Ohio State University student Balpreet Kaur online photo comments where ruthless!
By Emb Hashmi
A Sikh woman’s eloquent response to a tasteless Reddit post online targeting her facial hair has sparked virtual praise online.
The photo unsuspectingly taken of Ohio State University student Balpreet Kaur, who has visible sideburns and a beard, was posted on the website’s “funny” thread, prompting a string of unkind comments. When the student saw them, she added a message of her own.
“Yes, I’m a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair, “Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women. However, baptized Sikhs believe in the sacredness of this body, it is a gift that has been given to us by the Divine Being (which is genderless, actually) and, must keep it intact as a submission to the divine will.”
Balpreet Kaur has had positive comments and applause for her refined handling of the pitiless comments.
The sophomore is a member of Interfaith Youth Core, a group that promotes tolerance and encourages young people to learn about multiple faiths.
The Reddit user who posted the photo, “european—douchebag,” has since apologized.
The Reddit community condemned the post and hailed Kaur for her graceful response.
“I almost cried reading this,” one user wrote. “I wish I had a soul a quarter as beautiful as yours.”
The tough student fought prejudice in a calm and intellectual manner which resulted in a positive successful outcome for her and she can now be seen as a strong role model for others facing discrimination in the world.
