By Gabrielle Pickens
A symbol of political activism amongst the African-American community, the afro played a significant role in the aesthetic of the civil rights movement. Today, megastars Viola Davis and Tracee Ellis Ross are front and center, owning the red carpet and television screens with their beautiful, natural strands, and I'm here for it. But, why did it go ghost in the first place, and how do we make sure our hair doesn't get lost in beauty conversation again? Let's take a look.
Your Hair is Too Nappy For the Navy
In 2013, I hopped a bus to Great Lakes, IL, for US Navy boot camp, and the beautician cut my hair. Y’all, this civil servant wet my hair and chopped it off. No precision or intention whatsoever, and I'm pretty sure she had her eyes closed. I was shook. My crown was destroyed, I was down about it, and I couldn't muster up the courage to feel good about it for weeks. It took me years to understand why I felt so bad about that day and my subsequent hair woes. What I found was that the idea of wearing my hair naturally coupled with no makeup in such a peculiar environment, made me come face to face with the subconscious conditioning of not loving my hair completely. Being Black in America comes at a cost, and that debt is paid every time we open our eyes and see 20, albeit stunning inches, of the latest bundles. The constant barrage of images of gorgeous women sporting their weaves and wigs, unfortunately, doesn't help the case to support the equally stunning women who wear their natural hair.
After that horrible day in boot camp, I went on to serve six years in the US Navy and during that time, experienced the powerful aftermath of the overturning of the archaic regulations prohibiting many natural hairstyles, including locs and braids. But that wasn't before the Navy discharged Jessica Sims for "disobeying a lawful order." These women risked it all so that I could finally "be myself," and not have to experience anxiety or risk public reprimand for wearing my hair in a way that was comfortable to me.
Power to the People
Per usual, Mrs. Angela Davis is always ahead of her time, as was the case during the civil rights movement. A prolific civil rights activist, Mrs. Davis, has one of the most recognizable afros in modern history. Her perfectly styled afro was a visible "middle finger to the sky" against the blind acceptance of the problematic white standard of beauty and its supporters.
From the beginning, we've been conditioned to acclimate to the White American way of life and, consequently, found ourselves continually pulling, tugging, and straightening our hair in the never-ending quest to conform. A popular notion was that if we looked like "them," then they would treat us well.
We all know that was a lie.
But, I digress, because that was the way of life and like clockwork, Black women found themselves again on a quest to satisfy the status quo, after the slow death of the 60s civil rights era. One argument is that that reality, along with the uncomfortable stares, comments, and confusion in the world and the workplace, turned many women to extensions and perms. The reasons are different for every woman, but far more permanent than any perm or style were the health implications released by the National Institutes of Health.
The 2019 study published in the International Journal of Cancer, suggests the use of permanent hair dye and chemical hair straightener was linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. The risk is more than six times higher for black women.
Moving Forward
While this is daunting news, the upside is that many women of color have pulled away from relaxers, with sales declining significantly over the last five years amid an economic boom in the Black hair care industry. As author and champion of Black women, Tamara Winfrey Harris puts it, "the sistas are alright."
And while it's hard to pinpoint what day relaxers and straighteners began to decline, one specific moment in time, Chris Rock's documentary "Good Hair," certainly opened the floor to a much-needed conversation: What are the motivations behind the way Black women style and manipulate our hair?
The conversation around the perception of beauty is no longer taking place behind closed doors, but it is front and center and real. Today, we're flaunting, and giving praise to those who choose to rock the bundles or the braids--- doesn't matter. What matters is if you're aware of why you're selecting a particular choice and making sure you're comfortable with that. That's all any of us can honestly do, sis.
Meet The Writer
Gabrielle Pickens, CEO of Pickens Creative, is a skilled media professional that understands the power of communication and persuasion. Gabrielle leads with a genuine interest in her clients and their brands — a perfect mixture of military-grade precision and free-flowing creativity. From event and television production to strategic public relations, Gabrielle hopes to inspire and empower all people and servicemembers to conquer the mental blocks that are holding them back from living a life they truly desire.