Care for Natural Hair
Informing and Normalizing. Reference Site that celebrates Natural Hair and answers questions for those with and without it.
In TV shows and Movies alike, people with wavy or curly hair have often been presented as unruly and ugly. One of the easiest examples to reference is Princess Diaries. There a countless examples of women becoming "more beautiful" with a makeover consisting of straightening her hair. In the Black Community, the problem is larger considering the overall lack of many black women with natural hair shown on TV. This example from a kid's shows "Winx Club" is distresing showing one of the few black character's crying and being made fun of when her hair goes from straight to curly. For the rest of the show, her hair remains straight, insulting Black Women who wear afros that are non-conventional, yes, but beautiful nonetheless.
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In the media and in society, there is a greater celebration of looser textured hair. The celebration of a specific hair type or skin color on a larger scale, or colorism, often delays women from wearing their natural hair, afraid that they will become lesser than or not be as beautiful. Increasingly acknowledging colorism in the black community and society is extremely important. The deep-set idea that one type of hair is greater than the other is saddening and ridiculous. When properly taken care of, natural hair is gorgeous regardless of the length, texture, or curl pattern. None is greater than the other.
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Another factor that delays many women from wearing their natural hair is the idea, upheld by society, that natural hair is unprofessional. There are various styles that black women to look both beautiful and professional. Below are three *professional* black women exemplifying how simple wearing your natural hair can be. Brittany Noble, Janai Norman, and Leah Uko are three black news anchors who either recieved backlash or faced internal difficulty for wearing their natural hair at work. Janai Norman, an ABC News correspondent, stated "To free my curls, I first had to free my mind." Starting to wear your natural hair in any environment will be difficult but not impossible.The purpose of this website is to help black women take steps towards wearing their natural hair and create awareness for that to become increasingly easier. Head over to the Take Action page to see how.
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