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A famous Indian clothing brand has launched Laxmi, an acid attack survivor as the face for there campaign, 'Face of Courage.'
A famous Indian clothing brand has launched Laxmi, an acid attack survivor as the face for there campaign, ‘Face of Courage.’
Lupita Nyong’o once quoted, “No matter where you are from, your dreams are valid.” Our own Laxmi Saa, an acid attack survivor, seems to prove this statement with her work and achievements. It has not been an easy ride for Laxmi, for having grown up in an impoverished family and later, having a person from the same family attack her at the age of 15. But it is definitely inspiring to see her grow through all the hardships in life.
She is not just the director of Chhanv Foundation; an NGO dedicated to help the survivors of acid attacks in India, but is also the voice of acid attack survivors across the globe. She also received a 2014 International Women Of Courage award by US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Laxmi has now joined and become the face of a campaign called ‘Face of Courage’, started by an Indian clothing label Viva N Diva. The campaign not just challenges the mainstream idea of beauty, but also encourages women to open up about their sufferings, be it physical or psychological. According to Mashable, a digital media channel, Laxmi was chosen for the campaign because, at 26, she decided to not hide her story and instead became an advocate for the women who have been through the same injustice she experienced. “Acid attack survivors are not victims but fighters.
People victimize acid attack survivors, but I think we need to come out of this mindset,” she said. The popular brand’s co-founder stated that the idea to cast Laxmi came to him after he saw a calendar that featured acid attack victims. He also said that it was disturbing to see people associate beauty with makeup and flawless skin and wanted to capture beauty in the most natural and different way.
Today, Laxmi’s life is an inspiration for not just other acid attack victims but many young girls across the world. To voice against the injustice done to her and many other just like her, she just filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court of India to regulate the sale of acid in 2006. She also hosts a television show, Udaan, on New Express since June, 2014. With her continuous fight for acid attack victims, she encouraged women who have been attacked to have courage and voice against injustice done to them.
Hear her speak and show you, what true beauty is!
https://www.facebook.com/vivandivacouture/videos/809466029164030/
Cover image via Viva N Diva
19 // Mass Communications from Hyderabad // Aspiring journalist // Food and fashion lover read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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