Every time Bey and Blue step out, the natural hair naysayers speak out in droves. Enough is enough. Here's an open letter to all of Blue's curl critics.
Hair. It’s one of the most controversial subjects to discuss with Black people. While there are other more important subjects for us to talk about, like Black on Black crime or the school to prison pipeline, we seem to focus our energy on trivial things like how someone chooses to wear their hair.
One of the most-talked-about people when it comes to hair these days is Queen Bey’s firstborn, Blue Ivy. Every single time an image of baby Blue hits the net all the of chatter surrounds her tresses… and almost all the comments about her hair are negative.
Beyoncé was recently spotted out and about with Blue. Bey was wearing a teased, wavy bob and Blue’s hair was in a textured afro. Per the usual, the negative comments began to roll in. (Read one of the many comment threads on Instagram here.) The majority of the chatter revolved around Blue’s hair not being combed. Many griped about Beyoncé not taking the time to care for her daughter’s hair and that Blue, at the very least, needed some grease and a bow to make her look more “presentable.”
As I read the comments, I couldn’t help but notice the negativity towards afro-textured hair in general. Why is it when we wear our hair in its natural state the perception is that it isn’t combed? Why does adding an accessory to our hair make it “presentable?” Why isn’t wearing our hair in its natural state enough? No one made a comment about Beyoncé’s weave. In all honesty, it didn’t look all that great. But instead of making comments about about Bey’s messy mane, people chose to focus on a toddler’s hair. It’s like we give weave a pass and natural hair takes all of the heat. I just don’t get it.
Say what you want, but whether we want to admit it or not, some of us have negative perceptions about our own hair. Why else would so much attention be placed on Blue’s hair and not Beyoncé’s? Truth is, Blue’s hair was presentable. Her tresses are gorgeous just the way they are.
What say you? Do you think natural hair is “presentable” only when accessorized or style in a particular way? Do you think people give passes to people with weave, but go in on natural hair? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.Briana McCarthy is a writer, blogger and editor of The Mane Source. When she’s not blogging about hair and beauty, she’s enjoying her Chicago hometown with her hubby and two children. Chat her up on Facebook and Instagram.
Briana McCarthy is a writer, blogger and editor of The Mane Source. When she’s not blogging about hair and beauty, she’s enjoying her Chicago hometown with her hubby and two children. Chat her up on Facebook and Instagram.