Any attack that involves damage to physical appearance is seen as something extremely disastrous, as one has to live with those scars and bruises for a long time if not forever.
Perhaps the worst of such attacks is those of acid attacks, where one has to live permanently with the reminder of their attack.
And most often, people including the victim are so moulded by the society and its baseless concept of beauty and what normal looks like, that they choose to hide their face and themselves.
But Reshma Qureshi, an acid attack victim, has shown the world that just because she suffered through this tragedy does not make her less appealing or any less beautiful.
She has become a symbol, an icon of sorts, to women and people, who have suffered through this, and struggle with viewing themselves as normal.
In fact, her hard work and determination to not let others put her down, has resulted in her walking the ramp at one of the biggest fashion weeks, the New York Fashion Week.
Making her debut on the runway, Reshma was the opening act at designer Archana Kochhar’s fashion show on the first day of New York Fashion Week.
But this is not the first time that Reshma has not hesitated in breaking the norms. She is a well known Youtuber who publishes makeup tutorials and has not stepped down from empowering those who have been victims to similar attacks.
She has always stood up for herself and not let others put her down, just for not conforming to the traditional definition of beauty. It is awe inspiring, the way she has not let her disfigurement, come in the way of her achieving her dreams.
However, Reshma is not the only such person who is making strides and becoming successful.
India is finally realizing that people with disabilities or those with disfigurements are as special and talented as any other person out there.
What with the first ever beauty pageant for the visually impaired or that earlier this year, Laxmi Saa another acid attack victim, was chosen as the face of a clothing line by Viva n Diva Couture, who were inspired by her story and decided to cast her in such an important role.
Just goes to show that people are changing and that representation of people is increasing.
Fashion and the beauty industry had before always ostracized such people, but now, it is these very people, who are elevating and raising the standards of the fashion world.
They are giving a whole new outlook to what fashion and beauty has been considered up until now.
Signing off, I would just like to end on a positive note, and while I acknowledge that all is not well, and that the common people still behave in a inhumane manner to such people, but there is hope that times and along with that the mentality of people are changing.
Image Credits: Google Images
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2016/09/odisha-organises-the-first-ever-beauty-pageant-for-the-visually-impaired/
http://edtimes.in/2016/01/laxmi-saa-acid-attack-survivor/
