What do u think, am I weird or something or other? I go visit my mama from time to time on the weekends in my hometown. I rarely, if ever, leave her house, but this weekend I had to make a run to town. I don't ever go visit family or for that matter, anyone, but her. I saw a couple of people that I haven't seen in years, since high school ('95 --- GOOOO YELLOWJACKETS!). The first place their eyes make a landing at is on my head. I mean, folks couldn't even look me in my eyes or at my feet, they looked me straight in my hair. And yeah, I know, my hair has gotten pretty big and I had it out that day. I thought it was wonderful! I look totally different from the high school Sonya. My hair then was permed to death, cut really short & teeny tiny curls all over. Now it's NAPPY! OMG, this makes some folks nerves bad. I had someone to say, "Sonya I didn't know you started your dreds!?" I told her I didn't. Then she said, "Well what's that in your head? Are those twists!?" I said no, it's my hair. The whole time she's asking these questions, her nose is tooted up in the air as if she's disapproving of me. This same person, looking like a big Peterbilt Truck from behind, asked at the beginning of my journey if I was gonna just start looking dirty like all the natural people she's seen on tv? I don't understand small minds like hers. I started thinking about all the nappyheads I know from my hometown. I saw none. I know of three people that have gone nappy and moved, but none that these people can see day in & day out. Soooo, that does make me an oddity I suppose. Or does that make me unique? Because fried, dyed, & laid to the side is the majority and considered "normal" does this make me abnormal? O well. HI HATAS!
Chorus from India Arie's I Am Not My Hair
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
Yeah we gotta shake those HATAS off! By the way you killed me with that..'looking like a big Peterbilt Truck.' Girl you always make me laugh.
ReplyDeleteLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL *breathe* LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOL *GASP* LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pe-terbilt IN THE HOUSE! I cried! love it. FIRST OFF... you were made to be the Salt & the LIGHT... so.. if everybody wanna offset their shine... let em... how-some-ever... be who God ORDAINED you to be... and what is that? THE LIGHT... Shine on em girl!
ReplyDeleteI feel you,I feel you I just moved to Biloxi,Miss from Virginia Beach.I feel very weird wearing my afro all I get are shameful looks from the negroes down here so I pretty much keep my hair in twist until I go home for visits.It is such a shame we cannot accept our own nappiness.
ReplyDeleteIt's one thing for people to just not like nappy hair, i mean, that's their preference as adults.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone is self-hating because of that.
I think the fact that some people let it get to them is what makes it difficult. If you just brush it off, then it doesn't matter. Of course Black people are gonna be the first ones to comment on your hair, 'cause white people ain't that bold. White people compliment you sometimes when they don't mean it. They just notice your 'differences' and feel the need to say something.
I feel like people weigh too much into what others think of their natural hair choices.