Written by Micaleb Lawrence
The year is 2020 and girls are finally starting to embrace the beauty on their heads and looking inside their hearts. Historically women were discouraged and marginalised for wearing their hair in its most natural form. Natural hair enthusiasts have come a long way and this time they are here to stay. From Malcom X and the Black Power Movement encouraging young men and women with kinky, coily hair to various natural hair brands founded and created by natural haired women, we are finally seeing the changes we need to see in this beauty industry. Regardless of changing times and an untamed natural hair movements we are still faced with hair and texture discrimination and the idea of a set beauty standard. This sadly, stems from societal norms and belief systems that straight; silky hair is better than others and that there is only one way too look and feel good. Women who wear braids and their afros are insulted with the message from various workspaces that wearing your afro or any natural hairstyle is ‘unprofessional’ which in fact shows prejudice once again proving that not all of society is caught up with what is ‘normal’. Natural hair enthusiasts have become more vocal over the years about natural hair and texture discrimination.
Unfortunately like many other societal battles hair texture discrimination is one of the major things that women especially are faced with. Regardless of this, movements, and events to promote and encourage women to wear their hair as they please are being created. Modelling agencies are showing interest in all women. Regardless of skin tone, hair types and even so-called flaws like freckles for example. A platform is provided where we can see the different types of hair and how to care for it ensuring that it looks it’s best regardless of the texture. Hair textures /types vary thus, creating stigmas that certain hair types hold an advantage over others which in actual fact is viewed as favouritism and even discrimination. This kind of disregard for various hair types has instilled a sense of insecurity and shame in the minds of young girls as they are often faced with having to explain why their hair is a certain way.
Young women no longer want to educate people on what it is like to be a woman. There is a huge misrepresentation regarding natural hair. Even so, many girls still prefer using chemicals to straighten their hair and that is okay, what you choose to do with your hair is your choice. No human being should have to explain their choices to a society that will judge them anyway. With this said, I grew up with the ideology that relaxing my hair is the only way to go. Until I realized that there is more than one way to take good care my hair. Regardless of how I wear it – it still remains my choice. Either way, in the world we live in today, my choices will be questioned, and people will have opinions, so it remains up to me, up to us as women to do as we please.
It is important for us as women to stand together and to celebrate our individuality. We need to represent ourselves in this world and we can do this if we strive for nothing but the best which is whatever we think the best is. How many times a week do we wake up and feel as though we are not “good looking” enough? Or maybe you have a breakdown or two because your hair just won’t cooperate?
The liberating feeling that comes with waking up in the morning after you’ve done a protective style or put a swirlkous on your head because you did it the night before is such an important feeling to maintain. This doesn’t just happen because you had your 6-hour long wash day or because you went to the salon and sat there for 4 hours. It comes from the way your girls hype you up when they see your new hairstyle. It comes from people asking you your hair routine. It comes from elderly woman on the street whom you’ve never seen before who tells you she admires your courage for wearing your hair the way you want. Thus, I believe that the freedom and liberation we experience when it comes to ourselves and our image is often a result of other women around us. Yes, women. We don’t lose our morning sleep or spend hours doing hair and make-up for anyone else but for ourselves and occasionally we do it just to walk around the house feeling like the classy girl we are so we always go the extra mile, for all the women we’ve got to know throughout the years of growing up in a world that will remind you of things you once viewed as flaws. We do it for the woman inside of us. We do it for 10-year-old us who got bullied because her hair was not straight enough. We do skin care routines for the 15-year-old cousin we have experiencing acne and looking down on herself. We want other women to feel good about themselves when they look at us. So, we continue. We will continue with being united, with loving ourselves and we will not let mainstream media succeed in making us view one body type, one hair type or one state of mind as the only one.
The world might not see you, but I see you. Everyone who has ever made you feel less than because they saw you as less than is missing out on the opportunity to experience actual beauty, not the standard set by society. Love all that is and embrace all you have. There is no flaw on your end. The only flaw exists in the mindset that flaws exist on the outside.
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