Embracing your natural hair

This summer I wore my hair natural for the first time in nearly 10 years, and it felt amazing. 

Growing up as a Black girl in a predominantly white space, all I wanted was to look like everybody else.

I had no idea how to take care of my own hair and no idea how to accept my curls. As a result, I started relaxing and straightening my natural hair as young as nine years old.

From then on, I straightened my hair for years until it was dry and dead. I eventually switched to knotless braids when my hair was past the point of saving. 

I used my braids as a cover-up for my natural hair, rather than utilizing it as a protective hairstyle. I ignored my hair and didn’t take care of it. 

This June, I took my braids out and kept my natural hair. For the first time in so long, my hair was short, coiled and 100% me. I can not explain how good it felt. 

Even with this newfound joy towards my hair, I struggled with wearing it confidently. I was scared to go out in my own town. I was scared of being judged; that people would find me less attractive. 

Then, I realized how stupid that is. 

My hair is an extension of myself. I can twist it into braids, straighten it flat, put it under a wig- but it’s always there. My hair is just as much a part of me as any other part of my body. It can be changed, but my roots always remember who I am. Denying my hair is denying myself. 

I understand why black women decide to change their hair. It’s very easy to chastise us about not being natural, but only we understand how difficult the topic of hair can be. 

Maintaining your natural hair can feel like a full-time job. Sometimes it’s just easier to straighten, to braid, or to twist. 

It takes time and confidence to wear your natural hair in a sea of people who don’t look like you, which I didn’t have until this summer. 

I still struggle with it, even in the diverse pool that is Lexington, Kentucky. It is hard to unlearn things and accept all of yourself, especially when you’ve suppressed it for so long, but when you start to embrace your naturality, it can be so fulfilling. 

The few months I wore my hair natural, I felt the most like myself I had in years. I felt untethered and free from expectations and standards that were not serving me. It brought a sense of power. 

There is nothing wrong with changing your hair. We go through phases in life, and hair is often used to express those changes. However, it’s gratifying to take the time to accept your curls, your coils and your pin-straights. 

No matter how hard it can seem, embracing naturality, even if it’s only for a short while, can be so rewarding.