The world of Beauty has been recently rocked by the news that famous celebrity Solange Knowles, the sister of Beyonce has done the "Big Chop". Chopping off all her lovely locks.
Then to add to the buzz Supermodel Tyra Banks on her show the Tyra Banks show. Decided to reveal to the world what her real hair looks like.
As if that is not enough to turn up the heat Chris Rock has joined the mix with his controversial movie soon to hit theaters called "Good hair".
All this has now drawn serious attention to the African American woman’s hair. In so much that Solange also recently made the Oprah show to discuss why she made the choice to chop off all her hair.
A popular website I recently read had an article asking the question
is the Big Chop a Hair Crime or Hollywood trend.
WHAT! Did I read this correctly.. a Hair Crime.. Against what? Against who?
A deceptive world view system... what a joke!
For some women these statements come as no big surprise but for others it should be viewed as a wake-up call.
What these statements say to our own inner thoughts about the way we feel about our own "Black Beauty".
In the movie "Good Hair" the term "creamy crack" is joked about as it shows women of color getting their hair fix off the chemical; by touching up those roots.
My question Ladies the term "creamy crack" how does that term make you feel?
For me one thing I know is that crack or a crackhead is not an up-lifting term.
So now we have yet another demeaning term thrown at us in a laughing light sorta way.
So I guess it should be ok.. I think NOT!!!
Well Ladies I hate to bring the reality check!!!
But the numbers do not lie.
The amount of creamy crack (relaxer and texturizer) sold each year is enough to make the chemical industry that produces these products a very successful billion dollar industry.
The Asians are making a killing as well selling synthetic, real, real fake, Indian hair,
and wigs to just to name a few.
Why is it that women of color buy so much weaves and wigs?
Why do we run and get that touch-up on time every single time?
Some will argue I just want to change my look and that may be the surface Truth.
However, there is a deeper meaning as to why we touch-up those roots as soon as the kink is coming in.
It's the same reason why we torture our daughters and put the chemical to their hair as soon as we can.
Ladies sad fact is "we are afraid of our nappiness".
We are afraid we may not be accepted by society if we bare our natural curls.
I am not saying this is the case for ALL of us.
However, this is a True fact for so many of us...
So many that the Hair industry is a billion dollar business.
For those you that may not know what the term Big Chop means.
The Big Chop is simply chopping the hair off.
Many women going natural allow their new growth to grow in enough so they can chop off the processed portion or chemically treated part of the hair.
This is usually a very drastic look from any look they had previously.
This move usually causes quite an uproar with friends, family, co-workers and so on.
Sometimes you get praised and other times chuckled at, OK real talk laughed at.
Called names like tennis ball head, man head, not cute... and I can go on...
Many times you have to defend your Big Chop position to others.
This is a very serious step Ladies...
Many women that do the big chop like Solange say they no longer want to conform to what society sees as Beautiful.
They no longer want to be slaves to the deceptive world view on Hair and what they define is Beautiful...
Free at Last, Free at Last...Thank God Almighty we can be Free at Last...
I commend the Ladies like Solange and so many others...
Thank you for giving women of color everywhere the courage..
To take this step towards True Beauty..
Thank you for giving women of color everywhere the courage..
To take this step towards True Beauty..
For some African American women and men it remains a more controversial issue.
As African American women are almost not considered beautiful if they wear their natural unprocessed kinky curls. The risk being rejected not only by society but there men as well.
This theory goes as far back into history if any of you dare to go there.
Anaiyah~
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