What seemed like a simple selfie ended up becoming a nightmare for Naomie Pilula, a 37-year-old lawyer from Zambia.
After posting the photograph, hundreds of thousands of comments mocking her appearance began to pour in. Many users called her “ugly”, while others claimed she should undergo surgery to change the size of her nose.
Rather than deleting the image or responding angrily, Naomie decided to explain why she would never consider changing that feature.
“It’s my father’s nose. Why would I want to get rid of something that reminds me of him?”, she replied.
The lawyer said that over the years she learned to accept her appearance and that her confidence does not depend on the opinions of strangers on the internet. As she explained, her faith in God and love for her family gave her the strength to turn the insults into a message of self-love.
“I am not an aesthetically beautiful person. I’m not, and that’s okay.”, she told People.
Paradoxically, the same photograph that sparked thousands of mockeries also led many people to reach out to support her. Her story went around the world and is now seen by many as an example of self-esteem and acceptance.
“There is a beauty that comes from accepting yourself just as you are”, she concluded.