British Sikh Girl Grows Beard Due To Medical Conditon

LONDON – An British Sikh girl, whohas been suffering from a rare conditioncausing excessive hair development onher face and body, has decided to stopcutting her hair after being baptized as aSikh.A beard first started to appear onHarnaam Kaur’s face when she was just11 years old due to a medical conditioncalled polycystic ovary syndrome, theDaily Mail reported Monday.The hair quickly spread to her chest andarms, and that made her the victim oftaunts at school and on streets.Kaur, who is now 16, even receiveddeath threats from strangers over theinternet.Earlier, Kaur was so ashamed of herbeard that she used to wax twice a week,and also tried bleaching and shaving.Her hair became thicker and spreadwhich made her feel so low that sherefused to leave her house.But she decided to get baptized as aSikh and stop cutting her hair. InSikhism cutting body hair is forbidden.”I would never ever go back now andremove my facial hair because it’s theway God made me and I’m happy withthe way I am,” Kaur was quoted as saying.”I feel more feminine, more sexy and Ithink I look it too. I’ve learned to lovemyself for who I am nothing can shakeme now,” she said.Stating that she was badly bullied inschool, she said she was called a “beardo””shemale” and “sheman”.”I can laugh about it now, but back thenit affected me so badly that I began toself-harm because it felt better than allthe abuse I was getting,” Kaur said.Despite all the opposition, she took thestep to bear her beard.Kaur said her mother and father did notwant her to sport a beard as theythought she would not be able to live anormal life if she had a beard.”They worried I wouldn’t be able to getmarried and that I’d never get a job. ButI wanted to make my own decisions andlive for myself — not anyone else. I’dhad enough of hiding,” she said.There is no cure for the condition, butmedicine is available to treat excessivehair growth and fertility problems.Most women with the condition can getpregnant.