I am so sick of the stereotypes of beauty! It makes me want to go find scissors right now and chop my hair off completely. Or even better yet, wear chocolate brown foundation to make my skin appear 5 shades darker. Now realistically, I like my long natural hair and I don't plan on cutting it anytime soon; I also enjoy my skin color and would look like a fool with dark makeup on. I just hate the stereotypes.
What I hate even more than the stereotypes of beauty, are when people say "I don't have a 'type'". Igga Please! Yes you DO have a type! Every female you have ever talked to is a "long-haired thick red bone." Please do not feed me or anyone else that garbage.
Everyone has preferences and I understand that. I prefer oranges over apples. I prefer meat lovers pizza while you prefer veggie pizza. My preferences are my preferences and they probably wont change any time soon. I just hate the history associated with the stereotypes of beauty and the lengths that people will go to in order to attain that beauty.
Ever since WE (yes, i said we) were no longer in slavery, we attempted to assimilate with white society. Light skin was IN! Straight hair was IN! Those things were more white and our ancestors believed that would help them fit in. Our grandparents or great-grandparents may be familiar with the brown paper bag test (for skin color) or the pencil test (for straight hair). Often times, those that did pass these tests were mulattos. It's just sad to me that the standards of beauty have not changed that much over time. Sure there might be a season where "dark skin is in" but at the end of the day the historical stereotype prevails. Geez, Chris Rock even made the documentary "Good Hair, Bad Hair" to show the lengths women go to for "good hair." But who really defines what good hair is? who really defines what beauty is? At the end of the day, everything is relative.
I will admit that I am a victim of succumbing to the societal pressures of beauty. Even though I have never gotten a perm (also known as relaxer) in my life, I am constantly straightening my hair. Granted, putting that much heat on my hair regularly it is not healthy. I don't care. I like my hair straight. Other people like my hair straight. And straight hair is considered "professional." I get the most compliments when my hair is straight and/or curly. Maybe if I received just as many compliments (or more) of my natural hair, I would wear my natural hair more often. Or maybe I just like my hair being straight. Is it wrong of me to like my hair being straight - which is stereotypical.
Quarter Life Crisis: This Friday I am getting a weave for the first time in my life. I used to joke with my friends about getting one but I was never serious. I mean, c'mon now, my hair is relatively long. However, I have always wanted long(er) curly hair. So I am doing it! If I don't like it, I can always take it out. As opposed to doing something much more dramatic like cutting my hair, which I can't easily get back. Anyway, I'll def post an update and pics with my "new" hair.
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Your paragraph about straightening your hair is quite interesting to me. I am nautral and have been for 2.5 years now. A couple weeks ago I straightened my hair for the first time. I got tons of compliments on it, even after I washed it out and began wearing my afro again. People kept telling me how beautiful I was and how pretty I looked, as if they can't see it or I am invisible when I am wearing an afro. I must say, it was very surprising to realize just how much having an afro obscures people's perception of me. They genuinely cannot see past my hair. Contrastly, I felt so counterfeit with straight hair. I felt like I was going against who I really am. I felt like I had conformed and lost my individuality; like I was just like everyone else, blended in and lost in the crowd. I do not believe you are wrong for wanting to wear your hair straightened if that is what you want to do. By that same token, it should not be wrong or looked down upon if I choose to wear my hair in an afro or twisted. As long as it is clean and groomed, that should be considered "professional". And I shouldn't be thought to be any less beautiful whether I have an afro, straight hair, or I am bald. My face does not change no matter the style, and more importantly, I do not change. I am still the same person, kinky or straight.
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