A debate about beauty standards is taking place in China again after reports that a five-year-old girl was bullied at school for her afro-textured hair and her pictures have gone viral on mainland social media.
The girl, surnamed Sun, who lives in eastern China’s Shandong province, was born with natural afro-textured hair and was deeply upset after her appearance became a running joke among classmates who nicknamed her “Explosive Hair”.
Sun’s parents said she had never complained about her hair, until recently when she started kindergarten and said she didn’t want to go back to school, the Metropolis Daily reported.
“She told us many of her schoolmates made fun of her ‘explosive’ hairstyle,” her mother told the paper.
Her parents and her aunt regularly styled her hair in braids to make sure she did not stand out from other girls her age, her mother said
However, it did not fully remove her curls and frizziness, said her mother who had seen her daughter receive negative comments about her hair first-hand.
“When I take her out to play, people often come to ask whether my daughter’s hair is curled or if she is wearing a wig. Some people want to touch her hair,” the mother explained.
After Sun said she didn’t want to go back to school her parents realised that her unusual hair was severely affecting her.
“As long as it won’t affect her life, I will try anything for her,” her mother said.
“We will find a professional hairdresser to braid her hair every couple of days,” her father added.
Sun’s parents also said they would take her to a salon to straighten her hair once it grows longer.
The bullying over Sun’s hair has generated substantial discussion on Weibo, with many commenters encouraging her to appreciate the beauty of her natural hair.
One said: “She is an adorable girl with a very cool hairstyle.”
Another said: “I hope the reason you want to change your hairstyle is because you want to do it, rather than being afraid of what others think of you.”
“It’s a gift. She will realise it when she grows up,” another commenter wrote.
There has been a spate of stories in China recently involving children with different physical appearances. The mother of a Chinese girl with albinism was worried that she would suffer discrimination on her first day of school, but was relieved when she saw her receive a warm welcome from her classmates and teachers. – South China Morning Post
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