More Black women becoming natural in the 21st Century…Is it just a phase?

[Kinkyhairlady]

Lately everywhere I turn I see natural hair styles and women doing big chops all over. I get so excited when I see a beautiful head of natural hair. There are even songs out about our beautiful hair ie: Seseme street , Willow Smith. I think this is great that so many black women are accepting the hair they were born with and showing it off to the world. My thing is I wonder if this is just a phase. Do you think for the years to come majority of black women will be natural or will we go back to the creamy crack called relaxers ? I also think that being natural today is easier because of all the great natural products out there that soften the hair to make it more manageable. What are your thoughts on this? It’s just a phase or the beginning of a revolution?

I found this cute clip from our local news station. The news reporter did the big chop, I literally tear up when I seen this because her story is that of many women who work in g a professional setting. Being afraid to go natural because you think it will make you look unprofessional.

YouTube - Special Report - 'Going Natural'

 

[KurlyNinja]

There is another thread with that same video that just was posted yesterday.

But no I do not believe this is a trend. I think there are just many black women who are seeing that their natural hair does not make them unacceptable in the work place and that our hair is versatile and doesn't just have to be the 70's fro. I dont think there would be such a bad rap on relaxers if there wasn't such a negative connotation behind them (straight hair is beautiful, nappy wooly hair is ugly, ). I know a lot of women on this board choose relaxers just for a style, but many people IRL choose it because they think their natural hair is "bad" or they've been relaxed since they remember and dont know how to deal with the hair that comes out their own head (which if you think about it sounds kinda loopy.), but I must admit I was on that boat too.

But what I'm really hoping for out of all of this, is that if we do finally break the stigma about relaxers, people will stop caring whatever is that we do to our hair. And hopefully having a relaxer wont seem like your hating yourself and having natural hair wont seem like some far away fairytale that only happens in a 70's black-power dreamland.

 

[newgrowth15]

I really liked the video. I have been natural for 15 years, but I didn't learn to care for my hair until the end of 2008 when I found LHCF. Since then, my hair has gotten healthier and longer. I plan to stay natural, because I have so many styling options. I can rock bone straight where it looks like I have a relaxer or I can wet it and wear my kinky curly styles or I can go somewhere in between and look like it's texlaxed. Oh the versatility--I love my natural hair.

 

[Lady_q_tee]

So inspiring!! I love how the mother cut her hair for her daughter .. as mothers we need to start paving the way, how can our daughters and sons appreciate the beauty god gave us if we slap on the relaxers!

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

I loved the video!!! I love how the mom cut off her own hair for her daughter.

One of the many reasons I went natural was to set an example for my daughters. I knew I never wanted to relax their hair, but how could I tell them not to while I was retouching my hair ever 6-8 weeks. I knew that the only way I could convince them to stay away from relaxers is to become natural.

 

[Gibsongal]

I hope it's not a phase. But if it is, I don't care. I'm staying natural.

 

[thecurlycamshow]

I saw that reporter video too and was so happy. It's a shame she stated someone told her to wear extensions to move up the ladder. I love my hair and my daughter love her curls too. She always says she has hair like mommy

 

[TaraDyan]

That video was awesome and actually warmed my heart.

I hope it's not a phase. But if it is, I don't care. I'm staying natural.

Same here.

 

[Phaer]

I think for most of those going natural it is a phase, I think the need to show that black girls can grow long hair will have some revert to relaxer to show their lenght, or some will get tired of the care needed to keep the hair healthy. What I am hoping for even if it is a trend, is that natural hair will be more common in professional settings, and we won't have to worry so much about it, and I am also hoping to end the misconception among other races that black girls can't have long hair.

 

[beana]

Great video... i wish some of the underlying "self-hate" assumptions with relaxers would go away, but as Miroyku mentioned, many women IRL think this way.

I hope the newscaster is aware of the many different styling options she has as a natural, and if she chooses to keep it at BC length she does follow-ups on the other ladies who may have grown their hair out. I think the one of the biggest misconceptions with natural hair is that you can only wear it a limited number of ways (BC length, afro, etc).

 

[Dominican09]

I do not believe that is a "trend". At least for me is a way to stay true to myself, I've always been comfortable with who I am and this is the cherry on top!!

 

[southerncitygirl]

i think for many especially with the nature of the economy that it is a trend that will help them save money.....when things level out i know there will be folks that will go right back to relaxers. i've been natural for quite a while and have no intentions of relaxing ever, its helped me morph into a more natural lifestyle overall from the way i eat, what i use on my body and exercising when i can.

 

[pookaloo83]

Loved the video!

 

[Laela]

ITA....

I don't think this is a 'trend'... IMHO, it's beyond hair, as more women are educating themselves on personal hair care, and that increasing knowledge is taking them down that road toward learning about the natural texture God gave them..... the only way to accomplish this is to revert to natural and experiment. I went natural the first time out of curiosity and realized my own texture is more appealing to me than the relaxed texture --- which I can get anyway by flat ironing or pressing. The second time was because I missed my natural texture so bad. So for me, there is more versatility, being natural. It's hard to see me slapping any lye in my hair, knowing what I know now.

I loved the video!!! I love how the mom cut off her own hair for her daughter.

One of the many reasons I went natural was to set an example for my daughters. I knew I never wanted to relax their hair, but how could I tell them not to while I was retouching my hair ever 6-8 weeks. I knew that the only way I could convince them to stay away from relaxers is to become natural.

 

[LaFaraona]

For me it is not a trend or phase. It is a natural progression that started with me wanting to have a healthy lifestyle and be conscientious of what I put in/on my body. First it started with food then beauty products and then hair, where I started to take responsibility for my health . I have seen the results of healthy living and there is no going back.
And, as a bonus now I know that having natural hair does not mean I am stuck to 1 or 2 styling options.

 

[SmilingElephant]

For me its not a phase. I am happy to be transitioning to natural....and i feel that maybe for some it MAY be a phase for them....but i believe that since society has become so concerned about ingredients and chemicals in everything that the vast majority of women in the AA community will change over and remain natural and also because of the research that is going in to making products that are readily available will also continue and make it easy for alot of women to keep their natural hair

 

[shocol]

ITA....

I don't think this is a 'trend'... IMHO, it's beyond hair, as more women are educating themselves on personal hair care...

I agree. I can see individual women treating this as a trend or a phase. What I think IS here to stay is having natural hair be a viable option for hair care. It's not going to be taboo anymore.

 

[BostonMaria]

Why are all my favorite threads being locked up or going poof? *crying*

Oh wrong thread... well anywayz yeah its definitely a phase!