Aweng Ade-Chuol tells the fairytale story of meeting her wife Alexus and candidly speaks about mental health in this new interview
BY SOPHIE GRIFFITHS, IMAGE VIA ELLE UK
Sudanese lesbian supermodel Aweng Ade-Chuol has taken to the cover of Elle UK’s January 2021 issue, alongside her wife Alexus, to fight back against the homophobic trolls that left her mental health devastated earlier this year.
As many of us have suffered with mental health during such a turbulent time, Aweng’s story is a defiant and positive message of hope as we head into the new year.
Before the global pandemic fully took over in March this year, the London-based model married her long-time girlfriend, 26-year-old nail artist Alexus Ade-Chuol, at a New York City Hall.
She told Elle UK that she knew Alexus was the one the moment a chance encounter brought them together.
“I’m the kind of person who has met many beautiful people, and it’s like, OK, cool, bye. But after I saw her, I annoyed the sugar out of her until she gave me her personal number.”
Despite how perfect their fairytale story seems, the model opened up in an Instagram post in June about a suicide attempt that had happened two months prior. The attempt came after the horrendous amount of homophobic abuse she faced from her native South Sudan when she announced her marriage to Alexus. In South Sudan same-sex marriage remains illegal and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“We got married and the whole world, literally the whole of my community, were wishing that I passed, in a way,” Aweng told Elle UK.
“A few months later, I attempt [suicide]. It was really absurd, because subconsciously I felt I was maybe drained by the fact we’d got married.”
She wrote to her followers in June: “I attempted suicide two months ago today. And I just want to say, that I’m in a much better place. And no-one had to know that – but it’s good to get it out of my chest. I feel well enough to. Especially today. I am thankful for life.”
When she was approached to appear on Elle’s cover for the January 2021 issue, she saw an opportunity to spread awareness and to fight against the abuse she faced.
Speaking in the interview she said: “I wish I could say, ‘Let me hold the torch for the LGBTQIA+ Sudanese community, but it’s a lot for one person to handle. I’m human at the end of the day, I’m very human, I’m learning myself.”
You can read the full interview with Aweng Ade-Chuol here.
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