Hello again and everyday peeps ๐ . Hope youโre breathing positivity today. Letโs go straight into it.
The girl of colour that I am wanted to talk about a subject that has been wandering in my thoughts for a while nowโฆโโblack hairโโ; if I can call it that way. You know, most of us know that they are not perceived in the best light in our societies in general. โโunhealthyโโ, โโuglyโโ, โโweird lookingโโ, etc. The list goes on. But really, what do people really know about them? Why does even in the black community there is such a complex and a lack of embrace of our curls and frizziness?!
PS: this piece of writing is not a provocative rant of any sort, but just an opinion on what I believe is a serious issue.
_As a little girl, I grew up being told that my hair needed to look like the ones of Rapunzel. You know straight, long and as less frizzy as possible. Without knowing as much as I do now and along with an unconscious social pressure, I have let chemical products that I believed where good be used on me simply because they were changing my hair texture to something unnaturally more silky, slowly damage my hair. Itโs not like I have serious hair problems or anything like that but, Iโve definitely let a lot of potential go.
Iโm really happy that there are more and more moms out there giving the choice to their daughters (or sons!) and learning them how to embrace and take care by themselves of their natural hair._
I donโt have a problem with coloured girls like me putting extensions, straightening their hair, etc. Because I do it myself from time to time. You do you because your body at the end of the day is your property. But I do not understand some women who are feeling so insecure once they remove all the artifices from their headโฆitโs simply who you are, the genetics you were gifted from your sparkling melaninโฆyou got it from your loving mama and papa girrrll.
I know that it comes with a bit of history: The centuries of denigration black people faced throughout long periods and this unfounded racism and ignorance still perpetuated nowadays within the media, the beauty industry,etc. Prejudices on afro hair is naturally one consequence of it. But still it is no excuse to not ask ourselves questions sometimes and act out. โโBlack hairโโ are not unhealthy just because they arenโt caucasian looking or mostly different from the ones of individuals of other origins but just of divergent texture and aesthetic (I know that their are some exceptions of course). Saying that black girls donโt have hair is assuming that we have some sort of disease or something which sounds dumboโฆmany of us just have shrinkages (image below)โฆ Just like lots of girls from all cultural backgrounds some of us have unhealthy haircare habits or are not using adapted products.Which is damaging them. You know taking care of your body is a learning process.
If I speak for myself in a personal tone, going natural was like some sort of renaissance. I was listening to my body, listening to my brunette head and its needs. Understanding that eating healthy, using natural hair products and asking some tips to some professionals worked out for me. Another way may work for you. But you will only see some good results.
Anyways, I send hugs and kisses your way. See ya soon :)
