Friday, May 5, 2023

Winnie Harlow

Chantelle Whitney Brown-Young (1994), known professionally as Winnie Harlow, is a Jamaican-Canadian fashion model and public spokesperson on the skin condition vitiligo. She gained prominence in 2014 as a contestant on the 21st cycle of the U.S. television series America's Next Top Model.

She was diagnosed with the chronic skin condition vitiligo, characterized by depigmentation of portions of the skin, at the age of four. Harlow was a victim of bullying by other children and was reportedly called a "cow, zebra, and all manner of other disparaging slurs" throughout her childhood by students both black and white. The verbal harassment led to her changing schools numerous times and dropping out of high school, after which she contemplated suicide.

Harlow was discovered by America's Next Top Model host Tyra Banks on Instagram, and subsequently became one of the 14 finalists of the 21st cycle in 2014. In July 2011, Harlow posted a video titled "Vitiligo: A Skin Condition, not a Life Changer" on YouTube. She talked about the condition and answered questions about her life living with vitiligo. In November 2014, Harlow spoke in a TEDx presentation, recalling her experience with it. She was presented with the 'Role Model' award at the 2015 Portuguese GQ Men of The Year event.

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