On hair.

A big issue in my mind the past couple of months has been what I’m going to do with my [tag]hair[/tag]. One thought is to cut it off. Off, like hers. I’m not much into ‘fros, but I could wear it that kind of short.

Another thought is locks. It’s not one I’m terribly partial to, since it seems like a decent amount of work. Plus, I’d have to cut my hair off twice if I decided I didn’t like ’em.

The third idea is to just quietly go natural and change the style of my hair. This break, I took a break not only from schoolwork and email, but from my usual severe hairstyle.

Not extremely different than the look of old, but much more comfortable and loose. Fewer ponytail holders and rubber bands. I could wear that with natural (unpermed) hair.

This brings up so many issues, though. I mean, we’ve seen very recently that black women are still very much judged by their hair. If it’s not something that is “conventional”, like a nice, neat ponytail, or tidy plaits/braids, people will balk and label you “wild”, “ghetto”, “unkempt”, “disrespectful”, or just “tacky”.

It seems like it takes much less “mess” for a black person’s hair to be labeled “messy” than that of any other race.

I don’t subscribe to that. I don’t want to support that with my own actions.

I don’t know that I’ll initially find my hair very manageable when it’s natural. I’ll find out as it grows in unpermed. But I think I’ll go ahead and fight with it. It is, after all, the hair I was born with, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Nothing I should have to tie down and chemically process to make acceptable.

That sounds obvious (and it is), but it’s about time I acted on that.

The question remains, though: should I cut off all my hair and keep it short? I don’t know. I have trouble imagining what my face would look like with short hair.

(BTW, I’m not worried about having a mix of permed/natural hair–regular trims will work that off, and I like having longer hair.)

[tags]natural hair, black hair, cynthia mckinney[/tags]

7 Comments

Dulin

4/16/2006 at 22:08

I think it looks good in that picture, although there is something to be said for very short hair – breezy, which can be nice in the summer :-).

Jenny

4/16/2006 at 23:29

I second Dulin’s opinion of the picture, and I also think you’d look good with short short hair (like the link) – I think your face would look about the same as your normal style because you do tend to pull it back so tight.

A

4/17/2006 at 01:04

Rep. McKinney’s hairstyle looks great, but I’ve seen few examples that have done the bubble chamber look well. Could be cool though.

Lissa

4/17/2006 at 08:03

A: By “bubble chamber” I assume you mean McKinney’s blowout or fros?

The Lab Partner: Andrea

4/18/2006 at 09:35

*gasp* I comment! LOL. Anyway, I agree with what was said earlier about your hair. Since you pull it back so tight normally I doubt there would be any big difference in how your face looks now. The only difference would be profile and view from the back. That sounds just wrong…”view from the back” giggle. OK back on track. But um errr, yea. I suggest cutting it and if you get the urge let it grow and see what happens. You can always cut it back short if you prefer it that way. I just know that in my small online circles of nappy headed sistas, those that skipped the twa (teeny weeny afro) stage were jealous of those of us who started from the bottom up. smiles. Happy trails!

Lissa

4/18/2006 at 13:46

Yay, you comment!

“twa”? *laugh* That’s a good acronym. I may like having lengthy hair too much, though.

I’ll keep thinking about it. And trim my ends this weekend.

…Maybe by a lot.

Marlyn

4/22/2006 at 19:37

You are right, black women are still judged by their hair. But at the same time, you have to be comfortable with who you are and what you do to and for yourself. I happen to be natural and have been since June 2005. I am a college student about to graduate this May. I had long hair and I used to go get it roller wrapped every other week and all that jazz. However, I love this naturally beautiful me. When I get up in the morning, I am not ashamed of the kinky, coily mass on my head. I say to myself “Girl, you is it” (excuse the grammar). But that’s just to let you know how wonderfully comfortable I am with myself this way. If you decide to go natural more power to you. It is a liberating experience. But if you choose to keep perming, that’s okay. You have to be happy with you.

Dulin

4/16/2006 at 22:08

I think it looks good in that picture, although there is something to be said for very short hair – breezy, which can be nice in the summer :-).
Jenny

4/16/2006 at 23:29

I second Dulin’s opinion of the picture, and I also think you’d look good with short short hair (like the link) – I think your face would look about the same as your normal style because you do tend to pull it back so tight.
A

4/17/2006 at 01:04

Rep. McKinney’s hairstyle looks great, but I’ve seen few examples that have done the bubble chamber look well. Could be cool though.
Lissa

4/17/2006 at 08:03

A: By “bubble chamber” I assume you mean McKinney’s blowout or fros?
The Lab Partner: Andrea

4/18/2006 at 09:35

*gasp* I comment! LOL. Anyway, I agree with what was said earlier about your hair. Since you pull it back so tight normally I doubt there would be any big difference in how your face looks now. The only difference would be profile and view from the back. That sounds just wrong…”view from the back” giggle. OK back on track. But um errr, yea. I suggest cutting it and if you get the urge let it grow and see what happens. You can always cut it back short if you prefer it that way. I just know that in my small online circles of nappy headed sistas, those that skipped the twa (teeny weeny afro) stage were jealous of those of us who started from the bottom up. smiles. Happy trails!
Lissa

4/18/2006 at 13:46

Yay, you comment!

“twa”? *laugh* That’s a good acronym. I may like having lengthy hair too much, though.

I’ll keep thinking about it. And trim my ends this weekend.

…Maybe by a lot.
Marlyn

4/22/2006 at 19:37

You are right, black women are still judged by their hair. But at the same time, you have to be comfortable with who you are and what you do to and for yourself. I happen to be natural and have been since June 2005. I am a college student about to graduate this May. I had long hair and I used to go get it roller wrapped every other week and all that jazz. However, I love this naturally beautiful me. When I get up in the morning, I am not ashamed of the kinky, coily mass on my head. I say to myself “Girl, you is it” (excuse the grammar). But that’s just to let you know how wonderfully comfortable I am with myself this way. If you decide to go natural more power to you. It is a liberating experience. But if you choose to keep perming, that’s okay. You have to be happy with you.