“I’m not anti-relaxer…”

 

“A co-worker would regularly get on me about going natural, so I tried it out but I’m not anti-relaxer. I would actually relax my hair again to try a short pixie cut. My hair does define who I am, but I’m also very comfortable with regularly changing my hair styles.”

“I’m still the same person, my hair is just different….”

K (on the left): ” I didn’t get a relaxer until I was seven, but I’ve had a texturizer since I was five.  I’ve been natural for three years. I initially went natural because fibroids are common in my family. At the time, I was aware of a possible connection between fibroids and the chemical straightening process. I noticed that quite a few of the women in my family had thinning hair as well as some balding, so I wanted to do whatever possible to be more gentle with my own hair. In my family, my sister paved the way with natural hair because she had locs. In the workplace, my boss was supportive of my natural hair. Now I work in a more conservative building and I’m the only woman who has natural hair and I’ve noticed that (often times) older black women are the least supportive of my hair.”

N (on the right): “I’ve had locs for 15 years. When I initially went natural, my hair was super, super short. So short that my mother thought that I looked like a boy and I should get a relaxer. I loc’d my hair after five years in and never looked back! I’ve embraced my natural hair journey and oftentimes make my own hair products using olive, jojoba and tea tree essential oils. I do not understand when people refer to natural hair as not being professional. I’m still the same person, my hair is just different.”

“I’ve gone natural several times in my life….”

L (on the right): “I’ve gone natural several times in my life. I cut my hair short and eventually wore locks to then wear my hair loose. My hair has changed with my health throughout the years and has turned grey as well. The whole process of being natural has really taught me that wearing my hair as it is represents who I am and if someone doesn’t approve of that then I need to go elsewhere. ”

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