Natural Hair...Is it a fad? Or real change in self image?

Source

I was looking for suggestions the other day, and I was given this excellent topic (thank you Douriean). It made me think about why people are going natural ....

A woman's hair is considered her crowning glory. It can hold the key to our beauty, and serve as the framework for the way others perceive us. We've been taught that relaxed (or at least straight) hair is the "normal" state of our hair. Therefore, by extension, anything other than straight hair is abnormal, despite the fact that most of us require chemical or thermal intervention in order to achieve this supposed state of normalcy. 

Many women are making the choice to go natural, however, and we should recognize that there is a wide range of reasons why these decisions are being made....I've heard women say that they are doing it for their health; because they believe that the chemicals used in relaxers could have a negative impact on their bodies; some are doing it because they want to embrace the way that God created them, without making alterations to conform to society's dictates; others because they love the way natural hair looks as a style; some want to avoid the cost of maintaining relaxed hair and/or stop spending the time traditionally associated with visits to the hairdresser; others may feel that natural hair is more compatible with their level of physical activity; some may want to modify society's perception of beauty; still others have had negative physical reactions to the chemicals as manifested through sores on their scalps, breakage or thin and damaged hair; some are simply doing it because they are curious to see what their hair looks like (and what it can potentially look like); others do it because it is a popular fashion trend; and some for a million reasons in between.  

I got my first relaxer at the age of 10. I thought of it as a sign of me moving past childhood and into adulthood. I was excited about getting my hair done, and although I am sure that it burned my little scalp, when I think back on that day - all I remember about it was me being happy that my hair looked like my Mom's and my sister's. I thought it looked.... grown-up and right. Fast forward twenty years...My hair was relaxed. I've dyed it, cut it, grown it, cut it, gone natural, relaxed it and overprocessed it at times, but overall, I never had a problem with relaxers or my relaxed hair. But I decided that I wanted to change my hair. I liked my hair when I went natural before, I already had a short cut, so I thought that I would go natural again. I knew that I could always relax it when and if I got tired of it in its natural state. I stopped relaxing my hair in October, I "big chopped" for the second time in March of the next year. A few years later I wanted to make a major style change, but this time instead of getting scissors or a relaxer - I found a new set of resources. I started reading hair blogs, started changing the products that I used in my hair, started doing different styles, and eventually I started two-strand twisting it! I've now been natural for 4+ years.

I can't judge people's reasons for going or staying natural, and I can't say that wearing one's hair in its natural state is a reflection of one's self-esteem. Whether or not it is a self-esteem issue really lies within the individual. For those that do it as a fashion choice, it may be no different than getting any new hairstyle. For others it might be a scary choice - especially if your environment isn't exactly welcoming of your new look or the "big chop" didn't turn out as you expected....and you have to reject popular opinion (or even your own) and hold your head up despite your misgivings. But hair is a gift, because no matter what we do to it or what we want our hair to do, it will continue to grow and change. We might as well embrace the opportunity to explore our options....I do know that I love my natural hair, and I think that it suits me and my lifestyle. The thing is, I liked my relaxed hair also. I didn't go natural because I wanted to be part of a fad, and I didn't do it because I wanted it to reflect my self-image. Both times I went natural, I thought it would look nice, I did it because I wanted a change, and I wanted natural hair. I don't want us to judge each other because we are natural or relaxed. I don't want us to feel superior to someone else because our hair is really really real, and I don't want it to be an issue.

I don't really think that natural hair changed me - but I do know that it changed the way that people perceived me. It was like my hair told everyone everything they needed to know about me.... I got invited to poetry slams, and I swear that at every natural juice place in Atlanta someone wants to talk to me about my "juicing" habits (Although I have done a short juice fast before, I really just wanted a smoothie!...) but that aside - we are not just our hair....

You have read this article with the title Natural Hair...Is it a fad? Or real change in self image?. You can bookmark this page URL http://twisthairstyles.blogspot.com/2011/06/natural-hairis-it-fad-or-real-change-in.html. Thanks!

Write by: Unknown - Friday, June 24, 2011