Good Hair versus Bad

Guest Blogger: Lavender T. Brown.

This subject is sad to me as a Black woman. The media has played this tune to the pander of many - magazine covers filled with pictures of white ladies with flowing hair ,music videos etc..the black female role models have played well to this tune as well - Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Tyra herself and countless others who wear wigs etc......... If we had models that stood up to maintaining natural hair - not necessarily afros but just looking after and MAINTAINING THE GROWTH OF RELAXED OR TEXTURISED HAIR - we would not have any of this.

I have told myself I WILL NEVER WEAR A WIG OR WEAVE AGAIN - I wore one for 2 years as I was looking after my newly born son and young daughter. So I started afresh - cut my hair right down as it was severley damaged by the weave and wig - maybe due to poor maintenance. In 2007 - I trimmed my hair right down and had a curly perm.

Friends and family were wondering why I was keeping such short hair and encouraged me to get a wig. My my hair dresser - bless her - said I should not be tempted to wear either a wig or weave. She advised that I should just keep on moisturising ,self steaming and eating well. I was discouraged a few times along the way sporting a short mop of hair - but I wanted nice strong hair - so I stayed focus.

Now my hair is long and gorgeous. I have naturally thin hair so it's not big and full but it's lovely. The same people - family and friends - who were dissing my hair are constantly wondering and asking how my hair is so long and nice. They forget it took patience, resistant to wearing weaves, prayer and determination to love and maintain hair that grows from my own sculp!!!!!!!! Selah!!!

Yes this subject is very difficult to deal with emotionally and it's so politically and socially wired and charged. I personally DON'T MIND relaxed, straightened hair or anything to make the hair manageble - because we have to be practical - going to work, raising children and trying to rush out the door before managing the afro ***!!

I WOULD NOT be in favour of Michelle growing an afro as my dear friend Ulla suggested. My problem is women WHO DO NOT WEAR THEIR OWN HAIR. It bugs me. A lot of blacks (some whites as well - but mainly black though) who wear wigs and weaves as a matter of 'course'. I mean day in day out, year in year out.

My previous church was predominantly west African. Girls and women would flick their wigs and weaves like it's their own hair. The 11 years I had been in that church, NOT ONCE had I seen some of them with their own hair - whether straightened or permed. Hair from their own SCULP!!

Gosh, where do those ladies fling the wig as soon as it's bed time? As gorgeous the black, brown or blond wig is, do they say ''goodnight darling'' to their husbands or partners then take the fake hair off for bed? And what do we have underneath? Kinky afro, plaits, no hair perhaps? It's crazy.