We have to deal with so many mis-informed stereotypes and misconceptions.
Why is it that you automatically start talking about messy, unkempt, dirty hair when we are talking about natural hair? As if relaxed hair cannot be messy, unkempt, or dirty. Why do we natural haired women have to defend our choice to wear our hair in its natural form? How did we get to the point where natural hair, worn in its natural form, is considered unacceptable? Shouldn't the question be 'why are you relaxing your hair?' NOT 'why don't you relax your hair?'
Oh how about in the work place?! Why is it that no one challenges a woman when she wears a fake afro, a fake twist out, fake locs or a fake afro puff but when I wear exactly those hairstyles on my natural hair you start to talk arrant rubbish?! Yes it is rubbish! Ah and when the 'half caste' woman walks in with her natural hair as is, all of you start cooing about how lovely her hair is. *insert long hiss here!*
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| Source: Memegenerator |
It is so messed up! The worst of all of this is that people see nothing wrong with it. And they will sit down, stand up in their self righteous tone and 'explain' why straight hair is better or why BLACK natural hair is not.
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| Source: The Angry Black Woman |
You see the issue is not the hairstyle. The issue is that I am styling my natural hair in its naturalness. Like I said above, if I go to the office with a fake twist out I will get compliments and be asked where I got the fake hair from. Enter me another day with my natural hair in a twist out and as soon as they know it is my natural hair, I will start getting useless and unsolicited advise from people. The message is HIDE your natural hair and all will be right with the world. *insert an even longer hiss!*
Why is MY natural hair YOUR business? Mind your own business and leave my hair alone!
If people heard that I was not hiring people because they wear weaves will there not be an outcry? Yet folks think it is okay not to hire or promote a woman because she is wearing her natural hair in its natural form. No be one kind madness be this?
Imagine a dark skinned person being told to "lighten" up for clients. Or a tall person being told to "shorten" down for their job. How about someone with light brown eyes being told to "darken" those eyes to look more professional? The point is, those attributes are natural and why should they be changed whether permanently or temporarily?
What is vexing is that I am constantly being 'advised' to PERMANENTLY OR TEMPORARILY ALTER THE TEXTURE of my hair. Like permanently alter your skin colour. My hair is coily, kinky, nappy, natural - whatever you want to call it. That is the texture and I ain't changing it!
*dropping mic and kicking soap box*
Cabella
8 comments:
I love this! All bosses should read it
Makes so much sense
article is absolutely on point!
i live and work in Lagos and i can say this article captures in its entirety, the attitude of people over here to natural hair. sad, but true.
as a people, we still have serious issues with "colonial mentality"
So much truth!! Sometimes, I think its best to ignore the foolishness that goes on around...fighting everyone to see things our way can be too much of a burden! Let them enjoy ...we all know what is beneath the straight long Peruvian hair na *_^ See who smiles at the mirror at age 40:)
You dey vex gan. But the article is so on point. Thinking of carrying my natural hair for Christmas. I mentioned it in the office and my colleague goes, 'it wont be fine'. What's that?
@Africa N: Thank you
@Myne: Thank you
@Anon: There are a few people who 'adjusting' to the reality that our natural hair looks the way it does and some of us WILL wear our hair naturally.
@Natmane: Sometimes the foolishness is hard to ignore o! Plus it is an opportunity to educate and enlighten. It is not about fight and aggression. Most times it is a conversation not an argument.
I work in Lagos fortunately in an artsy-creative, business-casual sort of environment but every single time I have my natural hair out, I get the questions: "So what are your plans for your hair? If you don't want to wear braids or weaves, why not get locs? Are you just going to leave your hair like this? You need to do something with it."
Mind you this is not even as if I'm wearing it out, full-afro. No, this is a mostly combed out braid out or twist out pinned back or held back with a hair band.
@Scarlet Xianne: "It won't be fine"? Yeah what's that? Meeen folks are just wack sometimes!
@Anon: How about they ask the woman carrying her relaxed hair as is without any weave (or whatever) what her own plans are for her relaxed hair! *Longest hiss* So messed up joor!
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