The story of Xueli Abbing is both sad and inspiring. It teaches us that where we were born doesn’t affect how beautiful, valuable, or useful we are. Xueli was born in China with albinism and was abandoned at the door of an orphanage when she was just a baby. They left her behind because they thought she looked too “different” from other people.
Her life may have been really bad. In certain societies, kids with albinism are thought to be cursed or to have magical powers because of tales and beliefs. Because of this, people often have to face with shame, unfair treatment, and even violence. Some people look for kids with albinism so they can have their bones because they think they can recover. Xueli thought that being alive was a gift. She thought later, “I’m glad I was alone.”
A Name That Means Something
The people who worked at the orphanage gave her the name Xueli. It wasn’t a common choice. “Xue” in Chinese means “as white as snow,” and “Li” means “beautiful.” The name sent a message of strength and hope: beauty that was as white as snow. Even though she was turned down, she was given an identity that showed how wonderful she was.
People with albinism have a hereditary condition that affects their hair, skin, and eyes have less melanin. Not only can this impact how you look, but it can also make you more sensitive to sunlight and make it hard to see. For a lot of people with albinism, every day is a fight against hate and ignorance. Xueli’s path, on the other hand, will show that being different may also be a source of strength.
A New Start in the Netherlands
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At the age of 11, her life altered again in a way she didn’t expect. A designer from Hong Kong asked her to be in a picture session that would show off “perfect imperfections.” During the session, which was about how all sorts of beauty are great, Xueli was asked to model clothes. The girl who had been left behind because of how she appeared started a great journey when she walked down that runway. “It was a great experience,” she told the BBC.
Getting into the fashion world
People often say that the fashion world has strict rules about what is beautiful, yet Xueli was part of a slow but essential change. A photographer in London saw her talent and took her under his wing, making sure she was treated with the respect all models deserve. Because they worked together, something amazing happened: Xueli was in Vogue Italia in June 2019.
She went on to say, “I didn’t know how important the magazine was at the time.” “I didn’t understand why people were so excited for a while.” She didn’t only get to be in one of the most prominent fashion magazines in the world. It was also a way to say that there are various ways to look good.
There are more models in the media these days who look distinct from each other. These differences can be physical difficulties, diseases like vitiligo, or genetic features like albinism. The rise is wonderful for Xueli, but not nearly enough. There are still models that are eight feet tall and thin, but the press today focuses more on persons with disabilities or differences. This is excellent, but it should be normal.
Finding the Beauty Within
Because of her albinism, Xueli’s vision is bad, which has changed how she sees other people. “Maybe I pay more attention to what people say and how they say it because I can’t see everything clearly,” she said. “So what matters more to me is their inner beauty.”
Her reply is about a bigger truth: when people judge others by how they look, they miss who they really are. Xueli believes that modeling is more than simply a way to show off clothes; it’s also a tool to change people’s minds and combat hate.
Reason and Help
Xueli is now 16 years old and wants to tell people about what it means to have albinism. She wants people to stop calling people with albinism “albino” and start calling them “a person with albinism.” This manner, their diagnosis doesn’t define who they are. She wants everyone to know that albinism is not a curse or something else strange; it is a genetic disorder.
The most important thing is that she wants to get away of the awful stigma that still remains in some parts of the world. “I don’t agree that albino kids are being killed,” she stated. “I want to make the world a better place.”
Not just when she walks down the runway, but in a lot of other facets of her life, she is bold. By telling her story, she is changing what it means to be beautiful, and she is also making sure that kids with albinism don’t have to worry about being hurt or left out.
A Future Full of Hope
Xueli Abbing’s journey from the stairs of an orphanage in China to the glossy pages of Vogue illustrates how strong love and acceptance can be. Her path tells us that what people used to call “weird” can, with time and bravery, inspire millions.
People used to make fun of the girl for how she appeared, but now she is a symbol of hope and beauty all around the world. And this is just the start for her.
We wish Xueli the best of luck as she goes out on her own. Her narrative isn’t only about what she did; it’s also about getting people to look for beauty where they haven’t looked in a long time.
