Thursday, August 06, 2009

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Sharon J.)

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories
(Sharon J.'s Story)
Background / I'm a Cleveland resident and native. I've worked as a newspaper and magazine reporter, substitute teacher, telemarketer, shoe saleswoman, hotel maid, hotel reservation clerk. I am currently a secretary at a state university and a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in English.
Hairstyle / I wear a short Afro. It's about a half an inch high. I have been wearing my hair natural for almost eight years. At one time, my natural hair reached my shoulders. I often wore twists and twist outs. Last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to undergo chemo therapy and my hair began to fall out. I had thick twists hanging from one or two strands of hair. My sister, who is a hair stylist, shaved my head. I wore a short wig for about five months. My hair is starting to grow back now--a little grayer than before, but that's okay. People told me that my hair might be a different texture than it was prior to the chemo therapy; it would come back "nice" with a soft, wavy texture. I'm happy to say that my hair returned to its nice African texture.
Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I quit a job around the same time the economy took a nose dive. Rule number 1--don't quit a job if you don't have another one lined up. I couldn't afford to keep up my relaxed hair and it started to break off. Either Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve of 2001, I decided to cut the perm out. It just got good to me, I guess. I wound up with a three-inch Afro. I haven't been to a hair salon since that time. I just can't afford it. Besides, I have always liked natural, African textured hair. I think women who wear natural styles look very modern and stylish.
Support for your natural look / I've gotten mixed responses. I began to wear my hair natural while working as a substitute teacher. One of the students told me I looked like Macy Gray, and she didn't mean it as a compliment. I told her, that's okay, at least Macy Gray can spell. I know I was wrong, but I could resist. Another time I was working in the ticket booth at a theater and these two Black female supervisors called me into the office to tell me they had problems with my grooming. My hair was fairly long and thick. I used to wear a hair band. One of these daughters of Satan told me that my hair style got in her craw, and if I knew how much Black women had to struggle to get ahead that I wouldn't wear my hair that way. I'm happy to say that I do get encouragement from a lot of people that I respect for their fashion sense and pride in being Black.
Response to negative commentary / I usually ignore insults directed at me. I'm braver when it comes to defending other people when they're insulted about their natural hair.
A woman or women with natural hair whose style you admire / Macy Gray, Jill Scott, Michel Martin, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Tracee Ellis Ross and Whoopi Goldberg.
Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products / I got in the habit of washing my hair with baby shampoo daily after my hair fell out. I still do that now that I have hair. I follow that with either Miss Jessie's products or curl activator. My sister works well with natural hair. It's good to find a stylist who knows how to treat your hair.
Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Save yourself some money and go natural.
Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair that you'd like to share or recommend / Missjessies.com is good. It shows before and after pictures featuring twist out styles. MotownGirl.com provides a lot of useful advice on caring for natural hair. Nappturality.com also is great. It helps dispel the myth that African textured hair can't get long. Essence Magazine is a wonderful source of encouragement. It offers lots of options for styling natural hair.
Definition of a natural woman / A natural woman appreciates the way God made her and is not afraid to show it.
"Sharon J.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).
Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Sharon J.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.
Thank You!

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Pamella R.)

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories
Pamella R.'s Story
Pamella R.
Background / My name is Pamella R. and I am a 53 year old who currently resides in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. I am originally from Flint, Michigan and I spent over 16 years in Long Beach, California.

Hairstyle / Presently, I wear my hair in locs. I wore my natural hair for many years during junior high, high school and adulthood. During the '80s I wore my hair permed and in the dreaded Jheri curl. Through the first half of the '90s I went back and forth between a natural hairstyle and having a perm, until chemicals finally destroyed my hair. My hair had to be cut into a small natural, which grew relatively quickly. On the day I graduated from community college in May 1995, I twisted my hair and never looked back.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I wear my hair natural because it makes me feel good and look good. While I still have to go to the salon to get re-twisted every six weeks, I no longer have to smell chemicals and burning hair, like in the traditional beauty shops, oops, I mean salons.

Support of your natural look / Everyone has been supportive of my hair choice, for the most part. Nobody seems to care whether or not I wear locs; however, I find that some Black women ask me why I do not dye my hair black, rather than leaving it salt and pepper. I usually tell them that it is a personal choice not to dye my hair, as I do not see myself as being defined by hair color or other superficial constraints that society tries to place on me.

Negative reactions / I cannot recall offhand any truly negative comments that I have received regarding my hair choice. If I have, the compliments exceeded any negative response. I do wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me "how long have you been growing your hair?"

Response to negative commentary / If I had to respond to a negative comment, I would say, quite sweetly, "You wear your hair the way you want and I will do the same."

Women with natural hair whose style you admire / Alice Walker and Toni Morrison are my mentors because they sported their locs when the styule was less popular and made it more mainstream.

Any useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products you'd like to share? / Keep your hair clean and don't put a lot of different products in your hair. Make sure you condition your hair after you wash it and remember, "greasing" your scalp clogs the pores and does not promote growth.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / The style is a commitment to a new paradigm and it is not for everyone. You've got to be ready for a life altering change. I guarantee you will feel freeer when and if you go natural.

Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair that you'd care to recommend? / Yes, the following books:

--Nice Dread: Hair Care Basics and Inspiration for Colored Girls Who've Considered Locking Their Hair by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner.

--Locs for Life: The Root to Well Being for African-American Women by Kalimah Johnson

--Hairlocking: Everything You Need to Know: African, Dread and Nubian Locks- by Nekhena Evans

Additional Commentary / I would like to add to all those reading this-- your hair is a part of you. Nobody has the right to touch you without permission. I have strangers coming up to me, touching my hair, and I find it disturbing, quite frankly. I sometimes try to be diplomatic and explain to them that they would not like it if I came up to them out of the blue and started touching their hair. Just because my hair is long does not mean you can touch it. Sometimes I become downright grumpy about it, because not only are you touching me without permission, I don't know where your hands have been!

Definition of a natural woman / My definition of a natural woman is one who knows herself and stays true to that knowledge.

If you'd like to learn more about

Pamella R.

visit her blog

Traces Of A Stream.

"Pamella R.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Pamella R.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. Thank You!