Admit it, we all have cracked under the pressure of the socially constructed idea of beauty, once if not more. But this viral video of a hairdresser consoling a 4-year-old toddler who called her own reflection ugly has shown the effect of beauty standards on younger generations.
Four-year-old Ariyonna had gone for a regular haircut when she looked at a reflection of herself in the mirror and softly whispered under her breath, “I’m so ugly“.
Luckily, the Atlanta-based hairdresser who goes by the name LilWaveDaddy was around to console this little girl. Dropping everything she was doing she started telling Ariyonna that she was beautiful. She further exclaimed:
When you look at yourself, you’re supposed to say, I’m so pretty. You are so pretty, do you hear me? You’ve got the prettiest little dimples. You are too cute.
This little girl just also made me cry 😩 pic.twitter.com/UYiiFn3nmM
— Dreka Gates 💕 (@_FemGod) March 6, 2020
After hearing this, the little 4-year-old broke into tears and started crying as if she was fighting something. Letting all her emotions out, Ariyonna tightly hugged the hairdresser.
You are so pretty. You have this beautiful chocolate-y skin … you are beautiful, black is beautiful, and if nobody ever tell you, I will tell you, you are gorgeous.
From Michelle Obama to Viola Davis, netizens from all across the globe have joined hands to uplift this little 4-year-old girl’s morale:
This is so heartbreaking!
— Stan Shaw (@StanShaw1) March 7, 2020
She is sooo beautiful, ppl can be cruel. You hold your head up high my little Princess. Thankful for the lady who’s embracing her, it still takes a village!
People have to remember that some of these words can cut like never before. I hope that beautiful girl remembers this moment she is beyond beautiful!
— Nicole Monique (@shesaidsports8) March 7, 2020
In tears over this. Somebody told this child this and her heart broke and her confidence broke and she believed it. Thank God for this beautiful spirit in her life to tell her differently. This video shows how deeply we harm each other. And fully we can lift each other up. https://t.co/O3VXlGWis0
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 7, 2020
This is so heartbreaking!
— Stan Shaw (@StanShaw1) March 7, 2020
She is sooo beautiful, ppl can be cruel. You hold your head up high my little Princess. Thankful for the lady who’s embracing her, it still takes a village!
You know what’s funny, is she may have NEVER had anyone tell her that she is ugly.
— Gailonda Adams (@GailzHurst) March 7, 2020
She may have just witnessed the adoration of girls that don’t look like her.
People think kids don’t pick up on that kind of stuff. But they are highly intuitive.
Representation matters!
