By: Courtney McKnight
March 2016. The last spring break of my undergrad career and I decided to spend it a little differently than most would. I remember being home from school and telling my mom my exciting news… “I’m cutting all my hair off!” She loved my hair as did a few others. My mom didn’t fight with me about it like I thought she would but that was still only the beginning of this battle. The battle with me versus society was the first that I thought about.
The next and probably largest battle was figuring out who was cutting my hair, and how to straighten hair? There were some decent barbers in the area that I’m from in Charleston, SC but I never knew any of them to be all that experienced in cutting a woman’s hair. After all, I wanted to keep my feminine features prevalent. One day I got on Instagram and started scrolling through various pages and found a great barber who was located in Atlanta.
I hadn’t been to Atlanta since I was in middle school so it was almost a no brainer to spend my spring break there! Thankfully he had an appointment available that week so I was good to go. Now that you have that brief back story, here is the explanation as to why I cut off three years of healthy natural hair growth.
Contrary to what most believe I did it for the experience. Yes, change is a part of that experience but it wasn’t the driving force for why I got my hair cut off. You’re probably thinking, what exactly did I want to experience? We as black woman have always been targets for objectified beauty. Our bodies, our hair, and even our skin have always been “part of the package”. Let me explain.
We have been scrutinized as black women about our hair since the beginning of time. It’s too nappy, too kinky, too dark, or just too “difficult to manage.” We’ve been told how pretty our hair is when it’s not in its naturally curly state. Black women on their jobs and at schools are being told their natural hair is unprofessional and disruptive. Black women with short hair are told they look manly.
I could pull up a list of nonblack celebrities whom have had short hair for years and that reference has never been thrown their way publicly. We deal with a lot of crap from society and the media. Before I got my hair cut I decided to watch some big chop videos on YouTube. There was one common theme that played across in every single video I watched, tears. Why was everyone crying?! Oh I forgot, they were removing one of the things that society has told us we must have as black women to be beautiful.
The other pretty big reason I cut my hair was so I could encourage other black women in a more compassionate and sincere way. It’s one thing to tell someone “everything is going to be okay” but when you’ve actually been through it it’s a lot easier to convince them of that. When I talk to girls that want to do the big chop because they want their hair to be healthier it’s much easier for me to say “go for it, it’s not that bad” because I know it really isn’t.
When I became fully natural I transitioned because I was absolutely terrified to be without hair so I can completely relate when I hear black women talk about that as their fear. It’s so important for me to express to other black women that they are beautiful with or without hair. Cutting my hair was all about proving to myself that the confidence I have in myself is real and it wasn’t dependent on the amount of hair on my head. Another thing I want to share with others is that your journey has to be just that, your own.
Don’t cut your hair because you think it will make you feel better about yourself or because you are seeking approval from others. I think I only told three or four people that I was cutting my hair before I did it. I knew there would be people that would hate it and people that would talk down on me for my decision. I knew I had to be confident in how I felt as a woman because I knew I would be treated differently for my decision.
Although most would say “It’s just hair” I can firmly disagree because I see how we as black women are treated over it. If it was just hair then the texture wouldn’t matter and be such a big deal in the workplace or schoolhouse. I do hope that one day we can truthfully say that it is just hair. Until then I will continue to encourage my sisters and let them know they are beautiful. I stood strong in how I felt and how I feel and I can say this hair cut was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Even a simple haircut or facial shave is in my opinion an expression of uniformity to following a certain trend or portraying a certain image.
haircuts
Even a simple haircut or facial shave is in my opinion an expression of uniformity to following a certain trend or portraying a certain image.
hair cut
Cutting your hair should not matter in your life. The defining moment in your life should be buying a research paper because this has tremendous effects on your life. This paper can get you to many places in life.
[…] be fearful that they can’t do it nicely. As a college student, I know this is very true. The buying a research paper worst thing that most people can do if it comes to essay writing is to […]
[…] so, you should realize that not many essay writers to earn good money. For that matter, not buying a research paper many individuals can write a compelling essay. Yet, there are a couple good places on the web where […]
[…] essay author ought to have a pure command of the buying a research paper written language. Essay authors are often hired by academic associations for composing essays for […]
[…] you must be aware of where precisely did you saw it? Did you just click on the connection of the buying a research paper page or did you actually click on the ad to gain entry to the […]
[…] it comes to buying custom buying a research paper essays  https://payforessay.net on the internet, you will discover that most services are […]
[…] a particular way. A college essay editor’s job is to make sure that these written standards buying a research paper are met. A writer is usually given directions on what should be written and how […]
[…] In response the professors who initially started the campaign against plagiarism have taken up buying a research paper the task and improved upon it, making it harder for pupils to pass their plagiarism tests. This has […]
[…] in mathematics, an essay structure may be seen as having four basic pieces. The debut is the part buying a research paper where the writer introduces the topic and its importance. The opening paragraph frequently […]
[…] a distinctive, professional style that’s now fast becoming the norm for academic writing. The buying a research paper development of any essay is a work of art — something anybody with a modicum of writing […]
[…] most important things that you ought to be aware of when you’re attempting to compose your buying a research paper essay is to research the subject well before you begin writing. If you do not understand anything […]
[…] out there that could promise to supply you with unique, compelling and convincing essays that will buying a research paper win you lots of awards and accolades in the end. How does the essay writing support to ensure that […]
[…] a search and then write a concise overview. When you complete the search, you’ll be asked a buying a research paper set of questions. You must answer every question […]
mingle free dating
free ts dating site in camp hill pa 17011
love scripts for dating free
any good free dating sites
I like that you said that you can inquire as to whether they can lessen the length of your hair until you’re fulfilled. My significant other is wanting to have his hair managed soon. He would not like to wind up with too-short hair cut a style so he’d prefer to be extra cautious in having his hairstyle. Much obliged for sharing this.
free dating simulation game
china free dating
free site dating ru
free dating website scripts
example keto diet
keto meal replacement
start keto diet
gay dating victoria bc https://freegaychatnew.com/
gay dating on facebook https://gaychatgay.com/
chadwidmann secret gay dating https://gaychatrooms.org/
gay dating after 40 https://gaychatus.com/
gay dating as a minority https://gay-singles-dating.com/
gay thugs dating site https://gaydatinglosangeles.com/
gay dating bahrain https://gaydatingcanada.com/
agoraphobic gay dating https://dating-gaym.com/
takipçi satın al
websites to write essays https://essaywritercentral.com/
college essay writing https://essayghostwriter.com/
write essay service https://essaypoints.com/
writing essays in college https://essaytag.com/
what to write college essay on https://essaysnet.com/
persuasive essay writing https://online2casino.com/
cheap custom essay writing services https://onlinecasinos4me.com/
usa casinos https://casinosonlinex.com/
casino no deposit free bonus https://onlinecasinoad.com/
write me an essay https://buy1essay.com/
writing a 5 paragraph essay https://student-essay.com/
the best essay writing services https://multiessay.com/
writing an argument essay https://essaytodo.com/
world of warcraft sex games https://sexgameszone.com/