By now I'm sure most of y'all have heard about Jill Scott "supposedly" rocking a relaxed do at an event that she went to. I say "supposedly" because how in the world are we supposed to know what's going up in her head? Who's to say she didn't straighten it? Or blow it out?
Honestly, the whole online uproar really bothers me. A lot of times us naturals claim to represent freedom and self-expression but we are quick to judge someone who decided to relax their natural hair, or go with THIS loc'ing method instead of THAT one. We feel "sad" if a former loc rocker has decided to comb out or cut off their locs. I wonder why as naturals, we feel so attached to the roots of other naturals'.
I say "we" because I remember wanting to shed a tear when my locspiration and friend Shawnta combed out her locs. I felt the same way when Fauryn78 on YouTube did the exact same thing. But why? I didn't know what was going on the personal lives of these ladies. As with anything in life, sometimes you just want change. And if it happens to be your crown, who are we to judge? Or more importantly, care?
I wish that us naturals would stop it with the superiority complex. Y'all know what I'm talking about! As much as I take pride in natural hair, oftentimes, we can be downright clique-ish. I've heard of ladies only wanting natural heads in their bridal parties to hearing comments from friends who dog out sistas wearing relaxed hair. It's ridiculously over the top and deepens that division that Black women can have.
I'm over it. I will ALWAYS rock natural hair but I could care less who doesn't. We are not a cult of diehard members. We are not a separate and exclusive group of Black femininity. We are simply a group of women who wear our hair naturally. And that's it. Let's take pride in it but let's not judge those who do not do the same. While at times, I like to think that natural hair can be a lifestyle, it's times like this when I think it is just...hair.
So Jill Scott, I don't really care how you wear your hair. I just know that you are one of the most talented artists ever. And your hair did not make or break it for you.
To my afro wearing ladies, you are beautiful.
To my loc'd divas, you are beautiful.
To my straight hair naturals, you are beautiful.
To my curly heads, you are beautiful.
To my naturally straight haired chicks, you are beautiful.
To my relaxed mamas, you are beautiful.
To my weave/wig wearin' sistas, you are beautiful.
To my transitioners, you are beautiful.
To my "I don't know what's going on with my hair" chicas, you are beautiful.
5 comments:
Interesting Blog...
I feel you totally, but I can also understand the "attachment" we get to other's locs. For me personally, going natural and ultimatley locing my hair (1 year Aug 31st YAAY) was sort of a transformation of who i percieved my self to be. I wa no longer "defined" by industry standars because my hair was no longer straight, or long..which is usually associated with beauty unfortunatley. When I went natural, I chopped it all of, and started all over (that was 5 yers ago) and since then my confidence has soared... Sooo when others take that step, I feel happy for them thatthey've also found their true beauty and have decided to EMBRACE it and show the world..
When a person goes back to perms, or relaxers..I feel sad becasue I assume that they've succumbed (sp) to the pressures of the "relaxed'" world...
kinda silly, I know...
As for Jill Scott's situation, one of the things that drew me to her music was her "Naturalness", she seemed confident and poised, and I identified with that.. If she has in fact permed her hair I will NOT listen to her music anymore... sike, naw.. Who am I kidding? lol I love Jill Scott.
India Aire said it best with her song "I am not my Hair". We are diverse people (us women folk) and we need to uplift one another rather than find reasons to step on oneanother.
I look at it this way.. if your'e happy with yourself, and youre confident then you go girl!
claps hands!!
I agree sis! You know, this is how I look at it, I think the thing is that as naturals we take huge pride in natural hair in general, and we are extremely passionate about it, but sometimes that passion and pride turns into really some kind of self-indulgent superiority complex, and that's where some people need to stop while they are ahead. IT IS JUST HAIR. There's more behind a person than their perm, their weave, their locks, their afro, etc. I hate when people also put far too much politics into hair as well, which, at least in my opinion, is just far too extreme, all that negative energy should be applied to something more important. Sometimes I think people just always want to knock somebody down for something...be it how they wear their hair, what clothes they are wearing, what movies they like watching, etc. Naturals knocking down permies, and vice versa, is yet again another example of people bringing each other down for nothin. I know it's not going to stop though, so there's my two cents lol. People are always gonna hate.
Agreed! Inclusive, ladies, not exclusive. We need to support each other and the beauty that transcends anybody else's box around us. Plus, assuming stuff is killing us. Y'all don't know if that's a press and curl or what. She's still beautiful and I still claim her.
Well said, chica!
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