I have had straight brown hair for my entire life. I’ve been told many times that I have a plain look, but honestly I have grown to love myself that way. To me, self love is more important than what others think and it’s taken a lot of medication and therapy to get there. 

My boyfriend and his family have been pushing for me to dye my hair blonde so I can look “pretty”. I have resisted for a very long time (about 6 years). Last week his cousin invited me to get our hair done. What she didn’t tell me though was that I was not actually going to get a say in the matter and that the hair stylist just does whatever she is feeling like that day. 

So I sit there get my hair done and it comes out with blonde streaks. Boyfriend and his family keep telling me how great I look but I don’t feel that way. I feel pathetic and like I sacrificed the very small amount of self-esteem I had left in exchange for an impulsive decision that I’m just generally not happy with. 

I don’t hate how it looks. I hate what it symbolizes.