16th
Ethnic Hair Rant.
Today I found myself being annoyed after reading an online article called ’Glamour’ Editor To Lady Lawyers: Being Black Is Kinda A Corporate “Don’t”.To make a long story short, this article is basically about a Glamour editor who was presenting a slide show for a law firm and explaining what the corporate world will and will not accept as far as hairstyles go. In this case, she targeted the hairstyles of women with ethnic hair (ie. afros, dreadlocks, etc.)
She then went on to explain that women of color should chemically relax their hair and add extensions if necessary in order to achieve beautiful hair…
After reading this, I was extremely annoyed. I remembered my childhood growing up as “that mixed kid” with my multiracial hair. My mother, who had “normal” hair, always fastened it in long pigtails. When I was in the fifth grade, she called her friend over to our house and had her cut all of my beautiful curly hair off. She then proceeded to apply a chemical relaxer to it. My hair was never the same again. I fought with my hair for the next 20 years, relaxing, flat ironing, blow-drying, hot-combing (you name it, I did it) just so that my hair would be socially acceptable.
About three years ago, I reevaluated myself and my life. I wanted to see who I really was underneath all of the layers. I had an overwhelming urge to cut all of my chemically treated hair off….so I went to the salon and had it all cut off. I felt a sense of freedom and release. It was only two inches long, but it was healthy and it was my real texture. I absolutely loved it.
Today my hair is still growing out, and I haven’t chemically relaxed it. When I want straight hair, I flat iron it. I do this about once a month, just to mix it up. I am not concerned with what others think about my hair, or how my hair makes others feel. The important thing is that I feel great. I’ve fallen back in love with MY hair. I know that I don’t have to look like the girls on the Optimum box to feel good about myself. I’m not spending my hard-earned money buying senseless product and waiting in the salon anymore.
My natural hair is different from everyone else’s. I feel fortunate that God put me together this way. It makes me unique and sets me apart from everyone else. It’s soft, wild, versatile, short, unique, exotic and cute….it’s ME!
