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I was thinking about this so much last night https://twitter.com/LynMCain/status/1358447048954118145
I combed out my locs. I took an entire month to do. It was long and tedious. My wrists were on fire from over working them everyday for an entire month. I worked through the pain. Why? Because I was determined not to cut my hair
I felt silly because I knew the EXACT root of my anxiety about "having long hair". None of that knowledge stopped me from working through painful wrists.
I use "hair trauma" to refer to my overwhelming emotions and anxiety centered on my hair. (I'm not suggesting anyone else uses this language)
Regardless of what you call it, just know that it's real, especially as a black woman living in this society
Regardless of what you call it, just know that it's real, especially as a black woman living in this society
We are constantly ridiculed for our hair. We miss out on education and job opportunities due to our hair.
There is constant shaming and humiliation that we endure because of our hair.
There is constant shaming and humiliation that we endure because of our hair.
People love shaming us with the "is that your real hair?" question
Folks post videos of snatching off black women's wigs or tossing them in pools all the time.
Folks post videos of snatching off black women's wigs or tossing them in pools all the time.
Yesterday, I was hoping that at minimum that woman's scalp could at least continue to grow hair. All because I remember the pain I endured for the sake of "having long hair" when taking down my locs
It is no secret that the value of women is associated with our "beauty" and our hair is closely tied to what's considered "beautiful".
I feel so conflicted desiring a better world for women, a world in which our value is not based on our appearance, but also falling victim to societal expectations myself.
It was a silly mistake but her decision is not that different from the things we have done to ourselves to achieve a certain look.
Corsets, perm/lye, bleaching, etc
Some of y'all were just using monostat for the sake of "growing edges", so she is not the first to misuse a product in hopes of a certain result
Some people are still going to the 'beauty supply' for eyelashes and those people are using hair glue to put those eye lashes on
There was once a time when women were using beauty products that contained arsenic and radium.
So what she did really isn't new, and no one is 'beyond' doing something similar if they aren't already
So what she did really isn't new, and no one is 'beyond' doing something similar if they aren't already
Some of these current foundations are still using talc
Some women still use douche bottles despite the fact that we now know how harmful they are
So there is a LOT that people still do for the sake of beauty despite how harmful it may be
However, I would NEVER wish that someone would have to permanently live through that mistake. It would be hypocritical knowing the pain I caused myself for the sake of "length retention"
