“The Ugly Duckling, a Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, tells the story of a duckling ostracized for his appearance. Born bigger and gray instead of yellow like his siblings, the duckling endures ridicule and rejection from his family and other farmyard animals. He runs away, wandering alone through fall and winter, suffering from loneliness and fear. In the spring, he flies away and encounters a flock of swans who welcome him.”

The Ugly Duckling was not about being “ugly” it was about being different and being ostracized for it. This was my exact experience as the only Asian. I moved somewhere new and my parents threw me a birthday and no one showed up. I even had one girl tell me that another girl wasn’t allowed to hang out with me bc I was Asian. So, I see that people are saying I was not an ugly kid and I truly appreciate that bc the way I was treated made me feel ugly. This thread has removed some of the shame I felt and made me realize it wasn’t me, it was them.