Adult or little kid? Sheep or human?

by Emily
(England)

I have light blonde, curly hair. Well, I say curly. Depending on the weather, how I slept the night before, and what time I had my shower the previous night, my hair could be anything from loose waves to tight curls. But generally it *looks* curly, I mean proper loose ringlets. I hardly ever get frizzy hair, thankfully (my tip is leaving a little conditioner in the hair - it holds it together without damaging it).

When I was a child, I looked like an angel. People loved me for my tight, light-blonde ringlets. Apparently, when I was a toddler, a group of Japanese tourists once asked for me to pose for a picture with them!!

But now, what happened? Sure, my hair is more loosely-curled, but it's still curly. But people called me names - names that still haunt and traumatise me to this day. Mainly I was called "sheep" - that was my nickname at school. And people still laugh at me for my hair. It's not frizzy, it's not too thick, it's not thin, it doesn't stick up, it's not greasy. My curls aren't little 'wires', but they're not big, bouncy curls. I suppose fake curls are more attractive...

What's worse, I'm very short, so people refuse to believe I'm anything over 12 -- I am 18. I'm stared at by everyone - from babies (which I can understand), to the elderly. The only people who may sometimes compliment me are middle-aged men; not quite the target age I was aiming to attract interest, but hey. And the people my age disown me because I'm 'different'. I've been at University for four weeks now, I have not made a single friend, and have been rejected for all sorts of opportunities (e.g. discos, etc) because of my appearance.

Although I have the hope that people will grow up, it depresses me to think, to realise, that I have to wait until, perhaps, my thirties, before I start having a good time.

I wish I could shave all my hair off and buy a wig, but I'm not allowed.

Blonde curls are a curse.