This is what it takes to become your true self

Be yourself. It’s one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll get in life. And yet, it’s surprisingly difficult to do. Often, society sets a bar for what is ‘acceptable’ and ‘normal’. But Ibrahim Abdi, Nelisiwe Zuma, and Delicia De Vos are standing up to convention and honouring their true selves.

At the age of 15, Ibrahim Abdi was forced to make a decision that would change his life forever. If he stayed in Somalia, he would have to hide his sexuality and risk prosecution should anyone find out he was gay. Abdi could not live that way. “I decided to flee,” he says. After settling in Cape Town and becoming a chef, Abdi has since gained the freedom to be who he is at heart. “I have a family and a community of people who I can be myself with,” he says.

Nelisiwe Zuma believed she needed to hide who she was. After a tragic car accident, the model underwent multiple surgeries and a skin graft, changing her body. As Zuma recovered, her scars told a story of trauma. “I felt not good enough,” Zuma says. Yet with time she began to embrace her appearance and celebrate her wounds as a testament to her survival. “I have good and bad days, but I’m not ashamed or embarrassed of my body,” she says. Now, Zuma takes empowering portraits of herself, and shares her personal experience to inspire others.

No one should be judged for their appearance. Born with albinism, Delicia De Vos grew up shy and self-conscious. “The way I looked made me feel like an outcast, like there was something wrong with me,” she says. “It took a long time to find the strength within myself to be proud of who I am.” When De Vos found her confidence, she chose to stand up not only for herself, but for others too. Today, she drives programmes at Cape Peninsula University of Technology to assist students with disabilities.

Everyone deserves the freedom to love themselves, and to be appreciated for who they truly are. “There’s nothing that makes you happier than being authentic,” Abdi says. Zuma, De Vos and Abdi are living their truth. When we give ourselves permission to shine, we can light up the entire world.

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IMAGE:  Beautiful News