Hally Berry has refused to let her ex-husband Gabriel Aubry to continue straightening or coloring their daughter's hair. The actress is so incensed that Gabriel Aubry has been allegedly straightening and lightening 6-year-old Nahla’s naturally curly hair over the past year that she took him to court over it on Monday.
Halle Berry and her daughter, Nahla
Hally Berry has refused to let her ex-husband Gabriel Aubry to continue straightening or coloring their daughter's hair. The actress is so incensed that Gabriel Aubry has been allegedly straightening and lightening 6-year-old Nahla’s naturally curly hair over the past year that she took him to court over it on Monday.
In a statement handed to the court through her lawyer, Berry said “I continue to worry about the potential psychological and physical damage to Nahla that can be caused by the use of chemical hair treatments and the psychological message that it conveys to Nahla. (And I] implore the court to put a stop to Gabriel’s attempts to alter our daughter’s appearance and most probably cause her to wonder why her natural appearance is not good enough.” The court ruled that Aubry should no longer color or straighten Nahla's hair.
The problem Hally Berry (whose mother is Caucacian, father is African-American) has with her ex changing their daughter's hair is not just about appearance, it is about giving her an impression that her her natural looks are not good enough. This seems to be the opinion of two experts.
Family therapist, Dr. Paul Hokemeyer tells Yahoo Parenting that “Children are desperate for their parent’s approval and validation, and one of the most destructive messages that parents can give their children – especially their daughters – is that they are not enough and that they’d be of greater value if they were prettier, thinner, and more Caucasian in appearance.” By focusing on and altering a girl’s look, he adds, “It tells them that their value comes from their appearance rather than in the strength of their character, intelligence and personality. It sets them up to be viewed as objects in the world rather than human beings.”
Child development specialist Dr. Robyn Silverman is of the same school. “Barring medical need, children don’t need any cosmetic changes and we want children to know, without exception, that they are beautiful just as they are,” she explains. “It’s our job as parents to help our children, boys or girls, to embrace who they are and how they appear.”