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Bearded woman: I’m confident and I love myself | Bearded woman: I’m confident and I love myself |
(35 minutes later) | |
A 23-year-old woman, who has a full beard has told the BBC Asian Network: "I'm confident and I love myself." | |
Harnaam Kaur has polycystic ovary syndrome ,which has caused the excessive hair growth, and has been letting her facial hair grow for seven years. | |
Speaking after interviews and videos of her appeared on social media around the world she said: "I'm trying to separate myself from the norms of society. | Speaking after interviews and videos of her appeared on social media around the world she said: "I'm trying to separate myself from the norms of society. |
"I don't want to look like a typical woman." | "I don't want to look like a typical woman." |
Harnaam's outlook hasn't always been so positive. | Harnaam's outlook hasn't always been so positive. |
She was 11 when a beard started to appear on her face and the hair quickly spread to her chest and arms. | She was 11 when a beard started to appear on her face and the hair quickly spread to her chest and arms. |
The condition made her the victim of bullying, she said: "All through secondary school I was bullied by I would say the whole school. | The condition made her the victim of bullying, she said: "All through secondary school I was bullied by I would say the whole school. |
"It was absolutely horrible. I hated waking up." | "It was absolutely horrible. I hated waking up." |
'I was imprisoned' | 'I was imprisoned' |
During her early teens, Harnaam was so ashamed of her beard that she resorted to waxing twice a week. She also tried bleaching and shaving. | During her early teens, Harnaam was so ashamed of her beard that she resorted to waxing twice a week. She also tried bleaching and shaving. |
But, she says, it only made the problem worse with the hair becoming thicker and spreading to larger areas of her body. | But, she says, it only made the problem worse with the hair becoming thicker and spreading to larger areas of her body. |
She became so self-conscious that she refused to leave the house, started self-harming at the age of 14 and even considered taking her own life. | She became so self-conscious that she refused to leave the house, started self-harming at the age of 14 and even considered taking her own life. |
"I would say I was imprisoned in my bedroom where I kept myself," she said. | "I would say I was imprisoned in my bedroom where I kept myself," she said. |
"It was about a year on when I thought to myself 'Right, this is not helping me in any sort of way'. | "It was about a year on when I thought to myself 'Right, this is not helping me in any sort of way'. |
"It [self-harming] caused me a lot more emotional harm than it did good." | "It [self-harming] caused me a lot more emotional harm than it did good." |
Harnaam described growing up as hard. | Harnaam described growing up as hard. |
"I think unless someone actually steps into your shoes they're not going to realise what you're going through," said Harnaam. | "I think unless someone actually steps into your shoes they're not going to realise what you're going through," said Harnaam. |
"As a teenager I would look at magazines I would see beautiful women on TV and I would want to look like them. | "As a teenager I would look at magazines I would see beautiful women on TV and I would want to look like them. |
"It was horrible to see my friends having boyfriends and having no-one who was attracted to me. | "It was horrible to see my friends having boyfriends and having no-one who was attracted to me. |
"I walked around thinking 'Wow, you are one ugly ducking'." | "I walked around thinking 'Wow, you are one ugly ducking'." |
'I think I've blossomed' | 'I think I've blossomed' |
Harnaam, who says she had a lot of support from her younger brother and friends, stopped using her razor for good after being baptised as a Sikh at 16. | Harnaam, who says she had a lot of support from her younger brother and friends, stopped using her razor for good after being baptised as a Sikh at 16. |
The practice of allowing hair to grow naturally, without cutting it, is seen as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. | The practice of allowing hair to grow naturally, without cutting it, is seen as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation. |
"I battled so much with the concept of keeping my hair," she said. | "I battled so much with the concept of keeping my hair," she said. |
"Even after I still used to remove, but that was only for about a month or so afterwards. I realised the deep meaning of not removing facial hair. | "Even after I still used to remove, but that was only for about a month or so afterwards. I realised the deep meaning of not removing facial hair. |
"It was probably from that moment that I thought to myself 'I'm going to stop, I'm going to throw away this razor'." | "It was probably from that moment that I thought to myself 'I'm going to stop, I'm going to throw away this razor'." |
She said that her religion has given her a lot more confidence. | She said that her religion has given her a lot more confidence. |
"I think I had finally found myself in my natural form. | "I think I had finally found myself in my natural form. |
"As my self-confidence has soared I'm more open to talking to new people. I think I've blossomed in a way." | "As my self-confidence has soared I'm more open to talking to new people. I think I've blossomed in a way." |
Follow @BBCNewsbeat and @bbcasiannetwork on Twitter | Follow @BBCNewsbeat and @bbcasiannetwork on Twitter |