Self Portrait By Daisy Giles
I recently
watched an interview with Chimamanda Adichie where she made the statement “hair
is political”. That statement is right in many regards because your hair can
influence the way you experience the world and can give an indication about
your ethnicity, religion, marital status, wealth (or lack of it). The influence
is even more pronounced among black/African women. The hairstyle you wear can
make you come across as an
angry black woman or a new age hippy. A sad reflection of where we are as a
people. Even more worrying is that this fire is being stoked by fellow black
women (and men).
Hair
is a constant source of debate among black women, a mine-laden field often
consisting of polar extremes. At one extreme those who have obliterated the
“natural” composition of their hair with relaxers. They are guilty of
abandoning their “African heritage” and love for the natural in favour of the
artificial (weaves). At the other extreme we have the Naturalistas. Those who
have sworn the hair celibacy oath, pledging never to straighten their hair with
the scalp injuring relaxer. They are often referred to as the Natural Nazi. According to the Urban
Dictionary, they are “Black females
with natural hair (hair that has not been relaxed) who believe that it is their
responsibility to harass and scold other black women who choose to still relax
their hair.” For the neutral the question is why is hair
such a divisive issue? Why the constant battle over follicular difference?
The truth is that issues relating to aesthetics and
identity are deeply subjective. What is acceptable to one person is unacceptable to another. Even ancient philosophy has struggled to make
these abstract concepts clearer. However at the heart of the debate over
natural or relaxed hair is the question of motive- why have you chosen to be natural or relaxed?
It is wonderful to see black women comfortably wear
their natural curls and kinks. I believe it should be encouraged.
What then happens if I feel more comfortable relaxing my hair? Should I
sacrifice my comfort for the sake of the “natural hair movement”? Surely not!
What is aesthetically pleasing is purely a product of subjective assessment
which means you have very little right to criticize what hairstyle I chose to
adorn myself with if you aren’t me. We all experience different realities and
the natural hair movement doesn't fully take this into account.
Too often we forget that our hair or our adornments
are a part of us and not a sum of who we are. I have heard of individuals being
told that their afros are not professional or their locks look unhygienic or
their relaxed hair looks fake and plastic. When did it become possible that the
sum of a person’s character can be judged exactly by the follicular crown upon
their head? I suppose anybody who cannot
see beyond your hairstyle is probably not worth knowing.
At the end of the day each and every one deserves to
adorn themselves as they please. We should endeavor to encourage each other to
be who we are and be the best. Seeking to admonish and not discourage. If
natural hair works for you, well done! However be sure to respect the right of
others to decide on what to do with their hair. There are other pressing issues
to split hairs about.
Until Next time
xoxo
Written in collaboration with Mr C. Tama of
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