'Can't imagine living without it': Kerala woman dons moustache with pride

A 35-year-old woman from Kerala is breaking the conventional norms of beauty, and how!

Shyja, who hails from Kannur district, dons a moustache and with pride.

Even though facial hair remains a taboo for women, Shyja decided to grow the hair on her upper lips. The 35-year-old says she is in love with her moustache.


“I can't imagine living without it now," Shyja told BBC.

Shyja says she doesn't want to make a statement but she wants to live her life on her own terms.

“I just do what I like. If I had two lives, I may have lived one for others,” she said.

Sporting a moustache as a woman came with its own set of challenges for Shyja. She has been often mocked for her appearance and there's no dearth of people who told her to remove her moustache. But the 35-year-old says that she doesn't get affected by what people say about her looks.

Talking about her family, Shyja said her husband and daughter support her decision and do not object to her keeping a moustache.

In the past decade, Shyja underwent six surgeries. Her health struggles have only strengthened her resolve to live her life the way she wants, the report added.

"Each time I came out of surgery, I would hope that I never had to go back again," she was quoted as saying by the BBC.

The 35-year-old said she wants her daughter to inherit her confidence and attitude.