As A Black Woman, Is Your Beauty In Your Hair?
Once again Solange has caught the media’s attention by committing an act that many would consider a poor decision. She has shaved her hair low. Some people like it, most don’t. Including Bow Wow who recently went on a rant on his Twitter about her hair. His response does not shock me as I have heard numerous times from Black men that they would not date a “bald-headed” woman. Solange does not seem to care either way, her being one that always does her. What makes her so cool is that she does her whether she is all alone in the decision or has a whole campaign of followers. A girl after my own heart. Even her sister Beyonce has commented on being envious of Solange’s “ I dare to be different and screw you if you don’t like it attitude”. My question is not whether you like her new hairstyle rather do you see how important something as simple as hair is in the African American community and why? It’s like, if you cut your hair low and you are a Black woman then you are not considered attractive anymore or something dramatic must be going on in your life. “Girl she must be going through something!” Solange claims this is the second time she has cut her hair like this and it is by choice not because she is having a breakdown.
Why do we as Black women spend so much time emphasizing on our hair? It is as if our hair is our strength. I emphasize on the Black community because other ethnicities do not seem to have as much of an obsession with hair as we do. I myself have even been a little obsessive over my hair as well from time to time. This phenomena has been internalized in us all in one way or another. The generalization is that if we don’t spend half our lives in the beauty salon then something is wrong with us. We aren’t considered attractive any longer if we do not keep a well tailored perm in our hair and we must, must keep it done. So when someone like Solange, who the Black community at least considers mildly attractive cuts her hair then there is time for an uproar. Imagine if Beyonce cut all her hair low like that, it would be absolute pandemonium.
I don’t think that we are the only ones to have opinions about women cutting their hair low I just feel that the Black community takes special offense to it. We immediately assume that the woman has lost her mind and we do not view her as being as attractive as she once was. People are even assuming that she simply wants attention. Or she must be trying to be “deep”. One of those hippie chicks. Maybe it is none of those reasons and Solange realizes that it is just hair and feels that she is attractive whether it is long or she is completely bald. Thoughts?
I think Solange looks great. I often wonder why black people get up in arms about black women and their hair. I think it’s a soft spot for us because we are always told that our natural hair is ugly because it doesn’t look like every other woman, but, to me, there’s a reason that our hair is unique. I still don’t understand why long hair is considered better as well. I think a woman who can rock a short do is sexy and very confident. I know many women who hide behind their hair.
I agree that black women are very sexy with either the teenie weenie afro or the bald-headed look. Solange looks FINE IMHO! Her sister, Wonder Weave, is the superficial, fake one that is totally overrated. i find women of any color very sexy when they are willing to be daring and different from all the other clones. Let’s remeber, bald wasn’t acceptable for men either until the early 90s.
It’s gorgeous. Period.
No processed hair and salon appointments holding her hostage. It’s kind of delicious to be able to run your fingers over and through pure, natural Africa-inherited hair. I just wish more people knew that feeling, but I am also glad that most people aren’t as bold, and therefore, as beautiful as I am (because my hair has been shaved low more than 40 times since 1997). Gives me an unsolicited uniqueness.