Exploring natural hair in an American context

Members of the historically black Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. held a discussion panel on the topic of natural hair in the African-American community. The discussion, which took place on Tuesday, was facilitated by Sigma Gamma Rho vice president Kinaya Hardie.

It featured five panelists who were all African-American women affiliated with Sigma Gamma Rho who had natural hair. Natural hair is what the black community calls hair that has not been altered by relaxers, chemicals or perming.

Each panelist discussed why they chose to forego altering their hair and ‘go natural.’ NaShona Kess said that she wanted her hair to be healthier, while Portia Rouse believes that natural hair is cheaper to maintain. Jennifer Eden chose to go natural her freshman year of college, when she realized she didn’t want to look like everybody else.

The first issue the panel discussed was representation of natural hair in the media.

“I think that it’s becoming more accepted in the media... There are a lot of children’s shows that now depict young black children with natural hair as opposed to having perms,” Kess said.

She told the story about a woman who worked at a news station in Baltimore whose hair became an issue when she chose to go natural. However, she said that times are changing for the better as people have started to understand why black women want to wear their hair natural.

“I think that the biggest thing is that... the majority [of people] don’t necessarily understand why we want to be natural,” Kess said. “I think it’s an intimidation thing. But it is becoming more accepted and I really appreciate that.”

Rouse talked about the belief that some types of natural hair are more desirable than other types.

“I think [the idea of] good hair versus bad hair is ridiculous. Because we all have our hair, so however it comes is how it comes,” she said.

Eden agreed, praising the recent upsurge of celebrities and social media personalities with natural hair.

“Within the natural hair community, we tend to give a lot of length shaming and texture shaming,” she said. “But now that we’re able to see it, on TV and on Youtube and on Instagram... I think it’s really helping to show folks that natural hair isn’t just one thing or one definition.”

The panelists also discussed the representation of natural hair in business and politics. Not one of them believed that Barack Obama would have been elected president if Michelle Obama had natural hair.

“Malia [Obama] had locks at one point, and the media ripped her to shreds,” Eden said. “Next thing you know, both [Obama children] had perms.”

The panelists were also doubtful that women with natural hair could hold positions of power in business, media and politics.

“Our hair represents strength. When [white people] see that, they feel intimidated... So I don’t think we’re going to see that anytime soon,” Kess said. “Because they haven’t separated that hair from the person... and they want somebody that they can control.”

Rouse added on how going natural was empowering for black women.

“The problem is that non-black people don’t know what to do with our strength,” she said. “It can be our hair, it can be the things we’re doing in the community, but people don’t know what to do with strength that they can’t beat.”

An issue that the panelists disagreed on was cultural appropriation of traditionally black hairstyles. Kess did not have a problem with whites wearing braids and dreadlocks.

“For me, I’m not offended if I see a white person wearing box braids,” she said. “I find that flattering. For me it seems that we are now in control. Because they continue to want to be more and more like us.”

Many others disagreed, believing that whites were often praised and celebrated for wearing traditionally black hairstyles, whereas blacks were stigmatized. Eden brought up the fact that celebrities like Kim Kardashian are paid for posting photos of themselves wearing cornrows on Instagram, whereas blacks rarely are.

“It’s really offensive that folks who don’t look like us, who don’t have our history and our historical context, get to profit,” she said. “That was never an option until white people started doing it.”

After the discussion, panelists answered questions from the audience and gave hair care tips.

Sophomore Blessing Ogunyemi enjoyed the discussion, especially the question-and-answer session.

“I started taking care of my natural hair like two years ago. They had another meeting last year, I think, on a similar topic, and it was really interesting,” she said. “I was glad that I was able to come and ask some questions.”

Sophomore Chelsea Egbuna originally came to the event for hair advice but was also glad the discussion focused on the social and political aspects of natural hair as well.

“I see these things happening every day but, to hear people who are in the community... and who understand our background, that was actually a surprise to me,” she said.