BHM 2022: Black Hair & Defining Decisions (Day 2)
I went natural the Summer between my junior and senior year of high school. I didn’t do a big chop. I kind of just let it do its own thing. Looking back, I might've should've went ahead and cut it (touch ya neighbor say LET IT GO!), but I wasn't willing to get rid of the lil bit of hair I had.
...but I’ll never forget it was my first big “defining” decision that I made on my own accord.
I wish I had a really cool inspirational story behind it, but I don't.
The truth is, I wasn't into hair and nails and stuff like that. It really wasn’t for anything significant other than the fact that I got tired of burnt scalps and sitting under hair dryers.
We called them "perms," but they really were chemical relaxers and they didn't relax nothing! Ha!
Going natural definitely wasn’t an “in” thing to do at the time…but I was over the whole “beauty shop” experience. I just couldn't justify the process anymore.
How am I waiting 16 hours AFTER school, spending my parents' hard earned money to burn up in somebody’s chair?
Chiiii, please! 😂☝🏾
As I got older, I started to understand the unconscious declaration I’d made to rid myself of other people's idea of beauty. This non-inclusive, allusive standard that somebody (I don't know who) made was unattainable and literally killing my hair....and my time. As a 27 year old woman now, I can look back and tell my 16 year old self just how PROUD I am of her. When she couldn't articulate the reasoning beyond the reasoning, she still stood on her own 2 feet and made a permanent decision. …and to this day, I deem it one of my best decisions. I can't end this without showing love to the women that showed me beauty beyond the "perm." My Aunt who loc'd her hair, my other aunt who I can only remember getting a perm once in my lifetime, my grandma who rocked the TWA. Man...I’m grateful for all the beautiful natural hair I saw growing up. It definitely made my decision easier. 10-odd years later, baby you can't tell me nothing about my hair! Ha! Somewhere within these next 10 years, I might actually cut it. Although...that's another story for another day.
As I got older, I started to understand the unconscious declaration I’d made to rid myself of other people's idea of beauty. This non-inclusive, allusive standard that somebody (I don't know who) made was unattainable and literally killing my hair....and my time. As a 27 year old woman now, I can look back and tell my 16 year old self just how PROUD I am of her. When she couldn't articulate the reasoning beyond the reasoning, she still stood on her own 2 feet and made a permanent decision. …and to this day, I deem it one of my best decisions. I can't end this without showing love to the women that showed me beauty beyond the "perm." My Aunt who loc'd her hair, my other aunt who I can only remember getting a perm once in my lifetime, my grandma who rocked the TWA. Man...I’m grateful for all the beautiful natural hair I saw growing up. It definitely made my decision easier. 10-odd years later, baby you can't tell me nothing about my hair! Ha! Somewhere within these next 10 years, I might actually cut it. Although...that's another story for another day.
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