•Dora Semanu
A woman living with hirsutism, Dora Semanu, has opened up about the stigma and discrimination that comes with excessive facial hair, saying that she stopped shaving so she can be different.
Hirsutism is a condition that causes women to develop excessive, coarse hair in areas where men typically grow hair, including the face, chest and back.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin, Semanu said her appearance has made her the subject of constant public scrutiny, with many people staring, whispering and making insensitive remarks whenever they see her.
“Anytime people meet me, they will say, ‘Hey, is she a man or a woman?’ And you will see that I have a big breast. Even with all this, I don’t resemble a man,” she said.
According to her, although people frequently mock and judge her, she has chosen not to let their opinions define her.
“I see many people looking at me. Some people will be talking about me anyhow they like. They look down on me like I’m nothing. But me, I don’t care. I am me. I just want to look natural. That’s all.”
Semanu explained that she first noticed the unusual hair growth when only a few strands appeared on her face before it gradually increased.
“The first time I saw this hair, only one hair like this. We have this kind of thing in our family. They don’t have plenty. It’s only me who has it like this,” she said.
Rather than continue shaving it off, she decided to embrace her appearance.
“The reason I stopped shaving it, I just want to look different,” she said.
“I want to be like this so that if you don’t have anything to say in your house, when you see me at any place, you will have something to talk about. The two of you can raise my topic.
“I met a lady at this place. Oh, she looks like this. Even when you are not fully happy, so far as you raise some topic about me, you can forget some of your problems.”
Despite her confidence, Semanu admitted that some comments have deeply hurt her, especially those questioning whether anyone could love or accept her.
“The most painful thing that somebody has said to me before was that, the way I look, she didn’t think that any man could approach me,” she said.
She stressed, however, that such remarks would never make her change who she is.
“It doesn’t make me shave. I asked myself, that person is judging me because of this thing. But this thing doesn’t change my lifestyle to be a good person or a bad person.”
Encouraging others living with visible differences to embrace themselves, Semanu urged people not to be discouraged by public opinion.
“Don’t mind anyone. You are on your own. If you listen to people, you can’t keep it.
“And it’s nothing wrong. We are not thieves, we don’t kill, we don’t do anything. We are like you people, so please accept us like this,” she said.
