I have never cut my hair. I have black hair, a long braid, brown skin and I am a Sikh. When I was little, I felt my parents pretty much did everything to make me stand out, not fit in with the “norm.” Where all my friends talked about new hairstyles, their freckles, and getting sunburned on their fair pale skin, I sat there not being able to relate to any of the things.

But as I grew up, I realized “norm” doesn’t mean twinning up with the rest of world, it means finding a place where you are accepted as you are. So what if I didn’t get haircuts, I could talk about all the different hairstyles I could do with my hair. My friends loved playing with my hair and were even envious of my “tan” skin. I was accepted as I was, long braid and brown skin and all. I could rant to my friends about my friend troubles, or parent fights and knew I was understood. This was my “norm” – being acknowledged as I was.

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