Little girl in heartbreaking video says she’s ugly – and cries when she’s told she is beautiful

A video of a little black girl calling herself ugly — and then bursting into tears when she’s told she is beautiful — has broken the hearts of millions of social media users, and called attention to the importance of representation for black women in society.

Four-year-old Ariyonna was getting her hair done by Atlanta-based hairstylist Shabria last week when she caught sight of herself in a video being recorded on Shabria’s phone and said simply, like it was a fact, ‘I’m so ugly.’

Crushed and appalled, Shabria quickly told Ariyonna that that wasn’t true, and that the little girl is beautiful — which made Ariyonna immediately start crying.

Heartbreaking: A video of a four-year-old girl bursting into tears after calling herself ‘so ugly’ has gone viral on social media 

Upset: Four-year-old Ariyonna was getting her hair done by Atlanta-based hairstylist Shabria last week when she caught sight of herself in a video being recorded on Shabria’s phone

Comfort: The hairstylist was horrified to hear the young girl calling herself ugly, and she immediately told her, ‘Don’t say that. You are so pretty’

Shabria was recording for Instagram Live while doing Ariyonna’s hair. She appeared to be almost done when Ariyonna looked over at Shabria’s phone and caught sight of what she looked like on camera.

‘I’m so ugly,’ Ariyonna says in the clip.

Shabria immediately gasps, horrified — but Ariyonna doesn’t even realize she said something distressing, asking Shabria, ‘What?’

‘Don’t say that!’ Shabria tells her. ‘Don’t say that. You are so pretty. When you look at yourself, you’re supposed to say, “I am so pretty.” You are so pretty. Do you hear me?’

Here, she gently grabs and Ariyonna’s face to tilt it toward her.

‘You’ve got the prettiest little dimples. You are too cute,’ she says.

At this point, Ariyonna’s face crumples, and she quickly dissolves into tears. In no time, the floodgates are open and she is sobbing in Shabria’s arms.

Shabria is clearly heartbroken, snuggling Ariyonna and telling her, ‘You’re gonna make me cry! You’re not ugly!’

Over several more minutes, she continues to build her up, telling her all the things she never seems to hear: That she is beautiful, that she has not one but two adorable dimples, and that her teeth are pretty and white. 

Shock: Twitter users were left devastated by the video, and the site was flooded with tweets from people expressing their upset over Ariyonna’s opinion of herself 

Important message: Many offered words of comfort and sympathy, both to Ariyonna, and to anyone else who has ever considered themselves ‘ugly’ 

She tells Ariyonna firmly that she’s not going to cry, and that she needs to go into class the next day full of confidence with how great she looks.

‘You’re gonna grow up and you’re gonna be everything that you can be,’ she tells her.

Not long after the video streamed on March 5, someone shared it on Twitter — where it has been viewed 10 million times. 

Many people are totally heartbroken for Ariyonna.

‘I’m so mad, this made me cry. Who has been telling this baby she’s ugly? I’m coming to fight,’ wrote one.

‘WHO IS TELLING THIS LIL ANGEL BABY THAT SHE’S UGLY?!’ another demanded, while a third wrote: ‘What specifically gutted me was that this child wordlessly burst into tears after she was *told* she was beautiful.’

Another wrote: ‘Who is out here destroying this baby’s self esteem?’  

Countless commenters have also shared their own stories of feeling ugly while growing up, lamenting that the video felt incredibly relatable to them.

They’ve shared how they were teased at school, or how the messages they were sent by the media and society led them to believe they weren’t beautiful, even without being told directly. 

Lessons: Several people noted that the video serves as an important reminder about the messages that we are passing on to young people 

‘Representation matters’: Others have said that ‘society tells black women’ they are ‘physically unappealing’, noting that this is something girls as young as Ariyonna can pick up 

Anger: Some responded with memes, joking that they wanted to have words with whoever called Ariyonna ugly 

‘You know what’s funny, is she may have NEVER had anyone tell her that she is ugly. 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!” wrote one. 

‘This is why it’s so important to tell young black girls that they’re beautiful. they need to hear it,’ said another.

‘It’s important to instill in dark skin black girls that they are beautiful and loved cause the world will be ugly. this made my heart cry,’ yet another commented. 

Celebrities have joined the conversation, too. 

‘THIS is the motivating factor for Black women to leave a legacy…of WORTH of BEAUTY!’ wrote actress Viola Davis. 

‘We are fighting hundreds of years of brutal conditioning of being considered less than. It is sprinkled in our language, behavior, laws, music…etc.. and trickles down to our youth. I’m speaking LIFE into Ariyonna. From a sista who looks a lot like you….you were born worthy therefore you were born beautiful!’

Jada Pinkett Smith wrote: ‘THIS made me cry! Kudos to this beautiful woman for loving on this beautiful child! We gotta love on each other! This made my heart sing.’

And director Ava DuVernay tweeted: ‘In tears over this. Somebody told this child this and her heart broke and her confidence broke and she believed it.  

 

 Emotional: The video ‘broke my heart into pieces because she has the GREATEST energy and the most beautiful smile and heart,’ Shabria said

Positive: The hairdresser posted a follow-up video of Ariyonna after giving the little girl some positive affirmations, recording the youngster saying, ‘I’m black and beautiful’

Speaking out: Shabria made sure to tell people that the little girl comes from a loving home, and that she isn’t receiving any negative messages from her family 

‘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.’

Shabria herself weighed in as well, sharing her heartbreak but also assuring viewers that Ariyonna isn’t getting the discouraging messages at home.

‘It broke my heart into pieces because she has the GREATEST energy and the most beautiful smile and heart!’ she said. 

‘She comes from a great home & loving mother. I just think when kids go to school they learn and pick up sooo much different things that they don’t know the definition but they know the feeling! Keep her in your prayers and keep lifting up our future!!!’ 

She also posted a follow-up video of Ariyonna after giving the little girl some positive affirmations.

‘I’m black and beautiful,’ Ariyonna repeats for the camera.

When Shabria comes by and tells her how precious she is, Ariyonnna glows, sporting a huge, genuine smile.

Shabria also thanked social medias for all of the loving, positive messages they’ve sent.

‘Every color is beautiful,’ she wrote. ‘Ariyonna loves all the love & and I genuinely appreciate what God is doing ! Be blessed.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk