Kgothatso ‘Iman’ Dithebe turned the very difference she was once bullied for into her greatest strength, breaking beauty standards, opening doors and inspiring others to take up space.
There is a particular kind of strength required to be seen when, for much of your life, being seen has made you feel like an outsider.
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For Kgothatso ‘Iman’ Dithebe, visibility was not always something she wanted Long before she became one of South Africa’s most recognisable models, known for her distinctive facial birthmark and the hashtag #modelwithamark, she was a young girl who had learnt how to make herself small. She was bullied for looking different. She became quieter, avoided going out and, at times, avoided being seen altogether. Yet the very thing that once made her feel exposed would eventually become part of what made her extraordinary.
Breaking the rules of beauty
That determination was necessary in an industry that was not always prepared to make room for her. Kgothatso has spoken about agencies and industry professionals asking her to cover up her birthmark – an idea that now feels almost contradictory to the career she has built.
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Words: Hellen Wallace
Photography: Johan Venter
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