This piece was a long time coming. I've resisted the urge to write how I feel on the given topic due to the various implications it carries, however I feel in order for those to understand, you must teach and educate those who are oblivious.
Stereotypes:
While many women going through this process may feel/do these things it generalizes each person who may have various reasons on why they are going natural.
Journey:
When I cut my hair many people didn't understand why I did it. They looked at me with amazement and always wanted to feel and touch my hair as if I was an traveling exhibit. These glances all came from people who resembled me or shared the same ancestry. It was as if they too, did not know "this hair" was under their weaves or the "before" result of their perms.
They seen it as a hassle, a barrier.
Something that couldn't be managed!
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While at that time many girls were going through the same transformation as I, many coined it as a trend due to how many were now abandoning their perms and weaves. I just call it an epiphany.
But for me it was more than that. I permed my hair for those x amount of years because I didn't love myself. I didn't accept my true identity. I ran from my blackness as if my skin was going to run away with it.
I remember crying when the first sign of new growth was showing. I would perm my hair 2 times a month in order to keep up with the rest of the girls. But deep down I know I wanted more.
It wasn't until I observed my surroundings and seen how beautiful natural hair really was. My mother always worn her crown and I wanted to mirror the women who gave birth to me.
I would no longer use these harmful chemicals as a clutch to distort my kinky hair with unthought of dimensions. My hair has always been abudant and I now see it for the beauty it is.
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It shrinks when the rain hits it, glows when the sun adorns it and coils when I wraps my fingertips around the roots.
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While this journey isn't for everyone, I praise those who had the courage and bravery to see themselves for who they are. Beyond my testaments I acknowledge that how you present yourself to the world is your choice and this is my individual journey. Your hair should not rule your existence nor' should you feel incompetent without a weave or a relaxer.
The problem is when you can't go to the corner store without these two and hide in your house until you get your hair did. We fail to realize that that simple action is deeper than ourselves and begins inside. At the end of the day that is not your hair, you have to learn to love yourself without it as it is nothing but a crutch.
Some may attribute black women's attachement to these procedures as trying to achieve European standards of beauty. Although many black women have made the transition, we have a long way to go when it comes to the media displaying women in their natural state.While I always tried to convince myself, that I was not that girl, I was. I didn't know any better. All the pretty girls had straight hair and I thought all I needed was weave and CRACK SNAPPLE POP! behold my confidence lies in a jar of creamy crack [wrong]. It did nothing for my self esteem and left me with a scalp I couldn't itch.
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I not only did this for myself, but I did this to show my future children that mommy loves her hair and you should too. There are various hair care blogs catered to women with natural hair, countless celebrities whom chose to do the big chop and numerous photos showing women, styles you can acheieve with a TWA or long natural tresses. However, this was not always the case. Many women felt like they couldn't work in the workplace with natural hair. However a renaissance is among us.
Don't you feel it?
[All images via. Tumblr]
- ● When you have natural hair it is as if you are immediately categorized as a strong black woman, burn incense, write poetry and play Erykah Badu.
- ● Mad at sistas who wear weaves or perms
- ● Vegetarians OR only eat organic foods and use organic materials
- ● Only listen to concious hip/hop and love soul
- and typically darkskin with coarse hair
While many women going through this process may feel/do these things it generalizes each person who may have various reasons on why they are going natural.
Journey:
I decided to go natural last year, September. I was in the shower and was beyond disgusted at my stringy like hair that fell off without touch. I got the scissors whilst looking in the mirror and chopped off every straight end I seen. It was not only a liberating experience. I felt more beautiful and free. I neglected my hair for soo many years and wanted to start from scratch.
From that moment on I was in the process of rebirth/revival.
Discovering myself without the perm was a interesting experience. I no longer had straight tresses, I had to discover my kinky, coily hair I was born with.
When I cut my hair many people didn't understand why I did it. They looked at me with amazement and always wanted to feel and touch my hair as if I was an traveling exhibit. These glances all came from people who resembled me or shared the same ancestry. It was as if they too, did not know "this hair" was under their weaves or the "before" result of their perms.
They seen it as a hassle, a barrier.
Something that couldn't be managed!
While at that time many girls were going through the same transformation as I, many coined it as a trend due to how many were now abandoning their perms and weaves. I just call it an epiphany.
But for me it was more than that. I permed my hair for those x amount of years because I didn't love myself. I didn't accept my true identity. I ran from my blackness as if my skin was going to run away with it.
I remember crying when the first sign of new growth was showing. I would perm my hair 2 times a month in order to keep up with the rest of the girls. But deep down I know I wanted more.
I would no longer use these harmful chemicals as a clutch to distort my kinky hair with unthought of dimensions. My hair has always been abudant and I now see it for the beauty it is.
--------------------------
It shrinks when the rain hits it, glows when the sun adorns it and coils when I wraps my fingertips around the roots.
------------------------------
While this journey isn't for everyone, I praise those who had the courage and bravery to see themselves for who they are. Beyond my testaments I acknowledge that how you present yourself to the world is your choice and this is my individual journey. Your hair should not rule your existence nor' should you feel incompetent without a weave or a relaxer.
The problem is when you can't go to the corner store without these two and hide in your house until you get your hair did. We fail to realize that that simple action is deeper than ourselves and begins inside. At the end of the day that is not your hair, you have to learn to love yourself without it as it is nothing but a crutch.Some may attribute black women's attachement to these procedures as trying to achieve European standards of beauty. Although many black women have made the transition, we have a long way to go when it comes to the media displaying women in their natural state.While I always tried to convince myself, that I was not that girl, I was. I didn't know any better. All the pretty girls had straight hair and I thought all I needed was weave and CRACK SNAPPLE POP! behold my confidence lies in a jar of creamy crack [wrong]. It did nothing for my self esteem and left me with a scalp I couldn't itch.
---------
I not only did this for myself, but I did this to show my future children that mommy loves her hair and you should too. There are various hair care blogs catered to women with natural hair, countless celebrities whom chose to do the big chop and numerous photos showing women, styles you can acheieve with a TWA or long natural tresses. However, this was not always the case. Many women felt like they couldn't work in the workplace with natural hair. However a renaissance is among us.
Don't you feel it?
[All images via. Tumblr]
Your post is amazing. You look like goddess with your short hair.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. I presume you follow me on Twitter/Instagram [@wannajean] to know such things. Lol! I hope you spread the message! :)
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