WEAR YOUR NATURAL HAIR UNAPOLOGETICALLY

Whether it affects me directly or indirectly, as a guy, I challenged myself to write about this topic because it illustrates just how devastatingly personal the effects of systemic segregation can be. The little that I know about hair has prompted me to share my two cents of what I think is deliberately swept under the carpet regarding natural black hair. I have done thorough online research and have had one-on-ones with friends and colleagues.

I once read Bridget Marie's piece where she addressed some of these affronts in a satirical post over some publication, “Get ready to spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about what others are thinking about your hair. Do they think you look “too ethnic?” “Unpolished?” “Too political?” Will a prospective employer be less likely to hire you if you show up with your Afro to a job interview?

These are all real questions you’re going to need to start thinking through if you’re planning on rocking your natural black hair.”For Black women, stereotypes associated with natural hair can’t be shed, but their appeal is a nod to history and tradition.

A couple of month ago, Sarah Langa (on the picture) – a social media phenomenon, and blogger – announced her new endorsement deal with Design Essentials & Co Hair Essentials. The company’s reason behind their decision was that Sarah embraces the natural hair phenomenon – which the company categorically promotes through its product range.

The hardworking young Sarah, who is a real estate agent by day, is already ambassador for the luxury and lifestyle brand Picot & Moss. However, those who know Sarah, would agree that she is often (if not always) seen wearing weaves.
Her endorsement sparked some debate, eventually questioning the company’s mandate and Sarah’s representation. In her defence, she says, “As someone [who] wears weaves regularly, I am so happy to embark on this journey to achieving healthy hair and would like to encourage other women to love and embrace their hair.”

In an interview with VEntertainment, she further tried to clarify that inasmuch as she regularly wears her weaves, she still has to take care of her natural hair in order for her weaves to sit well.Basically, it’s like a sock company hiring me to endorse its line of socks, but the problem is, I’m always wearing shoes. But, because you cannot wear shoes without socks, they might as well hire me…
Casting an eye abroad, we have Lupita Nyong’o who is dark skinned and natural. There is more and more diversity on screen and society is changing. Slowly, but changing. Marveling at South African TV personalities like Pearl Thusi, Nomzamo Mbatha, Nandi Mngoma and Knaomi – to name but a few – it boggles the mind that Design Essentials & Co Hair Essentials reached a (unanimous) conclusion that Sarah – who seldom showcases her natural hair – is the perfect celebrity endorsement partner.

Perhaps, given the fact that Sarah has a blog, the company saw it befitting to have her as the ambassador. That, really, is the only explanation that makes plausible sense.

With that said – please allow me to give you a helicopter view of this whole story. This is actually a good deal for Sarah and young Black girls to continue embracing their natural hair. If anything, it is a wake-up call for Sarah (and Pearl Thusi) to ditch weaves. I applaud Design Essentials & Co Hair Essentials and Sarah Langa for such a much needed U-turn.

Some time ago, Allure magazine reminded me of this when it published a feature on Afros that entirely erased Black women.(“You (Yes, You) Can Get An Afro” the headline read, with an asterisk: “even if you have straight hair”).
Nowadays, only particularly willful ignorance could account for an Afro hairstyle magazine spread that treats the Afro as a white woman’s entitlement. “An Afro is not an introvert’s hairstyle,” they wrote, apparently uninterested in its political overtones. “This is confident hair.”

To all the Black introverts out there, you owe whatever confidence your natural hair or Afro or Dreadlocks, projects to the women and men of the ’60s and ’70s Black Power movement, who originated the style and provided you a template for how to deal with any backlash you might receive for wearing it.

For Black women, and those women whose hair is tightly coiled, not loosely curly, that confidence isn’t an aesthetic option. It’s a necessity, as you navigate professional and public spaces where your natural hair won’t always be welcome. The decision to wear an Afro or any other “unstraightened” hairstyle is only as “ballsy” and “powerful” - Allure’s words - as your ability to obtain and maintain employment, navigate stereotypes and discrimination, and deal with "micro-aggressions" like unwanted hair-touching.

That’s not even to mention that to wear an Afro means you have to convince yourselves that years of advertising positioning straight hair as necessary to either enhance your beauty or to boost your chances at professional advancement were wrong.From a guy's perspective; I believe that numerous Black women are being overlooked for promotions or outright being fired because they choose to wear their natural hair. (Go online and see what happens to most waitresses).

Question is, why does the coarse hair on your head need to be relaxed or chemically altered to be “presentable” in the workplace?

Undoubtedly, allowing a bias like this to go unchecked is detrimental to business, as hair texture has no connection to talent or ability. An inability to manage past immaterial things like this makes a company less competitive.
While I’m writing about Black people’s hair being in its natural state and people being offended or unreceptive of that in the work place, regardless, ungroomed or not, I've seen that white people, on the other hand, walk around with their natural hair, in its natural state all day long. Every day. They go to work and don’t have to get relaxers or wear weaves, right? No questions asked.

So If It’s okay for them to do it, then why is it a problem when Black people start to do the same exact thing, just being themselves. Why does everyone have a problem with that? There’s something sorely wrong with this picture? I’m glad Sarah Langa has been convinced to move toward the natural hair direction. Love your natural.

Are we all going to start wearing gold teeth? No, because our teeth are white. Apparently there’s nothing wrong with white.As mentioned, the effects of systemic segregation can be harsh. We are talking about a cultural value that upholds all things white-European as normal and casts everything else as different, and in many cases, suspect. A non-white woman’s “different” hairstyle becomes a question of grooming, cleanliness, attitude, even professionalism.
How ridiculous, and what an indignity to put up with. Spending thousands of Rands on hair-care becomes necessary for an entire population to “fit in” as normal, something that whites don’t have to do in most cases. And all this just to get to the playing field.

They are making money by convincing Africans that being themselves is unacceptable and unnatural.

Black woman, your natural hair is beautiful. An Afro is a signifier. It invokes the Black power movement, “Black is beautiful” counterculture campaigns, and decades of discrimination. It will be impossible to be confident or feel good wearing it until you accept that: Black is beautiful.

Be neat, clean, confident and a solid employee. I think your perception of yourself is what is important, and, it is that perception that you need to display. You can be natural and tone your hair up or down when you need to. I think that’s being smart.Some people say that’s conforming. I call it strategy.
In summation, society needs to be re-educated to what Black ladies should look like minus slavery. Everyone has a unique texture to their hair. Flaunt it and get everyone accustomed to it.

@Cuemanbeing