{"id":2920,"date":"2026-08-11T21:34:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2920"},"modified":"2026-08-11T21:34:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:34:16","slug":"model-born-with-rare-genetic-disorder-breaks-beauty-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2920","title":{"rendered":"Model born with rare genetic disorder breaks beauty standards"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"show-inline-featured-image wp-caption alignnone\">\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-main-thumbnail size-main-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-664x350.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-664x350.jpg 664w, https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-400x210.jpg 400w, https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-412x216.jpg 412w\" alt=\"\" width=\"664\" height=\"350\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>People told Melanie Gaydos she didn\u2019t have the face to become a model. Instead of changing herself to fit the industry, she built a career by proving its definition of beauty didn\u2019t have to stay the same.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-393657871\" class=\"newsner-after_first_paragraph\">\n<div id=\"intext_197418_1_wrapper\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Keep reading to learn more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growing up, Melanie Gaydos heard plenty of reasons why modeling wasn\u2019t a realistic dream. Loved ones doubted she could succeed because of her appearance, but she refused to let those opinions define her future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, Gaydos, who has now\u00a0appeared\u00a0in top magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan, has become one of the most recognizable faces challenging traditional beauty standards, showing that confidence and determination can be just as powerful as convention.<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-17051b867ff7ce376b60ce0da3203e66\" class=\"newsner-17051b867ff7ce376b60ce0da3203e66 newsner-incide_content_once\"><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-born-with-genetic-disorder\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Born with genetic disorder<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gaydos was born with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare group of genetic\u00a0disorders\u00a0that affects the development of hair, teeth, nails and skin. She also has alopecia and is partially blind after her eyelashes damaged her eyes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can\u2019t remember when I first became aware of my condition. Of course, there were instances where I knew I was different from other people, but I didn\u2019t understand why or how,\u201d she said in an interview with\u00a0MAC Cosmetics. \u201cI\u2019m surprised people have a strong reaction to the way I look. I\u2019ve been this way my whole life, and as a child didn\u2019t have any sense of who I was on the outside. I always thought of my body as a vehicle, and it certainly doesn\u2019t affect who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-encouraged-to-walk-tall\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Encouraged to \u2018walk tall\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the physical challenges, she says her biggest obstacle wasn\u2019t her condition.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"entered exited lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1530862066973586%26set%3Da.1082893908437073%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"482\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-rocket-lazyload=\"fitvidscompatible\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1530862066973586%26set%3Da.1082893908437073%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTaken outside of any judgment-based situation such as school or peer interaction activities, it had never bothered me,\u201d she told\u00a0People. \u201cIt took me a few years to understand why other people had treated me differently or reacted to me the way that they had, which was always out of curiosity, judgment or fear.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-118350568\" class=\"newsner-article_inside_content\">\n<div id=\"intext_197418_2_wrapper\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsner-878013d850aff2b32cf777a1fba665ad\" class=\"newsner-878013d850aff2b32cf777a1fba665ad newsner-amp_article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a child, Gaydos threw herself into dance classes and school plays, developing a love of performing long before\u00a0modeling\u00a0seemed like a realistic option.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cModeling was kind of a taboo topic for me because even though I \u2018had the body\u2019 I did not have the face,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even so, she says one person never let her lose confidence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[But] my grandmother had always encouraged me to walk tall, be strong and embrace my femininity.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-197449 entered lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-768x512.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166-768x512.jpg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/cdn-main.newsner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2026\/07\/30133251\/GettyImages-1142538166.jpg\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-refused-enhancements\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Refused enhancements<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While studying art in New York City in 2011, Gaydos decided it was time to take a chance on\u00a0modeling\u00a0despite the doubts surrounding her. She also made another decision that would shape her career \u2013 she rejected enhancements, including dentures and wigs, and refused to hide the features that made her different.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI had just stopped wearing wigs, through a combination of not having enough money and realizing that it wasn\u2019t my style anymore. I had chosen to take a more minimalistic approach to life,\u201d she said in an interview with MAC. \u201cI have tried to connect with society, and I want people to see me as I see myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-doesn-t-want-to-be-rejected\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Doesn\u2019t want to be rejected\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mindset helped her carve out a place in an industry that had often celebrated a much narrower definition of beauty.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"entered lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1082894338437030%26set%3Da.1082893908437073%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"463\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-rocket-lazyload=\"fitvidscompatible\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1082894338437030%26set%3Da.1082893908437073%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first time I felt beautiful was probably at my first proper photoshoot\u2026But there are times, even today, when I don\u2019t feel beautiful.\u201d she said. \u201cI feel very accepted and loved for who I am, but I suppose there is a small part of me that doesn\u2019t want to be rejected.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsner-86898080\" class=\"newsner-article_inside_content\">\n<div id=\"intext_197418_3_wrapper\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsner-1398eae41cf7328bf6ff562e3a190574\" class=\"newsner-1398eae41cf7328bf6ff562e3a190574 newsner-amp_article_inside_content\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As she built up her confidence, others continued to doubt her potential.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve had many people tell me I would never be able to do runway, or commercial work and that I was forever niched into a certain category. I don\u2019t believe that the world or the human mind works this way because mine doesn\u2019t,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEven though society is limited, the human mind has so much potential and possibility that it is not even aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-challenging-beauty-standards\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenging beauty standards<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than viewing her success as something unique, Gaydos \u2013 who has strutted the runway of New York Fashion Week several times \u2013 said she hopes it encourages others to believe they don\u2019t have to fit into anyone else\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMore and more, people are coming together to challenge previously accepted ideals of beauty,\u201d she said, adding that people \u201ccan change the \u2018rules\u2019 that exist in society today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo, take the time to learn about who you are and what you like and don\u2019t like. You don\u2019t have to be anyone, anywhere or anything you don\u2019t want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRealize that and don\u2019t be afraid to accept change. The fear of the unknown holds a lot of people back, there is so much power we each can hold \u2013 it is time to start exercising that,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What do you think of this stunning woman and her determination to succeed? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getty Images People told Melanie Gaydos she didn\u2019t have the face to become a model. Instead of changing herself to fit the industry, she built a career by proving its &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-2920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending","tag-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2920"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2921,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2920\/revisions\/2921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}