I love the song by India Arie “I Am Not My Hair” because it covers a subject that is very important. As a young African American growing up in what you would call the “hood”, I noticed how African Americans have always placed great emphasis on their hair.

Your hair is ugly if it’s short and nappy or really curly. But your hair is beautiful if it’s long and straight or wavy. We hate what the LORD has given us. If we claim Black is Beautiful why do we continually contradict ourselves by revering the long hair, light skin, light eyes women and men among us. There is nothing wrong if you have these features, but it’s seriously wrong when we look at them as if they are blessings from the LORD.

I think this type of thinking has infected the minds of the African American for long enough. It is backwards and ignorant. I don’t need to prove I’m beautiful by perming my hair and flipping it around, because then I would be ugly. Not by perming my hair (I like to wear my hair straight sometimes), but by thinking that if my is hair straight, only then I can be beautiful.

I have struggled with the concept that Black is Beautiful for a long time. Mostly because of the influences that are around me. Every time you turn on the television the People of Color are mostly light skinned, especially the women.

Now I am not hating on light skinned people, I am a light brown complexion and my Father is very light skinned. What I am hating is the self hatred that cripples the African to this day. It is time for us as a people to move forward with the rest of the world and better ourselves.

Now I know some of you may have some thoughts you may like to share, so please feel free to do so. Leave a comment or register to the Wiggy Wack Weblog and write your own post. I am thinking about making this a weekly post about people’s problem with self image.

Peace, Wiggy Wack ♥

Related posts:

1. Wiggy’s Long Overdue Good Hair Review
2. I’m Natural
3. Good Hair Review Coming Soon