DISGUST!!

What is wrong with the world when a little girl is told she isn't cute enough to be a part of the Olympic opening ceremonies?

The story as reported in the news states that seven-year-old Yang Peiyi was the beautiful voice you heard singing "Ode to the Mother Land" at the opening ceremonies. However, the girl you watched was not in fact Yang Peiyi but a different girl chosen to lip sync the words as she was kept hidden in the background. The reason for this you may ask? Yang Peiyi has a chubby face and slightly crooked teeth and, according to a senior member of the ruling Communist Party in China, did not portray the "right image" for the country. Basically, minus the bull shit sugar coating, she could sing like a diva but was ugly.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THIS I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, how in the world can any child be seen as ugly? They are all gorgeous, beautiful creatures in side and out. It is the job of an adult to ensure that a child feels loved, safe and beautiful all the time. To be alienated from one of the biggest events in her life based on something as ridiculous as chubby cheeks and crooked teeth is nothing short of disgusting. Secondly, why couldn't she just be revered for her amazing musical talent? Why is it so necessary that she look like a fake little doll in order to possess this incredible musical ability? It bothers me, a musician and music teacher, that Yang could not simply be rewarded for her special talent, but instead had to be hidden from the spotlight so that a child who could NOT sing could gain International adoration for simply being an acceptable physical specimen.

And who do we blame for this? The Chinese government? A narrow minded member of the government who would clearly miss true beauty if it bit him in the ass? Or what about the North American perspective on what is considered beautiful? Is it possible that, in trying to impress the rest of the world China fell in to the North American trap of beauty only being skin deep? Lets face it! It's in our magazines, on our televisions, in or movie theatres. True beauty has been lost to the plastic hair sprayed masses and sadly, that is the image that we send out to China and every where else in the world. That is the impression they receive from us, that what we want is a lip-syncing Ashley Simpson over a real down to earth, honest to goodness vocal goddess like Bette Midler or Jann Arden ( who, btw, I think are totally hot both vocally and physically ).

So we are all to blame in the case of the talented Yang Peiyi, who incidentally, took the decision with a maturity and grace that I certainly didn't posses at seven, let alone at 31. She said her feelings weren't hurt and she understood. She was just happy that she could hear herself as she sang, hidden in the shadows.

Well, my feelings are hurt on her behalf!

I say we start a campaign to get Yang Peiyi into the Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. Let her sing and be herself so that she can teach us all what real beauty is. Apparently, we could all use the lesson.