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[scullies]

On Jada, Willow and Insecurities Passed Down Through GenerationsJada Pinkett-Smith is aware of the critics that frown up their noses at the way she raises her daughter, Willow. Willow cuts, dyes and styles her hair as she pleases, a fact that bothers many who feel girls shouldn’t have that much control over their appearance at such a young age

Comments

[kitanabychoice]

Every time this comes up, I love it even more. I mean, why shouldn't a young girl have some control over how she looks? Especially when it comes to black girls, who are already under immense pressure to conform to a certain look anyway. When I was growing up, I had such a struggle with my hair -- when I permed it, it was limp and clung to my head and I didn't know how to style it to make it look different. My interests lay elsewhere so I never learned how to use a flat iron/curling rod/etc to make myself look like other girls. But if my hair wasn't perfectly straight, I got called nappy headed and was told that I was ugly. The only time I looked acceptable to my peers and other black adults was when my hair was braided up, which kept it marginally neater.

Even now as an adult with natural hair, I still get looks and people tell me I need to "do something" with my hair, as if my natural afro is not good enough for some reason. Everyone likes it when I have braids (and I like braids, but I like them for their convenience, since I hate washing my hair every morning), but I am tired of being policed about my hair and it being a topic of discussion!

[ameliorate]

-blinks- What the heck is wrong with people?