'Celebrate who you are': Mum slams fellow parents as daughter, 11, is mocked for wearing a suit to prom
A mum has criticised "cruel" parents who bullied her 11-year-old daughter after she turned up to her school prom wearing a suit.
Mischa Parker wore a smart black dinner jacket with matching trousers and bow tie for a party with fellow pupils at Fountain Primary School.
But her night was ruined when she overheard some of the chaperoning parents laughing and calling her "suit girl".
She was so upset she called her mum Tamara Auty, 33, and asked her to pick her up early.
Tamara, from Morley, Leeds, said: "I think it was an attack on her individuality, I work in mental health myself, I just think it was really disgusting.
"When I was 11 I had no idea who I was, but Mischa has always known who she is and what she likes.
"I’d taken her shopping the day before and she was really excited trying it on. She was a bit nervous hoping nobody laughed at her.
"I just think that children should be allowed to express themselves – why should my daughter be made to feel bad about the way she likes to dress? Why try and knock a child down for that?"
Last Wednesday, Mischa, her mum and her brother Thomas, nine, went to H&M to help her pick out an outfit for her school prom.
Tamara, who is a support worker, added: "She did end up going into the boys' section and got a dickie bow as they suited her a bit more.
"She’d known if she was going to any function she’d be wearing a suit. She looked absolutely amazing and stylish."
On the day itself, her mum said: "I’d straightened her hair for her, she’d put a bit of mascara on, nails painted black and normally she doesn’t bother with makeup or do anything with her hair.
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"She was a little bit nervous but felt really good, she really liked the suit.
"She had been knocked down recently confidence-wise so it was quite a big thing for her to wear the suit as she hates dresses, she's not a girly girl."
Mischa waited for her friends before going into the school, as she didn't want to go in alone, and they all showered her with praise.
Her mum noted: "All her mates were saying, 'you look amazing, you look gorgeous'. I asked her if she wanted me to stay and she said 'no, you can go'."
However, a couple of hours later, Tamara received an upsetting text from her daughter reading "can you pick me up now?".
She said: "Mischa's normally not very cuddly, doesn’t really show emotion, doesn’t really get upset easily. She's just quite a strong character.
"When I got to prom I cuddled her and she just burst into tears and said 'I need to get out of here'."
After arriving back home, Tamara followed her distraught daughter to her bedroom and asked her what had happened.
She said: "Some of the adults who had stayed at prom called her 'suit girl' and sniggered.
"Every time she was walking past these parents she could hear them commenting and laughing."
"She said 'do you think I should change my fashion?' as she normally wears more boys gendered clothing like hoodies and baggy trousers. I said no, you be who you are."
Tamara wants to raise awareness of what happened to her child to prevent other children being hurt in the future.
She said: "I work with people in crisis, I see people who are affected by bullying and I just think it's disgusting, especially with adults who know better. You expect it to be more the kids.
"If she had gone to prom in a dress she would've been unconformable, why should she not be happy?
"I think she’s brave for being who she is. Be who you are and celebrate who you are, don't be torn down for standing out."
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