THE TALK AHEAD of last night’s VMA Awards was all about Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do video – which did indeed drop – but it was Pink (or P!nk, as she’s now known) who really stole the show with an acceptance speech that’s deservedly gone viral.
She picked up the 2017 Vanguard Award and had a powerful message for her 6-year-old daughter Willow in the crowd:
She began with a story of the pair on the way to Willow’s school:
Recently, I was driving my daughter to school and she said to me, out of the blue, “Mama?” “Yes, baby?” She said, “I am the ugliest girl I know.” And I said, “Huh?”
And she was like, “Yeah, I look like a boy with long hair.” And my brain went to, Oh my god, you are six. Why? Where is this coming from? Who said this? Can I kick a 6-year-old’s ass? What?
And instantly came up with a plan:
“I didn’t say anything. Instead, I went home and I made a power point presentation for her. And, in that presentation, were androgynous rock stars and artists that live their truth. These are artists like Michael Jackson, David bowie, Freddie Mercury, Annie Lennox, Prince, Janis Joplin, and George Michael, Elton John — so many artists.”
Pink told Willow about the criticims she so often faces:
Her eyes glazed over. I said, “You know, I really want to know why you feel this way about yourself.” She said, “I look like a boy.” I said, “What do you think I look like?”
She said, “Well you are beautiful.” I was like, “Well, thanks.” But, I said, “When people make fun of me, it’s, that’s what they use. They say that I look like a boy, or I am too masculine, too many opinions, my body is too strong.”
“And I said to her, “Do you see me growing my hair?” She said, “No mama.” I said, “Do you see me changing my body?” “No, mama.” “Do you see me changing the way I present myself to the world?” “No, mama.”"
“Do you see me selling out arenas all over the world?” “Yes, mama.”
*rapturous applause from the crowd*
It was the most powerful moment of the night, made even better by the fact that Willow was there to hear it all:
That’s right. So, baby, girl, we don’t change, we take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. We help other people to change so that they can see more kinds of beauty.
“And to all of the artists here, I am so inspired by all of you. Thank you for being your true selves. And for lighting the way for us. I am so inspired by you guys.”
It was above and beyond the regular, insipid award speech
And Pink is winning so much praise overnight
El!en definitely works.
Well played, P!nk – that’s how you accept an award *and* send a message.
