Learning to Embrace My 'Beauty With a Twist' as a Woman With Craniofacial Differences
I was born with three very rare craniofacial conditions: VATERS syndrome, hemifacial microsomnia syndrome, and Goldenhar syndrome. These syndromes caused me to be born with several facial and bodily deformities, and I’ve had 101 surgeries in my life.
Growing up and having such a rare condition, I rarely saw anyone who looked at all like me. My difference was so obvious and made me feel self-conscious. I constantly felt like I didn’t fit in. I always compared myself to other girls I would see in school, magazines, and TV shows, and because my beauty didn’t look like theirs I felt ashamed. Instead of embracing my difference, I did everything in my power to hide it. In my mind, I just wanted to be “normal.”
Nevertheless, I came to a point in my life where I grew tired of rejecting and hiding my difference. I was sick of trying to fit in when I knew I wasn’t ever going to be “normal.” Deep down inside, I knew that even though I didn’t have a face like everyone else, there was something beautiful about me. I just needed to figure out a way to find it — and that’s exactly what I did.
I began to change my outlook, no longer seeing myself as the girl with no ear or a crooked face, but a girl with something unique. In making the conscious decision to accept who I am, I began to find purpose in my difference. Instead of dismissing my difference, I began to embrace it. I began to refer to myself as a “Beauty With a Twist.” I came to the realization that although my face isn’t typical, it is beautiful and my beauty is worth sharing with the world.
I call myself an advocate now, for all the other Beauties With a Twist, fighting against low self-esteem in young women, especially those who are different. Knowing all too well the battle with low-self-esteem, I strive to encourage every girl near and far to have confidence. It’s OK to be you, and it’s OK to embrace your difference. The day I decided to accept my difference was the day I let my beauty change the world!
Rasheera Dopson is the founder of two organizations: The Beauty with a Twist brand and The Dopson Foundation Inc. Both organizations are dedicated to creating spaces of inclusion for women and girls with disabilities. Born with two rare diseases: GoldenHar Syndrome and Vater Syndrome, Rasheera has had 103 surgeries over the course of her life. Identifying as a woman with a disability, Rasheera also understands the concept of intersectionality. Not only has she built her own platforms to help bridge the gaps of health inequities within her own community but she has partnered and collaborated with many other medical care teams, hospital systems, organizations, and patient-led initiatives as well. Her most recent work has been featured expert with the University of Pittsburg Medical Center (UMPC) in their webinar series on Race & Disability, NORD ( National Organization of Rare Disease) Patient & Forum work can be seen among patient-focused organizations and initiatives such as; The Children Craniofacial Association(CCA), FACES National Association of Craniofacial Conditions, The Georgia Council of Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), NORD, Global Genes network, The Every life Foundation, Rare Advocacy Movement, and many others. In 2020 Rasheera completed a fellowship program at Georgia State University in which she participated in their Center of Disability Leadership LEND program ( Leadership in Education and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities). She has spoken on several panels and helps to lead various sessions and webinars surrounding patient advocacy, disability education, and even empowerment for women and girls. This fall Rasheera will be starting her master’s program as a student at Morehouse School of Medicine with a concentration in Public Health and Community Education. Although Rasheera has an impressive portfolio, her true passion is to simply be a voice and leader in her community and to improve access and achieve health equality for all. Contact info: www.beautywithatwist.org info@thedopsonfoundation.com
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