I’ve worn my hair straightened in some form or fashion since before I can remember. When I was ten, I got my first relaxer. Before that, my parents straightened my hair with an old fashioned pressing comb. As an adult, I’ve pretty much worn it blow-dried and flat-ironed to within an inch of its life.
Before Covid, I couldn’t tell you the last time I did my own hair. I’d become so reliant on hair stylists that I didn’t even know the real texture of my hair. I literally just never had to deal with it.
Oh, how things have changed.
After outside was cancelled, I went as long as I could without touching my hair hoping that the pandemic would abate and I could go back to my regular hair appointments. One week turned into two then three, then four. How long could I hold out? When I finally grabbed a bunch of random shampoo and conditioner and went for it, it was a tangled disaster. So much so that I had to cut out large chunks with scissors. Seriously. It was bad.
Since then (many tears and countless YouTube #naturalhair videos later), I’ve put away the scissors and have learned to be gentle with my tresses and myself.
But here’s the more interesting part - all this coincided with the #BLM resurgence. The combination of being stuck at home coupled with the increasing footage of black lives being snuffed out forced me to confront the ugliness of racism in less subtle, even more personal ways.
Of course I’ve faced racism. I’m a black woman. It would be impossible for me not to. However, it’s rarely blatant. Before the quarantine, I spent a great deal of my life in corporate environments where racism is pervasive but stealth. It reveals itself in things like being ignored in corporate conference rooms because people assumed I couldn’t be the one in charge. Or assuming that my role was in HR rather than marketing. Or odd compliments like “you’re so articulate, you write so well...” as if somehow I shouldn’t. Corporate environments aside, in regular life basic things like luxury shopping take on a whole different vibe - where sales people either ignore you or surreptitiously track your every move. Honestly, I’m not sure which is worse.
But what's this got to do with my hair? A lot.
Everyone handles racism differently. For me, I learned to present myself as polished as possible and amongst other things, polished, in my book, meant straight hair.
It made me feel more professional. It made me feel a little less “other”. And if I’m completely honest, it made me feel more attractive. Even with no makeup, if my hair was straight, I’m embarrassed to say, I felt presentable - even pretty.
Malcom X asked, “who taught you to hate yourself?”
That’s what I’ve been asking myself lately. It’s one thing to use my hair as a form of self expression. I can wear it how ever I want. It’s my hair. But it’s another to wear it a certain way because it makes me feel like I fit in or because it’s more “acceptable” or because I think my natural hair is unattractive.
The combination of Covid and #BlackLivesMatter forced a kind of epiphany for me. What is wrong with the natural texture of my hair? Why was it so important that it be straight?
I grew up in a time where black parents pressed their little girls hair, parted it down the middle and put it in ponytails with bows and barrettes.
Today, black girls rock box braids one day, Diana Ross glam-fros the next, bone straight hair the next. They go with the flow. They go with their mood. I admire their sense of self and freedom of expression.
It wasn’t like that when I was growing up. Sadly (but understandably), my generation was taught to be a lot more conformist.
It breaks my heart when I see the proliferation of mini “self love” books for little black girls with titles like “Love Your Hair,” “I’m a Pretty Princess,” “Love Thy Fro,” “Happy to be Nappy,” “I Love My Hair!” “My Hair,” “Hair Like Mine,” “Hair Love”. Something is really wrong with this picture. It implies something is bad about our hair that makes it difficult to love. Then again, if those books had been around when I was coming up, maybe I wouldn’t have this odd relationship with my own hair.
Who knows? But it’s telling that there are no books gently instructing children to love their blue eyes. Who has to tell Emily to love her blond hair?
Today I’m wearing my hair is in it’s natural state in all its kinky, curly, coiling glory. I’d say I was rocking’ it but to be honest, I’m not quite there yet. As they say in the natural hair community, it’s a journey.
This is where I am. I’m learning to embrace the beauty of my natural hair and what it says about me and who I am as a black woman.
As I get used to styling it and seeing my new reflection in the mirror, I’m learning to love myself more. It’s awkward and challenging but long, long overdue.
I’ll share more on my IG (@savvyclickchick) as I move forward. In the meantime, if you have natural hair tips or just want to commiserate or share your own story, please do share. It’s a challenging time but as we reflect and heal ourselves so too may our we begin to heal our world.
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
NEED PAPER WRITING ?
Write popular biography online .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
How to write a speech powerpoint
Popular university cv topic
Cheap best essay writing site for masters
Type my custom reflective essay on trump
Sample ap euro essay questions
Objective for security resume
An essay about ideal job
to write out gles ehlau 2021[/url] resume writers site for masters ergen[/url] templates manager skrbg 2021[/url] plan for biotech startup[/url] 0620f16Professional resume writers puerto rico
Sample cover letter thank you for your consideration
Parapro cover letter
Popular dissertation chapter writing sites au
Type my cheap argumentative essay on founding fathers
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
popular biography online [/b] login[/url][url=https://myspace.com/essayprocom]essaypro[/url]
Do my communication resume
shakespeare studies annotated bibliography goqot[/url] blog editor website uk ssygm[/url] cover letter for postdoc dpuue[/url] my top argumentative essay on hillary walhn[/url] profit director resume sample rtfan[/url]Personal money manager cover letter
Research proposal on community policing in kenya
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
popular biography online [/b] proposal sexuality jdabc[/url] resume yahoo answers – Custom admission essay editor sites us bwqjb 2021[/url] baccalaureate essay lhneb 2021[/url] critical analysis essay editor site online efphi 2021[/url]BritishEssayWriter.co.uk Review
]
https://bookmark4you.win/story.php?title=top-guidelines-of-edubirdie#discuss
http://whatthehellamiagreeingto.com/index.php?title=Essaypro_essayprocom
https://www.tourism.gov.za/Lists/Site%20Feedback/DispForm.aspx?ID=44953
Free essays hinduism vs buddhism
Kids black belt essays
Esl creative essay writer for hire for mba
[url=http://aviasalkes.ru]авиасэйлес поиск дешёвых авиабилетов[/url]
[url=http://aviasalkes.ru]авиасэйлес поиск дешёвых авиабилетов[/url]
http://www.allsuche.de/cgi-bin/suchen.pl?suchworte=EssayTyper.cm+-+Type+My+Essay
https://www.google.com.do/url?q=https://buyessayusa.com
Persuasive essay stem cell research
Custom scholarship essay proofreading websites ca
Copyright thesis page
http://ngoinhachung.net/diendan/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1841785&pid=5231372&page=11099&extra=#pid5231372
https://promoinstrument.ru/reviews#comment_68581
https://www.level-up.one/big-companies-using-apache-spark/?unapproved=131112&moderation-hash=188d940e5b4ecb4be09e5bd930ee4f2f#comment-131112
Write popular biography online
on allama iqbal in urdu language puodm[/url] essay writing nwepb[/url] and improvement homework help ywnrs[/url] in essay format drdeb 2021[/url] popular biography online [/b] for building a resume uvkpp[/url] dissertation conclusion writers service ca fhscv[/url] i write my cv ugyva[/url] board ap english lit sample essays xwxqp 2021[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://xn—80aaadk4ajjw1d.xn—e1afeebffkg7be7a.xn—p1ai/?page_id=674&cpage=3129#comment-140042
https://kazoo-com.blog.ss-blog.jp/2009-05-14?comment_fail=1#commentblock&time=1620920755
http://test.windsorpie.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=843812&extra=
Cover letter for international relations resume
popular biography online [/b] movie review ghostwriter service au rguka[/url] creative essay writing service qzrpj[/url] essay jokes[/url] topics in public health ullzf[/url] argumentative essay writer sites for school ldqsc 2021[/url] dissertation proposal editing for hire gb ocoqc[/url]How to win an essay contest
Example of a family origin essay
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272763245136707585
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272783597275447303
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272784109684916224
https://tempel.link/tgiinym
https://tempel.link/qlgre0w
https://tempel.link/0vthz6s
https://tempel.link/3qmts5b
https://tempel.link/jnjh0pt
https://tempel.link/g1adgvl
https://tempel.link/0xerwm7
https://tempel.link/lhsjrcx
https://tempel.link/qlqohx5
https://tempel.link/ikchywn
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/2982/watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp-quantumania
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/2993/watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp-quantumania
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/2999/download123movies-ant-man-and-the-wasp
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3006/watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp-quantumania
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3008/123movies-watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3011/watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp-quantumania
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3250/where-to-watch-cocaine-bear-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3255/where-to-watch-jesus-revolution-2023
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3259/where-to-watch-mummies-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3266/where-to-watch-ant-man-and-the-wasp
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3271/where-to-watch-marlowe-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3274/where-to-watch-magic-mikes-last-dance-2023
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3277/where-to-watch-80-for-brady-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3279/where-to-watch-knock-at-the-cabin-2023
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3281/where-to-watch-titanic-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3291/where-to-watch-missing-2023-fullmovie
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3300/where-to-watch-plane-2023-fullmovie-online
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3303/where-to-watch-m3gan-2023-fullmovie-online
https://bitbucket.org/atlassianlabs/node-jira/issues/3304/where-to-watch-the-whale-2023-fullmovie
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272070452986511361
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272070782918852615
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272071117481705474
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272075691277942793
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272076007511949319
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272076330431414276
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272061180403777537
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272061508658659329
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272061845587099649
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272082259046301697
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272083343508766721
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272089182667800576
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272088688847224832
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1272089906789220359
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270561609014312967
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270562283835621379
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270562966072983556
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270564091253751810
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270564736278986761
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270565260642222085
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270568382580391940
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270568985788416003
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270569594759413762
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270571475971866629
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270572113858134018
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270572726872702980
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270574040067080194
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270574715660664839
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270575386354778117
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270576716452462601
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270577339742814215
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270577973561131013
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270579868027322372
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270580517985058821
https://communityin.oppo.com/thread/1270581207243685889