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You are Beautiful: Shamoma R

You are Beautiful

February 24, 2023•5 min read

From Dressing Like A Boy As A Child To Later Showcasing Her Internal & External Beauty For Her Kids

Shamoma didn’t have the typical upbringing; she was raised by her father with little to no idea of what beauty was. Her father used to dress her like a boy, probably because he wanted to deter the boys from looking at her.

But Shamoma didn’t want to live that life. Which is what sparked her interest in cosmetology school, all of which she lost interest in shortly after high school. The rest of her life experiences led her to how she views her beauty today.

Keep reading to get a glimpse of Shamoma’s journey.

Maggie: Beauty is such a broadly defined word. One child can learn one definition of the term and another child can learn something completely different.

Do you remember learning anything about beauty from a young age, whether it be positive or negative?

Shamoma: I was raised by my father. As most know, daddy’s don’t want boys looking at their daughters. Because of that, my father dressed me up like a boy. I think it was to deter boys.

As I got older, I felt I wanted to feel pretty on the outside as well as the inside. My aunt was the family beautician, so she would do my hair. It wasn’t always like how the other girls would wear theirs, but it was nice enough to show off to my friends.

I would compare myself to other girls when it came to hair, nails, body type, and even the way I walked. I eventually began to think beauty was empowering from all of this.

M: Being raised by a father can definitely have an impact on how you view yourself and how you view beauty when you’re young. That probably resulted in different life experiences for you.

Can you tell me a bit about your life experiences and how they made you the woman that you are today from being raised by your father?

S: Growing up, I was in sports, so I didn’t really have time to explore my feminine side.

As time went on, I found that one of the local high schools offered cosmetology, so I decided to attend that school. I learned so much about beauty. But, I didn’t like all the gossip that they did there.

Once I graduated high school, I decided to join the army. There was no room to shine in the light of beauty there, only time to train for war.

But, I became a strong, independent, self-sufficient woman that could shoot and teach survival tactics.

As the rest of my life played out, I became an army veteran and I earned two degrees. I’m currently a single mother of three and a state employee. I take care of my mother often.

I’ve never explored another side of beauty outside of what I’ve told you.

M: That’s why I enjoy my job; I get to make women like you feel beautiful. I get to help you explore other sides of beauty that you might not have known existed.

Speaking of my job, are you excited to get started with the session soon? What’s your #1 reason for wanting to get these photos of yourself done?

S: My #1 reason why I want to get these photos done is because of my children. I want them to see their mother in a thousand words.

M: That’s lovely and inspirational. I can guarantee your children will see just how beautiful you are after we’re done, inside and out.

I also see that your life experiences have taught you how important genuinely feeling beautiful is. Though you haven’t explored other sides of beauty, you do have a solid idea of how you view the term.

Other women may struggle to define beauty and to see their own beauty. Could you share some words of wisdom, based on your personal experience, on how to help others see their beauty?

S: My advice would be to love yourself more than someone else can. God chose your body and mind just for you. You should embrace every moment of it.

M: Fantastic words of wisdom. Thank you for sharing.

Your words are light, yet so powerful. In your eyes and mind, can you tell us how being the woman you are today makes you feel uniquely powerful?

S: I think I feel uniquely powerful today because I was able to overcome so many obstacles. I think no matter what I look like on the outside, I’m beautifully unique on the inside.

Shamoma recognizes that she is uniquely beautiful on the inside. Now, my job is to make her feel uniquely beautiful on the outside.

She wasn’t handed the easiest life experiences to be able to learn external beauty, but she did a pretty great job with what she went through. Even after dressing as a boy when she was a child, going through army training, and learning survival tactics, Shamoma found her beauty. Which means you can find your beauty, too.