be targeted due to the mythical medicinal properties attributed to their bones.
Abbing has stated, “I consider myself fortunate to have only been abandoned.”
When albino models are used to represent angels or spirits, Abbing expresses that “it brings her sadness.”
However, there was a fortunate star shining down on Abbing. She certainly invested a great deal of effort into her journey.
A photographer from London took her under his guidance and treated her as a model deserves to be treated. Their incredible photo shoot led to her feature in the June 2019 edition of Vogue Italia!
“Back then, I had no idea how significant that magazine was, and it took me some time to understand why it generated so much excitement,” she remembers.
“While there are still models who stand at eight foot two and are very slender, it’s wonderful to see that individuals with disabilities or differences are now more represented in the media – but this should be the norm,” she mentioned during the interview.
“Perhaps because my vision isn’t perfect, I pay more attention to people’s voices and their words,” she explained. “Thus, their inner beauty holds greater significance for me.”
She aims to change the way people view individuals with albinism. To promote understanding of albinism and highlight that it is a genetic condition, not a curse, she plans to leverage her modeling career. Since labeling someone as “an albino” suggests they are solely defined by their condition, it is more respectful to refer to them as “a person with albinism.”
“I refuse to accept the notion that children are being murdered simply for being albinos,” she stated. “I aspire to make a difference in the world.
We wish the snow-white beauty all the best in her future endeavors! We truly hope she succeeds in changing perceptions about those with albinism.
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