Motivation Monday: Jada Pinkett Smith Talks Willow’s Hair

“Her beauty, her value, her worth is not measured by the length of her hair.”

About three years ago, Willow Smith made the decision to shave her head. She was eleven years old at the time, and for whatever reason, critics seemed to chastize her mom, Jada Pinkett Smith, for allowing her to do it. Willow’s hair often became a question during interviews, which Jada refused to answer. She opened up about the issue on her own terms, via an incredibly inspiring post on her official Facebook page. Jada wrote:

This subject is old but I have never answered it in its entirety. And even with this post it will remain incomplete.

The question why I would LET Willow cut her hair. First the LET must be challenged. This is a world where women, girls are constantly reminded that they don’t belong to themselves; that their bodies are not their own, nor their power or self determination. I made a promise to endow my little girl with the power to always know that her body, spirit and her mind are HER domain. Willow cut her hair because her beauty, her value, her worth is not measured by the length of her hair. It’s also a statement that claims that even little girls have the RIGHT to own themselves and should not be a slave to even their mother’s deepest insecurities, hopes and desires. Even little girls should not be a slave to the preconceived ideas of what a culture believes a little girl should be. More to come. Another day.

J

Yes, yes, yes! We love every single word of this. Be who you are, stay strong, and empower yourself – because you’re so beautiful – and it’s not because of your hair or your clothes or the number of Instagram followers you have. You’re so beautiful now because of who you are inside at this very moment.

xoxo,

#TeamYSBnow