Hip Hip Hooray: 3 Cheers for Balpreet Kaur’s Graceful Response to Reddit’s Insensitive Post

Reddit user “european_douchebag” (hold your comments) recently posted a photograph of Sikh woman and Ohio State University student, Balpreet Kaur, in the “Funny” section of the website with the caption, “I’m not sure what to conclude from this,” because of her visible facial hair. Kaur, president of the Sikh Student Association as a sophomore at OSU and aspiring neurosurgeon, responded with the most eloquent and graceful statement to the post, explaining that she is “not embarrassed or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positive] that this picture is getting because it’s who I am.” She writes:

“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. Just as a child doesn’t reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikhs do not reject the body that has been given to us.”

Kaur’s eloquence and confidence is a breath of fresh air that responds to intolerance by cultivating understanding and dialogue, not debate, across difference. Her statement even provoked “european_douchebag” to issue an apology, in which they conclude:

“So reddit I'm sorry for being an asshole and for giving you negative publicity.
Balpreet, I'm sorry for being a closed minded individual. You are a much better person than I am.
Sikhs, I'm sorry for insulting your culture and way of life.
Balpreet's faith in what she believes is astounding.”

3 cheers for Balpreet Kaur’s response to the Reddit post!

Hip: Kaur’s response creates religious and cultural tolerance by explaining some of the teachings of her faith that inform who she is and are different from Western culture. She uses this moment of ignorance as an opportunity for discussion and education, writing, “Just as a child doesn’t reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikhs do not reject the body that has been given to us.”

Hip: Kaur’s statement also affirms an acceptance of different standards of beauty by both being proud of her own and by providing a “transcendent” view of the body that is accepting of aesthetics, not judgmental of appearance. Kaur explains, “By crying ‘mine, mine’ and changing this body-tool, we are essentially living in ego and creating a separateness between ourselves and the divinity within us. By transcending societal views of beauty, I believe that I can focus more on my actions.”

Hooray: Kaur uses her words not as sticks and stones but as a tool for social awareness and tolerance. She uses the Internet as an opportunity to voice productive dialogue, not to continue anonymous cruel remarks. “So, if anyone sees me at OSU, please come up and say hello. I appreciate all of the comments here, both positive and less positive because I’ve gotten a better understanding of myself and others from this.”