How it feels to be a blonde and fair-skinned me

Blonde hair– Barbie. Blonde hair- dumb. Blonde hair- different.

I remember the day I walked into my first grade class and everyone looked at me. I was the blonde, fair-skinned girl. I remember feeling so different and made out to be this perfect Barbie and be so dumb, but I wasn’t perfect and I didn’t want to be stereotypical dumb. I remember the day I raised my hand to answer a question, and I got it wrong. I felt so dumb. I felt humiliated. Everyone looked and laughed saying things like “what a dumb blonde” or “typical Barbie girl living in Barbie world.”

When I was in third grade, I remember a boy having a crush on me. He reminded me that there was more to me than my hair and skin color, like my personality, intelligence, and positive attitude. That day I realized I’m just another human being just like everyone else, but with my own unique features. I learned to embrace my blonde hair and fair-skinned and prove others wrong by striving to be smarter and smarter each day. Even going as far, to when I make a mistake I joke and say I had a “blonde moment.” From that day on, I held my head up high and maintained pride, to this day, of my blonde hair and fair skin. Because that was just part of what made me Me.

A puppy with white fur and blue eyes or a chocolate colored puppy with floppy ears, regardless of their fur color they're both puppies. Loving companions that we all cherish as part of our families and lives. Whether tan skinned and black hair or fair skinned with blonde hair, we are all people. And I’ve learned it’s who we are as people, how we treat others and impact society is what really matters.