What the – HAIR??

 

I dedicate this post to all fearless women!

Haven’t we all had hair discussions with our girlfriends?

It’s a timeless topic and keeps us talking for hours. We usually start with complaints, and by the end of the conversion, we end it with the knowledge that some new method or product will help relieve our hair stresses.

I remember the first time when I cut my hair very short. It was a boyish cut on the left and long on my right side. When I met people, there always seemed a need to comment on my hair. I would hear, “Oh, you are so brave, I could never cut my hair like that” Why did you cut your hair? Don’t you miss your long hair? I would have to explain the reasons behind my free choice. I understand the curiosity behind me cutting my hair, but the absent reality by their questions and stares is; that my hair will grow!

I grew up in a home where hair was considered a girl’s treasure and pride.

Worldwide thinking that exists amongst cultures and traditions. No matter where you are from, this idea probably lives there too.

The routine of washing and drying it was part of growing up. The longer and shinier my hair was, the prettier I would become. I was never allowed to cut my hair or change it. It didn’t feel like my hair belonged to me.  As a child I never really understood why my hair needed to define who I was. As I grew older and matured, I began to see how important the community’s opinions were.  What would people say? It was the beginning and closing of all arguments. Who were these people? I didn’t care what they thought, yet the length of my hair seemed to be their decision.

Can we change ourselves? Don’t we own this, right?

My hair has always been a significant curiosity for me. The color, texture, and length intrigued me. As a child, I would sit in front of the mirror, brushing it in all directions. Then, I would imagine it with a different color and length. I had a box full of various colored hair accessories, and thinking about it makes me smile in memory.

Genetics plays a significant factor when it comes to hair. New technologies, innovations, and creativity has provided people with my options to change the texture and appearance of their hair. There are so many new and improved products that allow you to mess with your genetics.

Instagram, Snapchat, and apps like Tik Tok show young girls and boys how to creatively change their hair. There is so much online content that’s just a click away. So why are we still wearing the same old hairstyles from last year? Why are we not willing to experiment and try new things? What’s holding us back from changing?

Do you know your hair?

My hair is straight and wavy. My hair has good and bad days! When I am not in the mood to deal with my hair, my cap takes over!

It’s straight when I blow dry it, but when I leave it to air dry, it’s wavy. My original hair color is nonexistent. I started dying my hair when I was 15 years old.  The memory of secretly hiding my dyed hair under a shower cap and falling asleep with it still makes me laugh. I woke the next day with orange hair and a very unhappy mother. She could not do much, and unfortunately, I had to endure the laughter and constant teasing from my schoolmates. It didn’t bother me, I changed my hair, and I knew that the results were temporary. That is when my hair adventure began.  Knowing that whatever I did to it was only temporary made it even more appealing. I gelled it and rocked a fierce wet look until I felt that it was boring. I experimented with different hair cuts and allowed it to grow long too.

This was my own trend that worked for me. The more I changed my hair, the more detached I became from it.

I observed how the girls my age obsessed about their hair. When it became unhealthy and brittle, they would buy new and improved shampoo and conditioners to make it healthy again. The idea of cutting the damage off and allowing it to regrow was a taboo subject. I was a young and naïve girl myself and didn’t really have many sources to turn to when understanding hair.

The real turning point for me was when I was sixteen, we were on our way to a wedding. My black and white striped palazzo pants and the matching top looked great that day. I felt pretty but unsettled. My long hair irritated my back. I couldn’t anymore, and I knew that my parents would be disappointed if I cut it. But, knowing the reality behind the scissors I was holding didn’t make me afraid but more eager to do it. So instead, I leaned over the toilet and cut it short. My friend standing across me gasped. How could you? she shouted. I laughed and said, it will grow back, and if it doesn’t, I don’t care.

But so many women do care about their hair! They have formed an invisible obsessive relationship with it. What we think of ourselves stems from what we think of our hair. Men, culture, traditions, and society have become part of our hairy existence. We grow our hair so that the opposite sex can flatter and admire us. It’s become a symbol of our beauty. People see our hair before they see us. Men have been given the right to form opinions about our hair, and we play into the game. Have you ever seen a commercial where the woman flicks her hair as the men watch her walk? The beauty industry has done a fantastic job convincing us that our hair is our true beauty. If you want it to be as thick, shiny, long, and healthy as the models in hair commercials, then you need to buy all the products that promise you it will. It’s become a never-ending cycle, and it will probably continue until the test of time.

Does it mean you a feminist when you have a short haircut?

At the naïve age of fifteen, the word feminism wasn’t even part of my vocabulary. I wasn’t anywhere near comparing myself to the opposite sex, nor were my decisions about myself any indication of the changes that needed to happen in the world. I was just doing me, and I am sure that many women express their identity every day without hidden intentions. As a society, we need to start accepting the desire to be original and authentic. Yet, shockingly, people remain true to themselves, and I am glad that I know who I am!

Finally, when I look back at the thousands of pictures my android has captured over the last decade of my life, what will I see?

Who will you see when you look back at yourself? Let’s face it, the reality of our future appearance will continue to be a mystery until we finally arrived at the golden age of life. Unfortunately, no app will show you 100 percent the actual image of what you will look like.

We can make sure that we take care of ourselves in the present moment so that we are not filled with regrets when we get there.

We can also appreciate who we once were and look back at how we changed. Knowing that our evolution was based on free will and expression!

Have a fantastic HAIR day!!!

Superlady!