Harnaam Kaur of Slough, UK stands as one of
the most inspiring record-holders to grace the
pages of the new Guinness World Records 2017
annual, holding the title of youngest female with
a full beard.
The anti-bullying and body image activist has a
fascinating story to tell as she overcame years
of bullying to take ownership of her appearance
and get awarded this record title at the age of
24 years 282 days.
Born on 29 November 1990, Harnaam first
started to notice that she was growing facial hair
at the age of 11.
She was eventually diagnosed with polycystic
ovary syndrome, a condition that means she has
much more testosterone than most women which
is what causes hair to grow on her face.
Harnaam used to remove all her hair, but says
that once she decided to let it grow and accept
her body the way it is, she felt empowered. Her
beard now measures six inches long in some
places.
In her application for the record title, the body
positivity campaigner told Guinness World
Records: “I didn't realise how much my life's
journey of being a self-loather to a self-lover
would inspire men and women in many different
countries.”
2016 has been a huge year for Harnaam, after
becoming the first female with a beard to walk
the runway at London Fashion Week in March
and having her portrait included as part of the
photography series #Project60.
Harnaam describes her place in the Guinness
World Records book as “absolutely humbling”
and hopes it will help her to impart her inspiring
message that it is okay to be different.
“I never really understood what role I had to play
in this world as a bearded lady. As the years
have gone on I have realised that I was born to
stand up proud as a woman who promotes body
confidence with in both genders, I was born to
show the world something else apart from the
‘societies norm,’ and I was born to help people
become confident and comfortable with in
themselves,” she explains.
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