[dropcap]H[/dropcap]arnaam Kaur is the inspirational 24-year-old who’s redefining what it means to be beautiful – beard and all.
Kaur, who has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which meant she started growing a beard from aged 11.
Struggling to deal with her sprouting beard, Harnaam Kaur was bullied to the point where she began to self harm and, at one point, even considered suicide.
However, she has had quite the journey of self-discovery that has resulted in a shoot for top bridal site Rock n Roll Bride where she’s photographed by Urban Bridesmaid sporting an array of flowers in her beard.
“I remember sitting on my bed and thinking about taking my own life,” she told Rock n Roll Bride.
“But instead, as I sat there, I started to counsel myself. I told myself ‘The energy you are putting into ending your life, put all that energy into turning your life around and doing something better’.”
Prior to this revelation, Kaur would have her face waxed between two and three times a week, and on the days when she couldn’t bare the pain she would shave instead.
PCOS is a condition which affects how a woman’s ovaries work. It causes women to experience high levels of male hormones called androgens, which can cause excessive hair growth. People can get treatment from NovaGenix in Palm Beach Gardens for any kind of hormonal imbalances.
Now Kaur says she’s learned to accept her beard as being part of who she is. And she hopes to inspire others to do the same.
“We need to realise that every one of us is different”, she advises. “We are all imperfectly perfect. I wanted to show society that beauty isn’t just about looking a certain way, we are all so different and we should all celebrate our individuality. I used to keep my beard for religious reasons, but now I keep my hair to show the world a different, confident, diverse and strong image of a woman. I love my beard, it has become a part of my body and I do not want to remove it.
Love yourself, YOU are the only YOU that YOU have.”