Like most vivacious 15-year-old girls, Wang Xiaoqin harbors dreams of stardom - a lifetime spent in the limelight. But unlike the vast majority of teenagers, she's actually working to realize her dream.

Today, Wang and a gaggle of other would-be models are at a rehearsal. There's something different, however, about this group of lovely young women.

In a roomful of girls, one would expect the level of chitter-chatter to be ear-splitting. Yet this studio is relatively quiet. And when music does begin to play, the models seem oblivious. It is only when the director raises her arm that they fall into position.

What makes this group of models special is that they are all hearing-impaired or deaf.

Without being condescending to the profession, it's fair to say that models are not usually hired for the ability to articulate thoughts verbally. It makes a certain sense, therefore, that an attractive deaf woman might see a certain advantage to a career in which voice is not a mandatory requirement.

Of the girls at this rehearsal, Wang Xiaoqin stands out. Perhaps it's her confidence, or her aggressive pursuit of success that draws one's attention. Those qualities are what the judges at the recent tryouts for the 2003 Shanghai International Model Contest cited before bestowing on Wang a special award for "Best Contribution."

At 15, Wang is the only deaf model to have been recognized - in such a public way - by China's modeling industry.

"I love being a model, and it's my dream to be a successful one. I feel very fortunate to have gotten off to a good start," she says with the help of a sign language interpreter. "Another added benefit (of winning the special award) was that it opened the eyes of some of my peers who thought a deaf model could never be successful. Perhaps now they'll realize that being disabled is not a disability."

To ensure the free flow of communication without the aid of an interpreter, Wang always carries paper and pen in a bag slung over her shoulder. Dangling from her neck is a mobile phone. The short messaging service allows her to "chat" with friends just like a typical 15-year-old.

Wang speaks her mind, and isn't intimidated by her hearing peers. "The other contestants were - for lack of a better word - 'normal,' " she says. "Some of them were not very friendly toward me, and some even looked down on me. I didn't take it to heart. I showed them I could do as well as anyone else."

Li Lei, the director and instructor of the tryouts, says, "I was quite impressed by Wang's spirit. She worked harder than the others and it paid off."

According to Shanghai Association for the Disabled, there are 170,000 deaf people in the city. Though discrimination still exists, and the disabled are still stigmatized by narrow-minded people, there have been remarkable breakthroughs with regard to their acceptance in this society. Universities are beginning to enroll disabled students, and society at-large is learning that people with disabilities can contribute to the community in a variety of positive ways.

Wang is now a model - both literally and figuratively - for other young deaf and disabled women. She and many other people with disabilities want nothing more than to join the mainstream of society, and not be forced to live on its fringes.

Wang's parents are not hearing impaired, and she was not born deaf. A few months after her birth, she was diagnosed with whooping cough. The doctor who treated her prescribed a medication that was too strong, and though she recovered from the sickness, she was rendered completely deaf.

"I always likened it to her being thrown into a prison cell from which there was no escape," says Wang Lin, Wang's mother. "I was sorry for her being trapped in a silent world. She can't hear the emotion of my voice when I tell her I love her. But she's very curious and uses other senses to explore the world. She's very self-confident in coping with everyday life, not withdrawn from society at all."

Wang became determined to one day walk down a runway as a professional model after watching a fashion show on TV. She is relatively tall (172 centimeters) and lean - the most important traits for a catwalk model.

She joined a modeling team, organized by the Shanghai Rehabilitation & Vocational Training Center for the Disabled, in the hope of learning the basic movements and gestures. All members of the team are hearing-impaired or deaf.

Tucked away on Longyang Road in Pudong, the center, which offers courses in dance, painting and Chinese calligraphy, was established in 1998. It's designed to prepare children for life in the outside world where they will be faced with hurdles most of us can't begin to imagine. Painter Yang Jie, who lost both his arms, uses his mouth to hold the paintbrush, and some collectors now covet his work. With only one arm, Cai Tianshi has carved out a name for himself in the world of sculpture.

"It is a joy to see disabled people grow through art," says Bao Peiying, deputy director of cultural activities at the center. "We are well aware that it's a hearing society. We try to help the children develop socially and emotionally, as they must be able to stand up on their own."

Just like other teenager girls, Wang is a fan of the pop group F4 and enjoys watching movies with subtitles. She doesn't view her deafness as a disability but as another way of living. She studies and plays, thinks and dreams, enjoys the present and believes in the future.

"I think it is every young person?s right to be given the chance to succeed and develop his or her potential to its fullest extent," she says. And anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her knows she means it.

(Eastday.com January 29, 2003)