I worked hard to be accepted by the fashion community in ways beyond my physical appearance. In no time, though, I found myself surrendering to the industry's approval process. I felt like I needed validation from everyone. As a result, I lost sight of myself and what it meant to be happy, what it meant to be successful.
I act for love. I give it my all. I would probably still do it even if I wasn't paid at all. But in terms of equal pay, I need to be paid the same as the guy who has equal billing with me. Otherwise, I won't do it. Because if you accept less, you're just letting everyone else down and continuing the cycle.
People might think I'm very hard, what with my black make-up, my hair over my eyes, etc. My innocence didn't always help me, but it did preserve something in me that maybe others don't have anymore. I'm inside my bubble, you could say, and thankfully so, because I don't think daily life is always great. It protects me.