It would be remiss of me not to mention instances in which we are just downright mean in the way we go after a child whose hair is not slicked down to our satisfaction and adorned with bows and headbands*.
Hey wait a minute, can’t that be classified as child abuse? How about the way we have a heart attack over a child sporting cornrows we think are ‘too grown’ for a child.
I’ve even seen cases where we look at a child’s gorgeous hair and feel the need to say it’s not healthy just from glancing at a pic. Seriously? This is one of the not so pretty traits that exist in the natural hair community, traits that have others wondering what the purpose of the movement is.
We really do get uptight about some things that are just plain ridiculous. We need to let our hair down (no pun intended) and lighten up a bit sometimes. No one is saying there aren’t instances in which you may need to show concern but sometimes the way we go about it is just unwarranted.
YouTube forms a part of the Holy Grail
This is our go to for style inspiration, hair aspirations, recipes for those times we want to treat our strands to some natural homemade goodness and product proofing.
I honestly don’t know what the natural hair movement would look like without YouTube. Seriously, can you say you don’t nor have you ever gone on YouTube for hair related help? If you can say that hats off to you, but for many of us it is an automatic part of our routine.
In every family you’re bound to have the good, the bad and the indifferent. Let’s not forget that the community was born out of the need for a space where we can learn and teach each other about our kinks, curls and coils; a place of empowerment where we define our own standards of beauty. Let us keep the funny things about us and work on sifting out the negative ones that make our ugly show.
Kimberly Miller says
This article is so true!! Especially about kids hairstyles! LOL
Aliyah Morrison says
Lmao my hair is shoulder length when stretched and flat ironed and I can acheive a ponytail and get some hang time . Lmao the only time I had an ox ponytail was when I was permed and my hair was damaged and breaking off . Anyway my next goal is armpit I want to achieve by next year . This article is true though . It’s irritating to hear girls with a twa complaining about their hair not growing . Trust me I had a twa last year . Hair will grow . Also when girls with long bra strap length hair complain about not reaching waist length gets on my nerves . Bra strap is my long term goal . I don’t want any longer than that . I think us black woman should just be happy with what we have . If what you are doing isn’t working CHANGE IT and stop complaining . Maybe it’s your hair routine, maybe you don’t get trims , or maybe you don’t drink enough water , or maybe it’s your diet . Evaluate your actions and change it .