Albinism Isn’t ‘Bad Luck’ - It’s My Strength | BORN DIFFERENT - video Dailymotion

Truly

WHEN Xueli, 18, was born with albinism, her parents gave her up for adoption. Speaking to Truly, she explained: "I was abandoned because in China some people believe that albinism brings bad luck to their families." This led to Xueli being adopted and relocating to the Netherlands, where she has grown up. Speaking about the experience, Xueli said: "It's very hard but it strengthens me in getting more life experience. Because my parents did this, they gave me strength. They gave me an opportunity to live in a country that is accepting of people with albinism." Over the years, Xueli struggled with her identity and her mum, Joeke, explained: "It was important for her to find out who she really is and to become herself." Nowadays, Xueli is a model and has worked with many top brands, as well as gracing the pages of Vogue. Speaking about the importance of diversity in modelling, Xueli said: "I can represent other people who have a disability and are searching for that recognition." In this episode of Shake My Beauty, we'll be following the model - who is a UNESCO Goodwill ambassador - as she talks at a UN/UNESCO event to mark International Albinism Awareness Day. Reflecting on her journey, Xueli said: "Beauty to me is more on the inside, that you are a kind person to everyone and that you respect everyone's disability or disadvantage."

Transcript

00:00I was abandoned because of my albinism.

00:03You do not know where you came from.

00:05You do not know what your real name is,

00:07when your birthday is.

00:09It was hard for me to have albinism sometimes

00:12because you get, unfortunately, excluded.

00:15Today I'm celebrating Albinism Awareness Day.

00:18Thank you very much all for coming to this important event.

00:23Albinism is a genetic condition

00:25which is passed down by both of the parents

00:27to the child with albinism.

00:29Albinism causes me to have less pigment,

00:32so I do not have color in my hair and my skin.

00:36But most importantly, albinism is an eye problem.

00:41I cannot see depth.

00:43I am sensitive to light.

00:45I have nystagmus, wobbly eyes,

00:47and I see approximately eight to ten percent.

00:50Persons with albinism also have a higher chance

00:53of getting skin cancer.

00:55I was born in China, in Xuchang.

00:58At that time in China there was a one-child policy,

01:01and because I'm a person with albinism,

01:04I was abandoned because in China some people believe

01:07that albinism brings bad luck to their families.

01:12Dealing with being abandoned is, of course, very hard.

01:15You do not know where you came from.

01:17You do not know what your real name is.

01:19When your birthday is, you get an estimation of what your birthday is,

01:24and you get a name given by the orphanage.

01:28It's very hard, but it strengthens me in getting more life experience.

01:33Because my parents did this, they gave me strength.

01:36They gave me an opportunity to live in a country that is accepting persons with albinism.

01:44I think every teenager or every kid struggles sometimes with their identity.

01:49For me, it was figuring out how a person with albinism of Asian descent looks like.

01:55It was also important to stay in contact with that part of my roots.

02:00From the start that Xueli was with us,

02:03it was important for her to find out who she really is and to become herself.

02:10So we found that you're actually really good at sports and that you really enjoyed it.

02:14I think that helped you a lot to also find your own identity and things that you like doing.

02:21I adopted Xueli in 2007 when Xueli was three years old.

02:27I adopted her from China.

02:29So when I received the proposal of Xueli, I was only told that she had albinism.

02:36I wasn't told whether it would be a boy or a girl.

02:39They never tell you that.

02:41And then I had two days to decide on whether I could raise a child with albinism.

02:48I didn't know much, to be honest, about what albinism exactly was.

02:53So I really needed to look into that and teach myself a bit more.

02:58So my mother helps me to accept everyone from a young age.

03:02She educated me to see the positive and the beauty in people.

03:07And you can also see that when the light's very bright, that you close your eyes.

03:12But when it's darker in the room, you open your eyes immediately.

03:16And then I had beautiful sapphires.

03:18This is my first photo shoot.

03:20That's really amazing, yeah.

03:22I never wanted to be a model.

03:25I did not grow up in that world.

03:27I never surfed for some recognition on TV.

03:31There was not a lot of persons with a disability.

03:36When I was 12 years old, I did an interview in a big Dutch newspaper.

03:42And after that, people started to ask me questions.

03:45Do you want to model?

03:47So I joined a special agency for persons with a disability.

03:52So that I can also represent other persons who have a disability, who are searching for that recognition.

04:00To be honest, I did not know what Vogue was.

04:03I thought, okay, good, lovely newspaper or something.

04:08I did not know what it was.

04:09But then people told me, oh, Vogue is actually quite amazing.

04:13And I was like, oh, okay, well, great, thank you.

04:17Everyone is unique and everyone must play a part.

04:22Also in the media and also outside the media.

04:25You should not underestimate people because of their body image.

04:30Or you should not exclude persons because of their body image.

04:35Exclusion is painful.

04:37Beauty to me is very relative.

04:39I think beauty is more on the inside.

04:42It's very cliche, but I really believe that beauty is on the inside.

04:46About accepting each other.

04:49About no wars.

04:51About peace, freedom, equality.

04:53For everyone.

04:54I think that's the beauty.

04:57And I don't think the beauty you can find in magazines.

05:01Today I'm celebrating Albinism Awareness Day with my mother.

05:04And with the Global Albinism Alliance.

05:07And with the UN Independent Expert on Albinism.

05:11The Director General of UNESCO saw an article of me in the BBC.

05:16And then the Director General decides to designate me

05:21as UNESCO Group Ambassador for the fight against racism and discrimination.

05:25Well, we're almost there at the event.

05:27How do you feel about it?

05:28I feel very excited.

05:30It's an honor.

05:31It's a big responsibility.

05:33Ready?

05:34Yes.

05:35I can tell you what Albinism is today.

05:48But I can also show you a video.

05:50What Albinism is and how young people stand up for their human lives.

05:55Because I think it's important that we show how young persons stand up for their human lives.

06:02Persons with Albinism are discriminated against because of their disability.

06:07And not because of their ethnicity.

06:09Thank you very much for you all for coming to this important event.

06:18I feel pretty excited.

06:20The event went very good.

06:22Beauty is to me more on the inside that you are a kind person to everyone.

06:30And that you respect everyone's disability or disadvantage.

06:35My advice to everyone who struggles with their image.

06:40Know that you are unique.

06:43And that everyone should accept you.

06:46Just show yourself to the world.

06:48I am Shrelly.

06:49I have albinism and I am beautiful.

06:51I have albinism and I am beautiful.

Albinism Isn’t ‘Bad Luck’ - It’s My Strength | BORN DIFFERENT

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