Why is the word “relaxer” used to refer to adding chemicals to hair that is in its natural state?
After adding chemicals, the hair and its owner are anything but relaxed when it comes to long-term maintenance and styling.
During the weeks, months, or years chemicals are re-added to the hair’s dwindling natural follicles; you see and feel less and less of the authentic texture and grain that was on the head from birth, and more and more of the “relaxed” version of the hair.
Weather, environmental elements and their changes, activity, and sometimes just the finicky nature of a younger or older woman’s chemically altered hair are then added to the mix and make for some extremely challenging times when a girl’s hair just will not do what a girl wants it to do.
Why then, do so many girls and women of color beg to have their naturally curly-coily-kinky hair chemically altered in an attempt to try to make it look just like the hair seen in many advertisements and various media?
The simple answer might be images.
Images that unfortunately can reflect something unnaturally created.
Images that may not mirror what we see when we look into our personal “natural mirrors.”
Images that cost thousands of dollars and just as much if not more of our time and ones that require the use of products that might not be as kind to our health and wellness as natural products can be.
However, when the day finally comes that we muster up enough self-awareness, self-capacity, self-determination, and self-love of our natural images, we eagerly rush to embrace our “natural selves” and our natural hair.
The natural transition from a stress-filled “relaxed” condition of our naturally curly-coily-kinky hair brings with it an abundance of hair versatility, illuminating healthiness, and authentic beauty that human beings are known to enjoy when we encounter the very things of nature.
That is when we can truly relax and begin to love our hair in its natural state.
Co-written by a teen girl and her mom, Danielle M. Biggs & Sharon M. Biggs, both of whom made the bodacious decision to transition from “relaxed” hair back to their natural curly-coily-kinky hair almost six months ago…and, they love every strand of it!
Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. This 24-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/. Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.
"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)
2 comments:
lovely post :)
hopefully we can get others to realize this as well! I feel like the younger generation is more open to it, whereas the older generation is set in their ways. Just grew up in different times, ya know?
i transitioned with NaturallyCurly.com's "grow out challenge" w/ Miss JEssie's. been natural for about 5 months now after a year long transition.
for pictures of curly hair, coily hair, "kinky" hair i always refer people to this site for curly photos from real people --> http://www.naturallycurly.com/curly-hairstyles-pictures/index/Readers.html
much love :)
Eve ~ Thanks for your comments, encouragement, and leads about healthy products & websites...Your journey is inspiring...Peace.
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