Little Mix singer Leigh-Ann Pinnock is being hailed as an "inspiration" after writing a moving post encouraging young black girl to "love your curls, love your afro."
My niece of 7 years once said she didn’t like her Afro & wanted to look like the other girls in her class, it broke my heart that she didn’t consider what she had as beautiful..Love your curls, love your Afro..we need to teach young black girls that it IS just as beautiful❤️ Lx https://t.co/Ss7JKDTePY
The 26-year-old performer took to Twitter and Instagram to share a message of empowerment inspired by a heart-breaking conversation with her 7-year-old niece.
She wrote: "My niece of 7 years once said she didn’t like her Afro & wanted to look like the other girls in her class, it broke my heart that she didn’t consider what she had as beautiful..Love your curls, love your Afro..we need to teach young black girls that it IS just as beautiful."
The message has been well received online with supporters of all ages sharing their personal stories of learning to love their natural mane.
@LittleMix I used to hate my afro too. I honestly didn't love it until I saw you rocking yours proudly. You're my inspiration Leigh Anne 💕
@LittleMix I used to hate my Afro too, I kept asking my parents if I could straighten it or braid it just so I could look like the other girls in my classroom. It took my a long time to realize that my natural hair is beautiful and that I didn't need to look like everyone else
@LittleMix Leigh I love how you inspire black girls to love themselves for who they are and embrace what they have! I learned to love my curly, afro hair because of people like you ❤️ just like you said to me, we must embrace our #blackgirlmagic everyday! ☺️
@LittleMix When I was fourteen years old I hated my curly hair because I thought I look ugly and messy and I always blow dry it. I was scare of what my classmates would say about my hair. Now I’m proud of my messy curls, I love them, and it make me different and to feel secure of myself https://t.co/8TyVkggQyr
@LittleMix You got it boss! We out here #AfroGang
@LittleMix It took me until 30 years old to finally like my curls. At 41, I’m rocking them hard. I wanted straight hair all the time. I relaxed, hot combed, & so much more. I tell my nieces to be proud of their curls. #curlnation show those curls. https://t.co/gWK31ZLDj1
The post has also sparked debate regarding ideas around what hair is considered beautiful.
@LittleMix I like the message but let’s be real. It’s easy to you to say wear your hair natural when you are considered to have “good” hair. Now what about the girls with more coarse hair? You know dam well it’s not that easy for them to just wear it natural.
@LittleMix This is a nice message except for the fact that having the hair texture shown in your picture is not the same as having an “Afro”. Kinky hair is not the same as curly hair because they’re viewed as two completely separate entities. (Both in and out of the black community)
@LittleMix Also, important to keep dismantling the myth of good hair and bad hair. I don’t think it’s said as much but the black natural hair that get called beautiful in the media are often the looser curls: ALL black natural hair is beautiful and ALL black hair is beautiful😍
In responding to some of the criticisms of Leigh-Ann's message, people have jumped to her defence and pointed out that her message speaks to a unique experience.
It’s such a shame the amount of backlash that this tweet has received for pushing out a positive message. Have you ever thought if mixed raced children go through the same thing? Maybe even at their own dinner table. https://t.co/VOKOoUlfrh
Hmm she has been getting shade thrown at her all day for this but haven’t y’all stopped to think about the peeps (esp girls) in mixed families who are told these things by white relatives? https://t.co/dDgZdVbYRQ
The post has garnered over 52,000 likes on Twitter and is just as popular on Instagram with fans praising the singer for her words of encouragement and promoting self-love.
