South Sudanese model Aweng Chuol gets married to fiancée

Dec 17, 2019

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South Sudanese model Aweng Chuol made headlines this month after it was announced that she got married to her fiancée Alexus, only weeks after the pair got engaged.

According to Ateker TV, last Thursday, the model who was born in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana, Kenya, announced via social media, ”Married my best friend today. I am . GEEKED.”

In a subsequent Twitter post Chuol shared, ”We got married. Go soft. We had three people in the room with us. And four people at the entire ceremony. It was for us. But wanted to share my happiness with y’all.”

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line won praise when it pictured Chuol with her scars unedited in a photo spread, according to Elle magazine. The model has also been outspoken on bringing attention to the conflicts in South Sudan and the plight of refugees there.

Same sex unions are generally frowned upon in African nations, with South Africa currently being the only country on the continent that legally recognizes those marriages.

In Sudan, same-sex couples have no legal recognition and marriage has been constitutionally banned since the country adopted its Constitution in 2011.

Let me photograph you in this light. pic.twitter.com/h4coLMzU3t

— AWENG🐄 (@AwengChuol) December 14, 2019

The African Exponent reports that the 21-year-old model was born in Kenya after her family fled South Sudan and when she was seven, they relocated to Australia. Now, she calls New York home and in addition to walking the runways she is also studying law.

While speaking with Vogue back in July, Chuol, who is a vocal social justice advocate, opened up about why she finds it important to live her life out loud, especially in the wake of the massacre in Sudan that occurred over the summer.

“With the internet shut down in Sudan, [the outcry from social media users around the world] needed to happen to draw attention to the situation,” she said. “What I really wanted was the reaction. If the world’s not reacting to it, there’s no action.”

https://twitter.com/awengchuol/status/1206296817111064586