Pink shares story about daughter, six, as she accepts MTV award

Pink has told how she produced a presentation packed with androgynous artists to show her daughter beauty comes in all forms, as the singer’s career was honoured at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The singer, who was handed the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, said her six-year-old daughter Willow recently told her she was the “ugliest girl I know” because “I look like a boy with long hair”.

To combat this, Pink, 37, told The Forum arena that she made a PowerPoint presentation for her daughter.

She filled it with “androgynous rock stars” and artists such as David Bowie, Prince and George Michael who, despite adversity, “carry on and wave their flag and inspire the rest of us”.

She said she told her daughter that critics have levelled abuse at her, claiming she is “too strong” or “too masculine” but she has not made any attempt to change to meet their expectations.

“So, baby girl, we don’t change, we take the gravel in the shell and we make a pearl and we help other people to change so that they can see more kinds of beauty,” she said.

“And to all 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.”