One Woman Embraces Her Nose — & Her Identity

Sunny Shokrae grew up with an open invitation to the plastic surgeon's office. She explains that, in Iran, where she was born and lived until the age of five, "girls are told at a young age to change their noses so they can get married. Literally. They think it'll bring you a better life." She's skeptical of these societal pressures now, and she even calls the country's fascination with plastic surgery, particularly nose jobs, "a little terrifying." But, when she was younger, she couldn't help but feel different. In fact, moving to the United States only worked in favor of Shokrae's mother's standing offer to change her nose, because Sunny became even more aware of how she didn't fit American beauty standards. Now a photographer, Shokrae seeks out subjects who don't look perfect, but who look like themselves. "I've always been more taken and moved by documentary images... It's just so much more striking." Hear more from Shokrae about her decision to, as she describes it, "appreciate [her] difference" in the video above.