HAIRSTORY

Yesterday I responded to a post on FB about natural hair and before I was done I was engaged in a discourse with a man who said, "Black women who look up to Michelle Obama hate themselves and so does she because she does not rock a fro in the White House." I asked the question isn't it her choice as to whether she wishes to wear a fro or not and that maybe she was never so inclined. He came back with, "not choosing to do it is a sign of self-hatred and that we are idolizing the Obamas because they aren't very 'black'..." I am paraphrasing but that was the gist of it. Wow, just wow. I am unable to wrap my mind around the fact that when we are struggling with HIV/AIDS, obesity and hunger in children, the lack of jobs, educational opportunities, poverty and class warfare, all we can think of is that same old tired hair story. SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The writer seems to think that if we won the hair war and all sisters walked around with 'nappy' naturals we would then be a solid group. Are you kidding me. What about me, who has always been in the fight for the empowerment of young sisters and all young people. My hair grows out of my skull, kind of curly-wavy, does this mean I hate me or the fact that every now and again I choose to do something different with it, color it reddish, brownish, what the hell everish... This infuriates and saddens me that we are so narrowminded about stuff that really doesnt matter at the end of the day. I asked him would it have been better, if Mrs. Obama wore a fro or some dreads, but never did anything about assisting military families or not done any work on the behalf of health education and fighting obesity in children. Of course he didn't directly answer that, he said, "I hear you Angelia, but went on to say he felt the hair war was a worthy are." Well, I'll be damned...if I am going to die on that battlefield. I am willing to die on the grounds of jobs for young people, equal educational opportunities. not having babies we cannot care for, being allowed to praise the LORD openly, but I will not determine who I support and what I do by whether or not someone straightens her hair or is happy to be nappy....there are SOOOO MANY BIGGER ISSUES... angelia