[This pic is after my 1st BC around Jan/Feb 2007]
I always hear ladies say they can not do a BIG CHOP because their head is big, or its too nappy or it wont fit their face or _________ (fill in blank with other excuses)!!!! LOL I know you may not have worn your hair really short ever in your life before, but for most people that decide to do a big chop, they DO get over that initial shock of not having much hair.
Or wait...
Am I being insensitive??
My apologies.
But really though, if you want to do a big chop and sport a TWA (teenie weenie afro), then by all means go for it. Its like the easiest hair style ever! Sometimes women have a way of letting people make decisions for us-- it can be direct or indirect. I think hair is somewhere at the top of that list of "things". Its your head... and it will always be with you... some of the nay sayers may not.
My official big chop day went something like this:
Me: Hey, get the scissors, Im ready!
Him: For what?? To chop all your hair off??!!
Me: Yep! Now lets get to work!
Him: So what do I do? How low do I need to go?
Me: Just go down to the nappy roots.
Him: Oh ok
--snip, snip, snip (half way done)
Me: (looking in the mirror) Haaa! I can't belive this!!! Oh well... cant turn back now!
Him: Your folks gonna think you went crazy!
Me: Bump that! It's my head! (deep down Im believing him though)
Him: Okay, all done (looking puzzeld)
Me: I look like a crack head! LOL
Him: You can just go to the barber shop and get it fixed up and you'll look fine.
Me: Um... Okay.
LOL...I remember that day like it was yesterday! After he (my ex) cut all of my straw curls off, I thought I looked ridiculous. I ran to find the nearest cap to put on my head until I found a barber shop that was still open. Once I got it all evened out, I was good to go. Water, conditioner and olive oil became my best friends!
I shared my story to show that we may all have some insecurities within us, but I promise you, your hair WILL grow back if you decide to go that route. I can look back on this day and laugh now. Back then it was more shocking than anything. I BC'ed once again in May 2008 and may do it again in the future... who knows?!
So to all of my transitioning divas, you can be beautiful with your hair at any length and/or texture. To those of you who are already rocking those TWA's... rock on!
If you have recently done a BC, please share with us your experience (down below). Or you can share why you won't... It's all love here :)
The more I involve myself in this beautiful
on-line black natural hair community, the more I wish to see natural hair in the physical. In the small southern town of Beaufort, South Carolina where I reside, most of the time I am in the only natural in the vicinity. I see way more wigs, weaves , perms and damaged hair than I see healthy, curly, kinky afro’s. I see an overwhelming majority of black women who have shame and negative emotions associated with their natural textures. I see women who have no idea how to care for their hair in its natural state. Women who find natural hair taboo.
I believe those women would benefit greatly from an introduction to Curly-Kinky Land.
Blogs like
Black Girl with Long Hair,
A GRL CAN MAC,
Natural Chica, Leave in the Kinks, and
Le coil remind us how dope natural hair is. It reminds us that we are not alone in this journey. They help us make it through the obstacles that come along with learning our natural texture. WE love watching natural hair videos on
YOUTUBE because we get to see other women taking care of and rocking their natural hair. We get to see black women with hair that is beaituful, healthy and strong. It’s a community that motivates and educates us.
Good for us… that we found it right?! So now what about them?^^ Remember the ones who see their kinks and curls as negative? I want them to see them how beautiful natural hair can be. I want to share with them the wonderful resources we natural’s have.
I e-mailed women in my address book links to some of my favorite natural hair sites. In the e-mail I told them about my decision to go natural and how I wanted to share with them a peek into the growing natural hair community on the internet.
At the very least they’ll click on a link and see some beautiful natural hair-styles, learn a little and then…. still choose to relax their hair. The whole point is showing them their options. I don’t think ALL black women HAVE to wear their natural hair. It really should be a choice. But a choice where all options are given consideration. For many women, natural hair isn’t even a contender when making the decision about hair. Straight hair is generally the starting point for most of their ‘options’. My hope is for black women to find natural hair beautiful, and more important, acceptable. I want them to know that natural hair isn’t all the bad things we’ve been socialized and taught to believe THEN they can make a CHOICE to wear their hair however they choose.
In sending them the links they’ll get a chance to see their other options. They’ll see that natural hair is within their reach, they just have to take the first step.
So what do you think? Do you know women who have NEVER considered natural hair? DO you have people in your life who still mock you for being natural? Are you considering going natural and have people in your like trying to dissuade you? Send them a link to your favorite natural hair site. Show them what natural hair is really like!
You game?
Peace
~Sunshine