What would make someone want to hide their smile?
Over in the updates and comments on my Everyone Is Photogenic project, we’ve had some discussion about portraying people that are “traditionally attractive” (whatever that means) versus folks “who might not be seen on the street as “attractive”. Of course, the inspiration for this project is that I find beauty in every person that I see, but this discussion made me want to share a story with you…
Last spring, I spent three months volunteering in W. Africa with Mercy Ships. Along the way, I met a lot of beautiful folk. With the exception of the big screening day that I already blogged about, most of the work was done onboard the big ship-based hospital. But we did have some opportunities to get off-ship, including one day when I met a special family…
When we visited them, we met a beautiful family, where Radiatu, one of the beautiful daughters…
… just happened to have a pretty sizable facial tumor. This can be the kind of thing that makes you pretty self conscious, and maybe not feel particularly “photogenic”.
Tumors this large aren’t usually seen in the States, simply because the minute you felt a bump, you would see a doctor and they’d remove it. But un-checked, it simply continues to grow…
This type of tumor is benign, but can still eventually kill the patient by obstructing the airway… a slow and painful process.
In the meanwhile, the real challenge is with the stigma and self-consciousness that come with such situations.
When she forgets about the tumor, Radiatu’s just an ordinary beautiful teenager, laughing and smiling with everyone else…
… but with something on her face that makes her visibly “different” from others, it’s easy to worry about what other people think. They sometimes stare, they sometimes judge, condemn, point, laugh.
This moment was telling: While laughing at a joke, she instinctively turned away and hid her face.
Your face is the first place where people look at you. It’s how we recognize other humans. So it’s understandable that such an illness would make you uncomfortable around others, and self conscious anytime when in public.
Radiatu was fortunate to receive a free surgery… it removed the tumor, thus saving her life.
After some time for wound care and healing…
… she was ready to venture back out into the world. Another round of surgeries later would help further reconstruct her face.
Now, here’s the question… this beautiful human being does have some more options thanks to the removal of the tumor…
… and she’s certainly happy to see it gone…
… but I’d say that the tumor itself has nothing to do with her being photogenic.
Look back through the pictures above… you can see that light shining from her even with the tumor. In some, when she’s worried about it and self-conscious, that light is hidden. But then when she forgets her worries and just laughs, she is radiant.
In a way, it’s the same for the rest of us:
Our scars may not be as obvious as hers. They may result from deep wounds inside that no one else can see. But we can be just as self-conscious, and worry just as much about the judgement of others. And when we forget about all that and simply just shine, we’re just as beautiful.
That’s what being photogenic is about. And yes, everyone is photogenic.
PS if you have any questions about volunteering with Mercy Ships, feel free to get in touch.
