Making the Cut & Changing Hairstyles: It's my hair not my arm! - April 6, 2013

I've learned so much since I went natural, but I've also developed so many unanswered questions!

Let's talk about cutting or simply changing our hair. Why is it such a big deal when a black girl wants to cut her hair? It's never a negative thing when a girl from any other race decides to change her hair or when a black male wants to trade in his long braids or huge Afro for a shorter cut. There are so many reasons someone would want to cut, color or change the style of their hair and it shouldn't become the centre of everyone's daily conversation!

It's been a huge mixed message mess in terms of black women's hair to begin with. Initially, we are taught that our natural hair texture isn't appropriate or pretty and to essentially do everything to change the texture. So, we conform to the crazy beauty standards of super straight, super long (and typically artificial) hair. But then when we want to either embrace our true selves or try something new, we are shunned for taking risks or changing at all or, God forbid, choosing curly hair over straight hair. I want to emphasize that it's important to remember that it's JUST HAIR. Simply a longer and maybe thicker version of what's on your arms, legs and elsewhere. It's dead for pete's sake!!! It shouldn't be treated as this sacred entity that should never ever be altered. It shouldn't be sheltered from change or experiments. Change is good don't you see? It's also crazy to hear about the stereotypes that come along with the different textures and lengths of hair. I mean, as a society, we have to have better things to do than to compare a girl with short hair to a girl with long hair or to assume that a girl with short is suddenly more professional because she has a chin length asymmetrical bob. Come on, really?

When I first entertained the idea of cutting my hair short, all everyone would say was, "Why?! Your hair's so long!" or "It's going to take forever to grow back!" Constant discouragement over something men do almost every week or so, discouragement for something that doesn't really involve them at all. You'd think I said I was going to cut my arm off!!! And that's where the importance of hair comes in and the varying views on what "hair" means to different people.

Some people are taught from birth to embrace their natural beauty, hair, skin, body shape and all. In this instance, hair is seen as a crown. A women's crowning glory, something to be respected, cherished and taken care of as if it were a person.
Some people see hair has a nuisance. Something unwanted to deal with, especially if it's not the texture, length or colour that they want. People who view hair as this unexciting "thing" are probably either not going to experiment much with different styles and pretend it doesn't exist or alter its appearance to hide what they see as ugly or unacceptable.
Some people see hair as an accessory, just like a pair of sunglasses or an armful of bracelets and embrace change far and beyond. These people are wide open to change and will probably dye, cut and continuously style their hair depending on the look they're going for.

Depending on how you view hair in general and your own hair, your reaction to cutting or changing your hair or someone else cutting or changing their hair is going to vary.
Either way, change in hair should be considered an exciting journey to learn about hair care and new styles. It's also important to respect the people who do change their hair because it may have been hard for them! Like me! Going from waist length, sun lightened, bone straight hair to a 3 inch, kinky-curly Afro was no easy feat. But in the end, the change was MY choice and I'm still alive...with both arms! Hehe!