Natural Hair & Self-Acceptance: Passing It On

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Back in January I watched a YouTube video of a child whose hair had been permed when she was 9 months old (initially not by the mother, but she continued to relax the child’s hair).  9 MONTHS  OLD!  Has the world gone mad?  At 3 years the child had a bald spot the size of a tennis ball in the middle of her head. The story was later discussed on the BlackGirlLongHair blog - click here to read the post.

I was so upset by the thought that someone would put these chemicals on the scalp of a child who has not even seen four full seasons go by yet!  Why would somebody do that?!  Miseducation?  Laziness?  Or just straight up fear of some kinky, highly textured hair?  A desire to 'assimilate' on steroids unconsciously internalised, hiding behind seeking ‘more manageable hair’?  Maybe I’m going too deep, but things like this really get under my skin. 

One thing that excites me about the growth and proliferation of the ‘natural hair movement’ is the thought that one day, hair texture will not be seen as a hurdle, an obstacle, a hindrance, a negative, something that takes away from a young girl’s concept of her self.  The hair you were born with, and the way it naturally grows out of your head whether straight, loosely curled, wavy or tightly coiled should be a ‘yay’ plus point, or at the very least a non-issue. 

To an extent yes it is just hair, and in the grand scheme of life’s priorities there are much more important things to be concerned about, but what if… What if the features that come with your ethnicity are just considered 'unappealing'?  What if 'you’re a pretty girl but a perm would just take you to the next level'?  What if you’re 'pretty for a dark-skinned/big/short-haired chick'?  What if everything and everyone around you has only ever fed and reinforced these messages?   That whiter is righter, 'light-skinned girls are more pretty', that 'n****a hair ain’t never gonna grow, girl you need a perm!'  It's sad but this negative (sometimes internal self-) talk and insults are still commonplace.  The madness that starts and propagates these thoughts has to stop.  We have to create a new dialogue with the next generation, stop pinching babies’ noses and saying ‘you’re so black!’ as a put-down!

Point is, that as each of us sings our lovesong for our natural hair, that we might impact someone somewhere to accept themselves as is.  There’s a whole world waiting to force its ideas and ideals onto the blank canvas’ of our children’s growing minds.  Make sure the picture you paint of them from the earliest moment is one where they are more than acceptable or just making it, but rather perfectly made blessings.  I thank my Mummy and Daddy for that.

Singing my natural lovesong always,

Pooks