I hate my natural hair. Yeah I said it. Sorry not sorry. Yes I love to perm my hair. I love the feeling of soft, easy to comb, silky, bouncy hair after a nice retouch. And I see nothing wrong with that. But that does not make me less natural than the girl with the beautiful, kinky afro, or does it?

What happened to appreciating and loving people for more than their preferences and appearance? Don’t we know better than to judge a book by it’s cover?

I for one cannot stand the pain that comes with having to comb out my kinky hair every morning. It’s simply unbearable! I want to wake up every morning and put my comb through silky easy to comb hair without suffering from a headache for an entire hour simply because I had to comb my hair. Us, perm loving girls have gone on to become the subject of backlash from the natural hair lovers simply because we choose to straighten our hair. It just so happens to be that because I like my hair soft and silky, I am not deep enough, not soulful enough to the natural hair lovers. They have gone as far labbeling me shallow. Simply because I like a perm or a blow out?

When Madame C.J Walker invented that hair straightening formula I’m sure her intention was to make our lives as black women easier. Why go through the pain of combing out the kinks every morning I can have soft and silky hair? Why should I be judged for taking this option? I have to say, this isn’t a crusade against natural hair lovers. You are beautiful with your big afros, bantu knots and all. My point is that, we all like what we like, which means I shouldn’t be judged for the hair style on my head. For one, to think that anyone is more soulful than I am, ‘deeper’ than I am, all because from time to time, I like a little chemical in my hair – really isn’t in the spirit of uplifting each other as women of colour.

We, the women of colour are always trying to bring each other down using our appearance. From ‘team light skin” to ‘team Afro kink’. Whats next? If only we could use just as much energy uplifting ourselves as we use to bring each other down, our world would be a much better place. To the perm loving sisters, remember that you are a lot more than just your hair.

 

*Written by Liz Kakooza