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Growing up in a Caribbean community I would often hear the terms ‘good hair’ and ‘bad hair’ be used to describe someones hair texture and its manageability. At the time it was simple in my young mind, ‘good hair’ referred to a black persons hair which had a looser curl pattern and a silky texture which could be easily managed and ‘bad hair’ was kinky, coarse textured hair which is believed to be hard to manage. Now that I’m on my own natural hair journey for the second time, I’m wondering why these labels exist in the first place?

 

Even though the natural hair movement is becoming bigger now and more and more black women are learning how to care for their hair properly whether natural or relaxed, there’s still a sense of discrimination within the black community between hair textures. I do believe that the media has a part to play in this as when black women are presented, they are usually (but not always) light skinned with long silky hair and slim facial features conforming to the European beauty standard as much as possible, but it’s about time we stopped trying to fit in with these ideas of beauty that we generally naturally can’t reach without damaging chemicals and start praising the natural diversity amongst ourselves.

 

When I hear someone saying that a girl with natural hair needs a relaxer because her hair won’t slick up neatly or lay silky straight when straightened/flat ironed, I can’t help but think why? Why does her Black hair need to mimic a White or Asian womans hair and conform to a part of a beauty standard that the rest of her generally isn’t a part of (skin colour, facial features, body build)? Why can’t a black or mixed girl wear her coarse afro or kinky curls proudly without fellow POC (people of colour) making negative comments about how her hair is ‘bad’ and needs to be tamed because it isn’t silky like an Asian womans hair when clearly this girl isn’t Asian? Although yes black people come in a variety of complexions, hair textures and features, I have realised that we tend to praise black people who have more european or asian features and look down upon and try to change those who don’t, to give them more european or asian features rather than appreciating the diverse beauty.

 

 

After researching the representation and stereotyping of black people in film, and how this still affects us today for my A Level Media essay, I believe that a lot of us are brainwashed by the images that we see in the media and we don’t even realise it. If you get relaxers to make your hair ‘more managable’, who told you that your hair was unmanageable in the first place? Because it doesn’t look like the womans hair on the front cover of that magazine it’s unmanageable? Because it’s thick and doesn’t neatly slick up or fall flat like a looser hair texture would it’s unmanageable?  During my natural hair journey I’ve realised that caring for and styling afro/kinky/curly hair shouldn’t be a difficult, painful experience and if it is, something is being done wrong. With the right knowledge, technique and products caring for black hair is quite simple and easy. This idea that coarse black hair is unmanageable, unpresentable and so needs to be chemically altered or covered up goes back for years, breeding generations of people who use chemicals to straighten their hair and similarly lighten their skin out of the subconscious belief that their natural selves are inadequate/aren’t good enough.

 

I don’t have anything against relaxers/texturizers, only people telling/hinting that a natural or coarse haired girl needs one. I feel that we don’t really research and learn how to care for our hair properly before agreeing with society that our hair is ‘unmanageable’ and so reaching for a harsh chemical treatment. A lot of the time it’s lack of moisture which makes our hair dry, coarse and ‘hard to manage’ (moisture comes from water and water based products such as leave in conditioners, not oils or greases). Many natural hair care practices and tips can also be beneficial for caring for and growing healthy relaxed hair.

 

Yes, wigs and weaves are a fun, great way to give our hair a break from the stress of daily brushing, coming and styling which can cause breakage, but to girls who won’t step out of the house without that fresh 20 inch Brazilian on your head, why is this? If it’s because your real hair makes you feel ugly, you may not realise it but this is an insecurity probably due to being pressured to conform to the european beauty standard of silky straight or looser curled hair and so feeling that your afro/kinky/tightly curled hair isn’t presentable, pretty or ‘good’ enough.

 

Yes people say that we are all mixed somewhere down the line but a conversation I often see/hear is…

Person A: “You have such nice hair, what are you mixed with”

Person B: “Yeah I have xyz (a common ethnicity mentioned is Indian) in my blood” but this person couldn’t tell you exactly which relative is Indian or how they are related.

Your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents are all full black, when you choose the ethnicity box on government papers you tick the ‘Black Caribbean’ or ‘Black African’ box yet when someone compliments one of your features such as hair length or texture you refer to another race…

You may not realise it, but this question and reply basically suggests that the stereotypically appealing parts of you must come from another race and that Black people alone can’t create beautiful features. (I say stereotypically because I am referring to features such as silky hair which is stereotypically believed to be more beautiful in the media and amongst the black community) As I said before black people come in a variety of skin colours, hair textures and features. You CAN be full black and have silky, curly hair and IT’S OKAY to be full black or mixed and have coarser textured hair. You don’t have to alter yourself to fit in with a beauty standard that doesn’t represent you, create your own.

 

We need to stop this #TeamGoodHair #TeamLightskin etc nonsense, separating and categorising ourselves based on appearance and a ‘the whiter the better’ belief just like our slave masters did. Instead we need to unite and stop judging eachother based on how ‘black’ we look and whether it’s a good thing or not. Hair texture and skin complexion does not define your worth.

 

Finally, How to get good hair?

No matter your hair texture and whether you’re relaxed or natural, look after your hair. Keep your hair moisturised using water/water based products daily and do weekly deep conditions and regular protein treatments so that it doesn’t become dry and/or weak and break. Protect your hair and give it a rest from the stress of daily manipulation by using wigs, weaves, braids etc, and be gentle when styling and using direct heat (brushing, combing, using blow dryers, flat irons/straighteners, tongs etc) to avoid damage and breakage then watch your hair flourish, be healthy and good.

Style your hair however makes you comfortable, just remember to embrace every part of your true self at the same time, even if you don’t see that particular feature being praised in the mainstream media (TV adverts, magazines, billboards etc)

Healthy Hair is Good Hair.

 

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