Have You Claimed Your Hair?

Have you Claimed Your Hair?
by JenniferS. 


This week on Bella-Kinks.com I thought doing a twist on the name of this post would highlight something that I have noticed in the natural hair community, which is embracing and/or in(hair)iting our hair. I like to think that many of us have gone through the relaxer phase.  Spending hours at the salon waiting for our stylist to a)stop chatting on the phone, b) stop chatting to a “close friend” who happened to come into the shop, c) has walked away to who knows where d) has yet to rinse your hair out and your scalp is burning or e) all of the above. Been there, tired of that!

(Source) 

For so long many women and men, have defined themselves with relaxed hair (myself included). Rainy and/or humid days would take proper planning as to not ruin the new do and making sure you have umbrellas, yes plural lol, in the vehicle, purse, office or wherever your day was going to take you. I never realized just how much I was limited by my hair in its relaxed state, until I became natural. Now I can have big curls using the curlformers, I can do a twist out, a 'fro or a wash 'n go all depending on my mood, my style or no reason at all. And I welcome the rain. If anything it just adds more moisture to my hair! However, I was not always this comfortable about my natural state and even now there are times when I feel self conscious about my hair when I go out. It can be frightening, uneasy and feel "naked" in the sense that I am revealing my true self to the world. I know there is the term "fake it until you make it", but I feel like that's still not accepting our hair. From a counseling standpoint, I encourage myself (and you) to recognize those insecure feelings and then turn it around by saying "this is who I am", "this is who I want to be" and "I am learning to embrace all of me". I also think it is important to acknowledge that there are going to be setbacks, but I also think it allows for innovation and flexibility.

Curlformer'd Hair

It is our right to claim our true selves. No one can take away our value and meaning other than ourselves. Now, just to be clear, I am not trying to put down anyone who uses chemical treatments and/or relaxers in their hair. You have to do what is right for you, not what someone else tells you. But I can guarantee that being natural is the most liberating feeling that I've had in a long time. I can proudly say that I have claimed my (in)hair(itence). Have you claimed yours?