All my life, I didn't know where I fit in--
being disabled, being a woman, being Maori, being
in the LGBTQ community.
It was always a sense of, what am I?
Who am I?
What's going on in my life?
And how do I identify my life?
Hi, my name is Mamie
I am nearly 22 years old.
I work for All is for All, which is a disability fashion agency.
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I have Williams syndrome.
It's very rare, and it's not genetic.
It's 1 in about a million that will probably
get Williams syndrome.
I'm missing one of my chromosomes,
microdeletion on my seventh chromosome.
It can be really severe, or it can be like me
where it's really severe, but there are still things
that happen to your body.
Loud noises sometimes can be quite alarming.
But we're very friendly people.
I identify as a queer person as bisexual.
So I like women and men.
When I was younger, I was very confused
because I didn't understand who I was.
And then, over the past years, I've done some soul-searching.
And now I'm at a point in my life
where I've truly accepted who I am.
I spoke to my family.
Mainly I spoke to my parents first.
Then a couple of my friends, and then slowly this year,
I've talked to all my family.
And they accept me for who I am.
My favorite queer thing that I own
is my flag that's from the Big Gay Out.
And it mainly represents community
and how there are a variety of different genders,
different sexualities.
Pride means to me community advocacy,
and also that people are able to celebrate themselves
as who they are and what they want to be as a person.
I'm currently working towards a photoshoot that represents
my queer and disabledness.
It's a celebration of pride.
It's always been a manifestation of mine
that I would always get into modeling.
And so over time, I kept manifesting it,
and it happened.
And mahi that I've done is
I have worked for Vogue Italia, Juniper which
is in America.
I've also auditioned for New Zealand Fashion Week.
This is my first ever professional shoot.
It's really awesome to be able to represent
disabled people in modeling-- so proud moment.
I'm going to Karangahape Road.
I'm going to be going to op-shops
to look at the perfect fit.
I think it's really important, being queer
and disabled, that you are on that street,
that you show that you represent so
that other queer disabled people go, oh, I see what she's doing.
I can do it too.
I love the color.
It also matches my nails.
What I enjoy about fashion is the different colors,
the different variety of textures.
I like how it feels.
I like how it touches.
For me, a very important part is sensory.
I love the glamour.
I love the sparkles.
I love the color of the dress, and I like the way it fits.
I think it will be perfect for the pride flag.
I think my journey was learning a lot about the community first
and being an ally.
Then going through that journey of acceptance
and understanding, and doing lots of research.
It's up to you to be able to represent the community.
Wow, you just look gorgeous, darling.
How does it feel?
Does it feel good?
Yeah.
Oh, look at those lips.
Oh wow.
I've got something for you.
Oh, those are beautiful.
So beautiful for you because you are an amazing girl,
and I am so proud of you.
Where are you heading to now?
I'm heading to Karangahape Road to do a photo shoot that
represents pride.
Fantastic, darling.
Have a beautiful day.
Mwah.
Thank you.
Me showing that I'm proud is by going, this is who I am.
This is how I accept who I am.
And now I'm showing up for it.
How are you doing?
I'm doing good.
I love the dress.
Where'd you get it?
I got it at [INAUDIBLE].
All amazing.
They all match up so well, especially
like the flowers, the colors.
It's all perfect.
I'm super excited.
You ready?
Yes I am.
Should we go do it?
Let's go do this.
I love queer disabled people because they not
only accept their disabilities, but they
accept their queerness.
And they show it.
They represent it.
We could really look up to them as role models for how,
in a way, we should represent.
How I can be more visible in the disabled community with fashion
is that I represent that I do have Williams syndrome
and I do represent that I'm bisexual and queer.
Doing that through modeling has helped
me to build more acceptance.