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 ?
Best cover letter attention .
Order NOW!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Graduation project resume templates
Best home work ghostwriters websites usa
Essay relationships love
Ghaziabad public school holiday homework
An essay about motherhood
How to write a community service reference lette
Using a quote in a research paper
to write an outline for thesis paper[/url] to correctly cite a source in apa format umzfd[/url] ghostwriter website gb dxsjy[/url] livre da vinci code hhtbh 2021[/url] 9159b3aBest annotated bibliography editor service for university
Gas green house paper research
Cover letter for resume for the post of lecturer
Essays on spanish literature
Stanford short essay examples
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
cover letter attention [/b] login[/url]https://bestqualitypapers.com
[url=http://studybay-com.blogofoto.com]studybay[/url]
Esl rhetorical analysis essay proofreading website au
fico architect resume[/url] help how to write[/url] to write a holiday greeting letter[/url] cover letter programmer hatzh[/url] personal essay writer sites us jhqro 2021[/url]Esl cheap essay editor websites for university
The tragedy of julius caesar essay questions
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
cover letter attention [/b] extended essay table of contents example zulkh 2021[/url] my art & architecture admission paper gbwyg[/url] engineering resume objective examples whgto[/url] recruitment team cover letter zndpi[/url] pro[/url]dissertation note
http://igrice-igre.biz/profile/1512217/walldancer5.htm
https://bit.ly/3vrI1Wq+
https://images.google.ie/url?q=https://essaypro.co
Write my custom scholarship essay on founding fathers
English language investigation coursework methodology
Esl case study ghostwriters service ca
[url=http://banki-samary.ru]банк самары[/url]
[url=http://author24.ru.com]Аuthor24.ru[/url]
https://trangchuwin2888.com/soi-cau-xsmt-mien-trung-10-12-2018-du-doan-xsmt-mien-trung-10-12-2018/
https://icr-amu.cnrs.fr/spip.php?page=recherche&recherche=https%3A%2F%2Fstudybay.ws%2F&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&lang=fr
Sample resume letters sales
Addiction drug essay
Latex resume
http://matty90live.altervista.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2192651#2192651
https://balisurfexpress.com/background-slider/tommy-schultz_com-172/#comment-18474
https://3dsupermarket.com/blog/how-schools-are-inspiring-young-minds/?unapproved=240909&moderation-hash=b48841a7bf755cd40d70e96684cc08f5#comment-240909
Best cover letter attention
admission paper editor services for mba[/url] letter for pct uwehp 2021[/url] construction resume objectives vgorm[/url] to write an essay comparing two poems[/url] cover letter attention [/b] to write professional persuasive essay on shakespeare hkohf[/url] papers domestic violence children[/url] essay ghostwriting service us zilwp[/url] airlines business plan[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://sportensmiah.com/forums/topic/difference-between-cv-and-resume-yahoo-answers/
http://matty90live.altervista.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2135620#2135620
http://forum.enemy.su/topic/453209-essay-space-exploration-is-a-waste-of-money/#comment-2607686
Cover letter for teaching position nz
cover letter attention [/b] masters content advice[/url] of a good resume for sociology majors mibmb[/url] dissertation methodology ghostwriter site for masters oszwp[/url] writer website ca xgozc 2021[/url] home work editor website uk ujipd 2021[/url] argument counterargument essay fqnqo[/url]Custom critical thinking editor sites for college
Resume employers free
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/fb92076f-9dbc-4a41-99cc-c3e14448e833
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/d98e8ae3-12c0-4573-9447-578ee62b161e
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/7c991552-4d22-4ea8-a26d-0e85edf4a3f4
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/7a773c8d-e731-415a-9db6-4ca12d4bf6a4
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/d7ca48f5-1541-4a19-bb61-f0f14fc0ab7c
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/4d3e6658-91ac-4bd0-9809-a7b31bcea005
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/2874ed32-84b7-4b62-bb12-120b912c8f69
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/60762a4b-071c-455b-afb6-4bb5f7723b85
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/2af755b2-455f-4a23-9002-2b77d76f715b
https://www.eagleportland.com/group/mysite-231-group/discussion/ae8d6d86-58b1-4781-8eea-9813a94b292a
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-4k2ktv.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-12ktv.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-vid-iksf578d.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-vid-iwe77fdwe.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-vid-nxt12p.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-4k4k-high.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-imax3dn.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-live21d.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-ultimate-tv.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/gotg3-video-just-watch.pdf
https://challonge.com/xznyf3l5
https://www.vingle.net/posts/5797468
https://www.justgiving.com/team/sdkfdokfjwoep
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14800458
https://bbs.vivo.com/in/thread/20335?t=1683390467299
https://bbs.vivo.com/in/thread/20336?t=1683390579372
https://bbs.vivo.com/in/thread/20337?t=1683390664014
https://bbs.vivo.com/in/thread/20338?t=1683390737358
https://bbs.vivo.com/in/thread/20339?t=1683390851837
https://ctftime.org/team/225945
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14800364
https://www.vingle.net/posts/5797278
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/123movies-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-123movies.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-123movies-hd.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-download-just-here.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-free-download-tv09.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-in-this-movie.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-streaming-4khd-2mok.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-streaming-mk2.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-watch-online-dub.pdf
https://impact-tracker.thebureauinvestigates.com/sites/default/files/attachments/guardians-of-the-galaxy-volume-3-123movies.pdf
https://ok.ru/video/5478590712326
https://www.vingle.net/posts/5793913
https://telegra.ph/ds-wetew-tewt-wet-w-05-05
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14797888
https://www.mixily.com/event/3072912049432489967
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/vDEAv6
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/BXvodA
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/LRk51r
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/qe2L1R
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14797864
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14797866
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14797868
https://foorum.naistekas.delfi.ee/read.php?28,14797870
https://www.vingle.net/posts/5793692
https://www.mixily.com/event/5698235025687917970