FANTAGIRL, I am the woman I am • Emma Murengo

#16 Interview with Emma MurengoPhotography by Anne Sophie GuilletInterview by Giustina GuerrieriEmma wears FantabodyHi Emma, nice to meet you. First of all I thank you so much for having chosen to take part in this project. Would you like to talk to me a little about yourself, about your life, your origins, your work, your passions? Hi, thanks for having me. I’m Emmanuelle, 27, from Brussels, Belgium. Both of my parents are from Burundi but I’ve lived most of my life here in Brussels. I have studied a bit of fashion but did a bachelor degree in art history. I’ve worked in a French luxury clothing store and I am working as a model part time. Arts, beauty and spirituality are things that matter to me. I’m trying to meditate more and to connect to nature.Do you remember if there was a specific time in your life when you realized tthat your body didn’t correspond to yourself, or is it a feeling you’ve always had?As a black trans woman, I am in the intersectionality of three minorities. While growing up, I could first witness this kind of issue through the eyes of my elder sisters. As we lived in Africa, we grew up with imposed European beauty standards. As I saw them playing with their blond and blue eyed dolls, the process of interlacing the wrong idea of beauty apparel often along with self-hate (the feeling of not having the “right” hair, the “good” skin or body type. It’s even deeper in my case as the gender dysphoria gets through all of this. It’s like having to perform a certain type of femininity to prove that I am a legitimate woman, that I can aim for that validation. What was the reaction of your family and friends?I still have some issues with my family about this, but I have the chance to have a wonderful circle of friends. They support me in everything I do and encourage me to become my true self.I can also imagine the difficulties you have had to face; how did you experience it? It is indeed complicated. For example, as I currently apply for jobs, I feel the need to justify myself constantly for who I am to others. Same goes to the paper work. But people are getting more educated and prepared for us, so things do start to get better!Culture and society are fortunately increasingly changing positively, becoming increasingly open to diversity; but beyond what is said, I sincerely ask you how is the life of a black transgender in 2021? Have you ever been the victim of (terrible) episodes of racism? In my everyday life, I don’t have any…

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Source: vogue.it