The other day, I was walking into the office where my internship is and I saw the guard at the door.
I always say greet them and gave him a cheerful ‘hello’.
The Guard then asked me quitely:
“Why do you have your hair out?”
I was surprised by this question, but not offended. I told him that I had my hair natural because I liked it and because that is how my hair is – natural, afro kinkiness.
He then smiled and said he liked it.
Meaning/Effect: This episode made me think. The guard was black, and sounded like he may have been from West Africa. Natural headed girls in London are here and there, but by no means the majority. And many black women do not wear their hair natural in the workplace. I’m always switching up my hair from braids to afro to twist outs, but the common denominator is my hair is not relaxed at all. I don’t think Afros look out of place in the Western workplace, because they are natural to me.
It’s all about perspective. I do like changing my hair all the time and I may change it in a few weeks, but I don’t ever want to feel that the kinks of my hair have to conform to an office ideal.
The curve of my Afro is part of me. And only I’ll choose when I want to extinguish it, not some office.
Charcoal Ink 
@Ann: Thank you for commenting and welcome back.
I think my hair is 4a (lol, the coarsest type out there I think).
People really do watch me different since I have been wearing my afro to work. I can’t be bothered to care anymore.
My kinks are sexy!
Lovely post, Aulelia.
(Long-time-no-see 😉
How have you been doing? Hope that all has been well with you. How is your magazine coming along?
It does not surprise me that the person who questioned your hair was a Black person. I get some of the most inane questions from Black people as well.
Many Black people have been brainwashed against their God-given features, as well as being used to seeing processed helmets on the heads of so many Black women, so they can be taken aback when they see someone like yourself proudly sporting what God gave you naturally. I mean, how else are you (and I) to wear our hair? Destroyed by a chemical process?
Then again, some Black women worry about how they will be received by all men (especially Black men) if they wear their hair in its natural state. That our beauty has been denigrated for so long is one thing that has to be contended with.
I also get you on the perspectives of how you wear your hair: onw day Afro, next week braids. Everyone likes a change and you just simply show that our beautiful natural hair CAN be worn in more ways than one.
On the hair spray/aerosol: depends on the hair type.
I cannot put holding gels/sprays on my hair because it is too fine (I think type 3a or 3b—-not too sure; but, if you like, I will look that up for you if you wish.), and some types of hair cannot take the chemicals found in aerosols/gels/jolding sprays.
Yes, a wide tooth comb has always been the best route for our natural hair. You also have to be careful that you do not put petrolatum-based products on your hair. They are heavy, weigh the hair down, and can cause you to tear the hair out. Light oils (the Shea butter is good) will work best on the hair.
I get the same “looks” too when I wear my “hair out.” It does not bother me the response I get. I am what God has made, fearfully, AND wonderfully 🙂
Ours is a very unique hair and I would not trade it for anything else in the world.
Peace.
Aulelia,
All I use is Shea Butter on my hair. It has made it so soft and my scalp has never felt better. Maybe I’ll try a widetooth comb to tease my hair. That might help.
@Monie: What kind of oil do you use? I think holding spray is okay! I think we all have so many different definitions of ‘natural’ which is cool, but do whatever works for you.
I found that the key for me was finding the right wide tooth comb and everything fell into place for some reason.
Aulelia,
My hair grows okay but it flops over! lol My hair has an odd texture. If I cut it real short I can have a nice little ‘fro but as it grows it refuses to stand-up and I have a floppy afro. I thought about putting some sort of holding spray in it but that kind of defeats the point of being natural doesn’t it? lol Any ideas?
@Monie: It used to be a little bigger than it is now, but I would say it is quite big.
What products do u use? I have found that once I started using my Denman brush and a widetoothed comb, my hair started to grow a little better (and once I supplemented that with a better diet lol).
Let me know how your hair journey goes.
aulelia,
How big is your ‘fro? I wear my hair naturally too but it won’t grow into a ‘fro. 😦
@SDG: aww thanks, hugs. I need to get a digi camera so I can show my progress. am working on that.
@Aisha: you are such a cutie-pie, hugs to you as well. I do feel like some people watch me funny but oh well. sour beans to them!
Congratulations for wearing your hair in the workplace. You might be inspiring people and not even know it.
Here! Here! I know you looked fab.