My Take: The Natural Hair Debate

I am personally natural and have been for over 10 years, but when I made the decision it was frowned upon! People that I love told me that I looked "thrown away" with my curly tresses or that I "needed to do my hair." Now that it has become popular and is often a trending hash tag (#teamnatural #curlyhairdontcare etc) people are more accepting of it; however, it is still not accepted as a lifestyle change, and many people do it for what I consider the "wrong reasons."

My reasons for going natural...

1. To make sure that my hair was healthy.
2. As I traveled on this journey, it was also a step to embracing myself in my rawest form.

Other people's reason for going natural...

1. "I wanted hair like Joan Clayton from Girlfirends (Tracee Ellis Ross)."
2. "I wanted hair like Freddie on A Different World (Cree Summers)"
3. "I had 'good hair' when I was a little girl before they permed it!"

When people go natural for any other reasons than healthy hair and lifestyle changes, it usually ends badly. Natural hair is AMAZING, but it does require work! If you don't moisturize, wear protective styles, comb from the ends (if you comb at all), and keep it moisturized (LOL), it's very difficult to manage! Then this happens...

1. "I can't walk around with no nappy hair on my head like that!"
2. "I tried that natural thing, and it was not for me! Those naps were too hard to deal with!"
3. "Girl, you DO NOT want to do that! That nappy hair is not where it's at!"
4. "If you do that, you can't get a good job!"
5. "If you wear your hair like that, you'll look too ethnic!"
6. "Mh mh, what is that? A bird's nest? Oh, a twist out... Mh, ok..."

Natural hair comes in many different styles!! The curly waves, ringlets, tight coils, loose coils, and the KINKY! Whatever kind of natural hair you have growing out of your scalp, be proud of it and who you are! If you get braids, wigs, extensions, relaxers, etc, be confident in your decision and don't put down another woman for choosing not to. If you choose to wear your hair in its natural state (curls, locs, shaved, etc), don't down other women who choose not to. Let's remember to support and uplift one another as sisters, NOT COMPETITION! After all, we are not defined by our hair but by the spirit in which we interact with our fellow sisters!

3rd big chop

~Shanta