I’ve come a long way from being someone’s muse in their art underneath the threads and in front the camera lens. I used to take it really serious at one point until one day a great opportunity came my way. It was to feature in a Black national magazine ad for a new natural Black hair product.
I was beyond happy to be chosen and looked forward to presenting myself in American media as a Black women with my natural crown. I had already went through years of unlearning the self-hate I had for my natural curl pattern. I grew up so brainwashed and socialized to think that I had to change myself to fit the norms in society...just to think that there is one ideal look that is considered to be the top of beauty standards and everywhere you go you’re told that look ain’t mine...or not considered an appropriate look on my body but appropriate look on another body...just imagine the daily pressure placed on the human psyche. Shoot that pressure started to feel normal although stressful. But I eventually started to learn to love the diversity of looks I have naturally especially when I would walk into work or school with a new hairstyle and people thought I was the new person 😝 never a dull moment.
But times were changing, styles were changing and so were the stereotypes. Or so I thought until I received a call as I was getting ready to show up for my photoshoot and was told that they need to chemically relax my hair. Now I’m confused and asked why if this is a “natural” hair shoot?...their response: “We need your hair straightened to have more mass appeal.”
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