For centuries, Africans and their descendants have used our hairstyles as one way to proudly honor our individuality. But many people don’t care enough to get to the root of the issue (pun intended). And so the criticism continues by Black people who are so messed up by having had our true identity stripped from us that we’re still worried about getting approval from other races and not fitting in.
We are still so much like our ancestors on the plantation who internalized the pain of realizing that the slaves with the straightest hair (often the mixed-race offspring of slavemasters) got better treatment.
I have two sons who visit the barber shop regularly. But if I had a daughter, I can’t say for sure whether I would straighten her hair or choose to let it flow naturally. I can only hope that whatever I chose to do would not need the endorsement of anyone but her father and me.
If Jasmine Toliver expected to get a rise or even a comment from Blue Ivy’s parents, then her efforts were an epic failure. (Toliver now says the petition was a joke.) In a week or so, she can figure our some other strategy to raise her social media Klout score, because this topic will be done. But the fascination with Black hair will go on and on and on.
What’s your take?
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Getting To The Root Of The Problem With Blue Ivy’s Hair was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
