When I went through chemotherapy, I could see my curly hair falling off and experiencing such thing made me realise that having or not having curls wasn’t what mattered anymore. Nothing matters most than taking care and embracing yourself fully.
My mother had a strong issue with the way my hair looked but also with me as a person. I was rebellious and my curly hair was a representation of this personality trait.
I loved the idea of being free, of doing whatever I wanted to do, being whoever I wanted to be while my mother had a concrete idea of how I should look like and behave.
She used to say that my hair was a ‘mess’ and that it needed to be flattened down. I guess my personality and character had too as well?
For many of us fitting in is necessary, now more than ever before.
The pressure young people face today is appalling, mainly because of the media, and fitting in is just an easy option for them, it’s safer.
The media and cosmetics companies are pushing us to straighten our hair simply because it means that we are going to buy more products. They keep spreading the message that curly hair is ‘unruly’ and ‘unmanageable’ and will continue to do so as long as it benefits them. But why not encourage us to enhance what we naturally have instead of encouraging us to change it?
Hair straightening had become a habit for many of us, something we are used to and which makes us feel safe. But breaking these habits and challenging our core beliefs is important as it helps us understand the reasons why we act a certain way.