Zulaikha : I ’ m like , “ Oh , whatever .” It ’ s great if you think models are exciting , but I hate people who put people into categories .
Dr . Shellie : Absolutely . Zulaikha : New York is so funny . It makes you so real . All the girls I know who are even super gorgeous from New York are humble because New York will check you . In a good way . Sometimes in a bad way , but it prepares you for everywhere else .
Dr . Shellie : And what did New York prepare you for ? Zulaikha : When they sent me to Milan for the first time . Oh , my God , I love , love , love Italy , but I was , of course , intimidated because everyone in Italy is gorgeous . So I tried to be myself . And Italy has this passion that I love . You could hear it .
Dr . Shellie : The passion comes through in the language , right ?
Zulaikha : Absolutely . My mom commented about how loud everyone was when we were there . She ’ s like the Persians , very soft-spoken . It ’ s funny because now I have to tell my mom that certain things are okay . I tell her , “ Mom , not all ladies have to be soft-spoken and accommodating .” I try not to say it like a jerk , because when I used to get mad at my mom , I would say , “ Maybe that ’ s what they told you in Iran .”
Dr . Shellie : It ’ s a huge difference in cultures .
Zulaikha : Right . I just tell her , “ I know that ’ s what they tell you .” She was told guys won ’ t like you if you ’ re too boisterous and loud and if you have too much to say .
Dr . Shellie : What influence helped you see that you didn ’ t have to be that way ?
Zulaikha : My sister . She would always tell me , “ That ’ s not true .” She would say , “ You don ’ t want a guy who doesn ’ t like a girl who has an opinion .” I don ’ t know where she got all of this knowledge , because I had no clue .
Dr . Shellie : So she provided you with direction more appropriate to our culture ?
Zulaikha : If it weren ’ t for her , I would be lost in space .
Dr . Shellie : Do you get to spend a lot of time with her now ?
Zulaikha : Not really . She ’ s a pilot and my roommate in New York , as much as a pilot can be your roommate . I see her when she ’ s extremely tired , twice a month , asleep . But , you know , she always knew what to do , even when I didn ’ t know what to do . Even when I would doubt myself — even as a model , she knew .
Dr . Shellie : When did you doubt yourself as a model ? Zulaikha : You ’ re partially Middle Eastern in your heritage , right ?
Dr . Shellie : Right , Lebanese .
Zulaikha : So I ’ m sure you know what it ’ s like to look at the fashion magazines and to love fashion and to love , you know , the artistry of it all and the artistry that there is to beauty but see a whole magazine full of gorgeous models and have none that sort of look like you .
Dr . Shellie : Yes .
Zulaikha : That made me wonder why we couldn ’ t be models , too . I always loved beauty , and I loved beautiful people and beautiful girls . If I saw a beautiful woman , I could admire her without feeling like she ’ s a threat . Seeing something beautiful should make you happy . People spend so much money for beautiful inanimate objects , so when it ’ s a beautiful human being , why can ’ t you appreciate that , too ?
Dr . Shellie : I agree . Zulaikha : It ’ s something to be celebrated .
Dr . Shellie : Did you always think that you were beautiful ?
Zulaikha : Everyone goes through an awkward phase ! I want to tell my mom , “ Please burn all photos of me between the ages of 9 and 12 .” Especially when you ’ re a model , people think that maybe you were that girl who did beauty pageants and was super cute her whole life .
Dr . Shellie : Skip the whole stage —
Zulaikha : Yes . It ’ s not that I got bullied for the way I looked , because I knew people , too , who got straight bullied for being overweight or for their physical features . I ’ m not going to act like “ poor me ,” that it was so terrible . I got picked on like everyone else .
Dr . Shellie : How did you handle it ?
Zulaikha : My brilliant mother always told me that it is best to be patient and “ speak less loudly , but there ’ s nothing wrong with standing up for yourself .” n
For more information about Farah Zulaikha , please visit her website : fafazforme . com .
82 INSPIRING LIVES WINTER 2017