As you could probably already guess I am Black/African American. Hair to us is a way of life, from going to the hair salon to getting our hair combed out being a nightly bond between mothers, grandmothers, and daughters. Salons similar to barbershops are where Black women gather to talk about everything and anything. It is Oprah, Wendy Williams, and The Talk all rolled into one place.
Lately I have noticed the increased number of women who are natural in this country. I walk down the street and see women with natural and it is almost like we connect instantly. I went natural about one year ago after having problems growing my hair with a relaxer in it. It was becoming another alternative to the burning sensation and chemical destruction that comes with getting ones hair relaxed every six weeks. At first I wanted to transition (taking months to let your natural hair grow out) but I am not a patient woman so I decided to get the big chop (cutting off all your hair Lupita style). Little did I know that it would be a life changing decision for me.
I did this over the summer so it was a surprise to my classmates when I returned to college the fall of my senior year. I had friends (both black and white) take a huge judgement about what I did to my hair. The black girls on campus with naturals immediately took me in to show me what to do with my new set of locks. While my black friends who had straight hair or my friends who were white did not have a problem with it but would drop not so subtle hints about my new style.
They would say things like "Wow, you have black people hair now" or "are you gonna get a weave because now that you are natural it will be easier to braid". These comments are a few of many that I got over those first couple of months back. It was earth-shattering hearing subtle racist comments about my hair from the people who had been my friends. I broke off many ties that semester including my long time relationship, because of the issue around having a short natural.
Now you may think "Wow, that is a lot of fuss over someone's hair". And you would right it is. I thought it was just me until I started seeing it happen on a national stage. Between Tamron Hall talking about her hair on NBC's the Today Show, with mostly men giving their opinion about what she should do with HER hair to the show the REAL talking about weave every five seconds. Black women's hair have become a social battleground and possibly the new face of discrimination in this country.
Why can't the world be like the Sesame Street Episode I saw which originally aired last year, with a Black/African American girl puppet talking about how wonderful her hair is? We have campaigns by Dove, and P&G with slogans like "Love your curls" and "My Black is Beautiful" why can't the rest of the population get on board. Seeing Amber Rose and Lupita Nyong'o on red carpets I thought we were passed this. People still criticize Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter for having a natural. Even my little cousin who has beautiful curls is a victim of other family members talking bad about her afro.
We need to stop hair shaming Black women who want to embrace the hair they were born with. Employers need to stop telling women what hair style is professional. Naturals can be neat, braids can be professional, and cornrows can be powerful. Again I say this is the new form of discrimination in America telling a black woman that the way she was born is fixable and unacceptable. You want change then leave my hair alone and get back to more important matters.
