A baby girl with albinism was abandoned at an orphanage in China because her parents thought she looked “too strange.” Albinism, a condition that reduces melanin production, often carries stigma. Fortunately, she was adopted by a loving family in the Netherlands and given the name Xueli.
At 11, Xueli was discovered by a Hong Kong photographer for a campaign celebrating diverse beauty. Her photos went viral, and she appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia in June 2019. Advocating for inclusion, Xueli believes inner beauty matters most, emphasizing the importance of voices over appearances.