A teenage Indian woman who survived an acid attack has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week this year.
Reshma Qureshi, 19, lost an eye and received severe facial injuries and disfigurement in the 2014 attack, after her sister’s estranged husband and his friends pinned her down and doused her face in acid.
She walked the NYFW runway for Indian designer Archana Kochhar to rapturous applause and cheering, while wearing a stunning cream and floral gown from the designers Fall/Winter collection.
She was invited to take part in the event by FTL Moda, a company whose goal is to change perceptions of stereotypes and ‘conventional’ appearances in the global fashion industry.
India’s amazing Reshma Qureshi just walked the runway at @nyfw https://t.co/C1kf9gRw7w @MakeLuvNotScars pic.twitter.com/cIWhCFQA91
— AndrewBuncombe (@AndrewBuncombe) September 8, 2016
RT htlifeandstyle: Acid attack survivor Reshma Quereshi dazzels at the New York Fashion Week … pic.twitter.com/GesX7xAnhW
— NitinSam (@Sam_Nitin1) September 9, 2016
A coward attacked Reshma Qureshi. Today she showed what true beauty is #TakeBackBeauty https://t.co/C1kf9gRw7w pic.twitter.com/X9QFkwoPGC
— AndrewBuncombe (@AndrewBuncombe) September 8, 2016
Qureshi said that she wanted to send a powerful message to other survivors of acid attacks:
“Why should we not enjoy our lives? What happened to us is not our fault and we’ve done nothing wrong and so we should also move forward in life.People have a tendency to look at acid attack survivors from one perspective and I don’t want them to look at them like that anymore.”
In India, there’s an estimated between 500 and 1000 acid attacks per year in India. They’re also very common in south Asia, some parts of Africa, the West Indies and the Middle East. The attack disfigures, but does not usually kill the victim – and of course, the attack leaves severe psychological, as well as physical, scars.
It can also leave the victim ostracised by local community, and too self-conscious to leave their house or be social.
But Reshma‘s current goal is to finish the last two grades of high school and go to college.
“I do feel brave. I want to tell the world – do not see us in a weak light and see that even we can go out and do things.”
Reshma Qureshi survived an acid attack 2 years ago. This week she’s at New York Fashion Week https://t.co/nI80aV6cJM pic.twitter.com/CMkoLpke5A
— BBC Newsbeat (@BBCNewsbeat) September 6, 2016
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Instagram.
