Zendaya set an example of turning hate into quality education, when she gently reminded a hater who called her parents, "ugly," that hateful statements, "only stem from internal struggles."
The 18-year-old had posted a photo of herself standing between her parents Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, when such comment were posted that read, "they made a gorgeous *** child lol," and "her parents really ugly I really would cry"
Other users also said, "and they are funny looking." (when they seem good-looking to us)
They sure raised their daughter well enough with a smart head on her shoulder and a beautiful heart.
Zendaya not only gave an apt reply to her twitter follower, but also told the user (@DARRI_MINNIE7 @bxxzy @pullupifubad) that she too was beautiful.
She said her parents were the "two of the most selfless people in the world" who dedicated their lives to "teaching, cultivating and filling young shallow minds."
This is her complete statement:
First, I'm gonna pray for you. While you're so concerned about what my parents look like, please know that these are two of the most selfless people in the world. They have chosen to spend their entire life, not worried about trivial things such as looks and insulting people's parents on Twitter, but instead became educators who have dedicate their lives to teaching, cultivating and filling young shallow minds. (One of the most important yet underpaid jobs we have) So please, log out, go to school, hug a teacher and read a textbook...and while you're at it, go look in the mirror and know that you too are beautiful, because such hateful things only stem from internal struggles.
This was not the first eloquent comment from the Disney star who is known for being comfortable in her shoes and is a role model for the youth who grow up in a culture with twisted values.
In February, when she was criticized for her dreadlocks by Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic, who commented on Zendaya's hair at Oscars, saying they looked like she "smells like patchouli oil... or weed."
To this, she replied that "there is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful," and suggested Rancic to "contemplate a little before opening your mouth so quickly to judge."
Her response to the undue review about her hairstyle was followed by a quick apology by Rancic, who said:
"I want to say to Zendaya, and anyone else out there that I have hurt, that I am so, so sincerely sorry. This really has been a learning experience for me - I've learned a lot today - and this incident has taught me to be a lot more aware of cliches and stereotypes, how much damage they can do. And that I am responsible, as we all are, to not perpetuate them further."
Accepting the apology, Zendaya noted that:
"Studies have shown that even though we try to act without prejudice, sometimes it's just hidden inside us due to our past or surroundings. That hidden prejudice is often influential in our actions. It's our job to spot these issues within others and ourselves and destroy them before they become hurtful," she wrote on her Twitter account. "I have so many people looking up to me, that I couldn't be scared, wait it out, nor could I just stand up for me; I had to do it for WE."
