A lot of black girls are doing it. They're calling it quits with the permanating and weaves and tracks and whatever else formerly went into to doing their hair. They're taking a bold step into having and caring for natural hair. As I hear it, it's supposed be better for their health and somehow empowering and confidence building. Personally, I have no problem with it. I like it just fine, and don't generally find natural hair any more or less attractive than processed hair. However, I think with your new hair and confidence should come some new rules. Just two actually, and for good reasons. I am a man and as such my opinion should not (and probably does not) matter to you, however, I am an American with a laptop and Internet access so I will state it and post it for the world to see anyways.
Rule #1- You got to let your man touch it.
It's pretty simple. For as long as I've lived that's been a huge no-no for black women. Smack on the booty? No big deal. Grab a breast from time to time? Well, a little booby never hurt nobody. But touch the hair? You are asking for the harshest of slaps and a good tongue lashing to go with it. But, up until your switch to natural hair, you've had an excuse. Your hair used to represent a large investment of time and money. And the things you were doing to your hair meant that it could very well fall out at anytime (or so I was led to believe). O!, the countless dollars earned, borrowed, and stolen only to be spent on your difficult, ethnic follicles.
But, my dears, this is no longer the case. To my knowledge, natural hair is significantly less costly (time- and money-wise) to deal with. And, you now have strong roots with no chemicals threatening to leave your scalp bald and shiny. The least you can do is let a brother feel in it a little bit. Natural hair is probably as new to him as it is to you. Let him experience a long with you.
Rule #2-You must accept that people have opinions
On more than one occasion I have been yelled at for calling someone's hair nappy. They were slightly offended by this, and they insisted that I didn't know anything about natural hair and that "natural" and "nappy" were synonyms in reference to black hair. I happen to disagree. I've seen natural done right, and I've seen natural done wrong. If someone tells you your hair looks jacked up, they're not just saying that because they've become so accustomed to permed hair. They're saying that because on a scale of 1-10 your hair is hittin on about a 2 as far as attractiveness goes. You cannot automatically assume the people who criticize your hair are simply ignorant or that their opinion is of no value. While it may be true that they don't understand natural hair, it doesn't change the fact you look like hobo/crazy cat-lady. Accept this, improve yourself, and move the fuck on.
And that's the rules of natural hair, from a guy who's been fussed at way too much. +50 existence points for reading to the end. +50 if you have natural hair. -40 if you won't let a brother (or sister, mother, father, uncle, cousin, anybody) touch it.
JOSH, THE SHERM
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