One would think that living in the 21st century would mean more tolerance and a welcoming attitude toward all people. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.
No child should ever have to experience something like this — especially from a mother and her daughters.
The Daily Mail reveals a 3-year-old girl was left in tears after attending a Disney event in Melbourne, Australia. Her mother, Rachel Muir, recounts their initial excitement as the two stood in line at a shopping center, waiting to participate. Dressed up as the Frozen character Elsa, little Samara was just like any other girl looking forward to what was in store.
Too bad a heartless mother and her children ruined her experience.
“The lady in front of us turned around to Samara and said, ‘I don’t know why you’re dressed up for, because Queen Elsa isn’t black,'” said Rachel.
In tears, Samara was chastised by a family because of her skin color. To make matters worse, the woman’s children joined in with their own hateful comments. “I asked the woman what she meant by the comment, and then one of the woman’s young daughters screwed up her face, she pointed at Samara and said, ‘You’re black, and black is ugly,'” adds Muir.
Wow.
Samara was so hurt by what happened that she didn’t want to participate in upcoming Aboriginal activities because it reminded her of her skin color. The Courier notes Rachel took to her social media to vent her frustrations and address the unacceptable behavior.
“The saddest part of it all is that racism is alive and well and the next generation are being subjected to it,” wrote Muir. “Nobody is born into this world a racist. It is learnt behaviour. It can be changed.”
Thankfully there’s a little good news that comes from this story, as the Disney on Ice production Dare to Dream! reached out to the Muir family for an unforgettable opportunity. In addition to inviting Samara to one of their shows, they requested the 3-year-old also participate in the program.
You don’t have to be a person of color to find this story appalling and hurtful. That poor girl now has a memory about her race that will continue with her in life. It’s sickening to think a parent would create an environment that makes racial intolerance acceptable. The world is a melting pot of beautiful people from different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Who cares if Samara doesn’t look like Elsa? The character inspired her in some way to put on the costume — and that, quite frankly, is reason enough to wear it.
As a black woman and mother of two young boys of color, there are certain discussions my husband and I will unfortunately need to have with them once they get older. While I certainly don’t play the “race card,” there are harsh realities many minorities face that are brought on by the very sentiments depicted in this story. As much as I will teach my children to love and welcome all regardless of appearances, there are going to be times when they feel different — and are treated differently — because of their skin.
We need to do better.
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