Xixi shares a close relationship with her aunt, who also made an appearance on Tuesday Report. The latter would tell her: “Don’t care about how others view you. You need to first look out for yourself and love yourself, then others can love you.”
“She didn’t understand what I was saying back then. Perhaps I didn’t try to understand her from another point of view. We really struggled during that period of time,” said her aunt.
Xixi said she became so depressed, she “couldn’t stand (herself)”. It was then she forced herself to look into the mirror every day and learn to love being in her own skin.
She slowly emerged from her shell, starting small by asking her friends out for lunch or asking to be part of their project group. When she was accepted into her classmate’s group, it was a turning point for Xixi as she realised “not everyone hated (her)”.
“There are two ways I could overcome this challenge. I either have to lose weight, or make sure that more people notice me,” said Xixi.
She now embraces her looks, and wishes to be a voice for other plus-sized individuals who are facing the same struggles.
“As long as I have some level of fame, my voice will be heard. Then I will be able to fight for other plus-sized girls, so they can lead a more ‘regular’ life,” she said.
However, she does not wish to be a stereotype.
“People would describe me as ‘cute’, and I would be dressed up in the most exaggerated head gear with over-the-top make-up. I used to be okay with that. However, I’ve recently come to think about how much longer I can go on being stereotyped as ‘cute’. That’s one of the difficulties I now face,” admitted Xixi.
“I wish to open more doors, and to become a ray of hope for others.”
This story was originally published in 8days.
