Okay.  I've been nice long enough.  I've been making excuses, looking inward, trying to manage my feelings and educate the world about black women and hair.  I was reading posts on Black Girls Run NYC (a facebook running group I belong to) about Gabby Douglas' hair.

It seems even though this girl is spectacular, with a beautiful spirit, a champion, strong confident and fucking amazing, the buzz on the internet says that her hair is ugly.  These scathing comments come...from the black community.  Specifically from some Black Women.  I think that these women are small minded, ignorant and I send them love and let go of that energy.

So, there are black women out there who will spend their last dime on their hair.  They don't know how to swim because they don't want to mess up their hair.  They don't go on vacations because they have to pay for hair maintenence.  These women would rather wear a wig in 100 degree weather than letting their natural hair be shown.

 This is so sad it breaks my heart.  It is 2012 and many  black women are allowing themselves to be in bondage.  From Beyonce to many actresses out there black women and hair is an "issue".  But the issue goes deeper than just some Indian woman's hair woven into  the tresses of an African American woman here in the USA.  

This is about femininity, beauty and self esteem.  We live in a culture that thrives on low self esteem.  This culture celebrates fair skin and straight hair.  Many connect fair skin and straight hair to being beautiful and feminine.   There is also money to be made in the community of black women.  

This runs so deep and goes back to slavery.  There yes I said it again.  The strategy of dehumanizing black african slaves.  Tearing them apart from their families, cultures and traditions.  Shattering communities and lowering self esteem.  House slaves verses field slaves.   Light verses Dark.  Fast forward to 2012 and you see black women criticizing a 16 year old child who has done what none of them will ever do, win a gold medal.  

When people attack, it means that the attackers themselves have low self esteem. So I send those attackers, love and let go of their negative talk and ideas and I send them blessings.

Here is my prayer for Black Women:

We are not our hair.  We are so much more.  The beauty, the beauty , the beauty of the black woman just is.  It just is.    No matter how many people tell us we are not enough... we are.  We are beautiful in our natural state.  Our hair, curly, wavy, nappy, straight is phenominal, spectacular, strong and beautiful.  I pray you claim your power free your minds and love yourselves unconditionally.  Yes we can, no matter who tells us we cant.

We are Beautiful, Black, Feminine Women. 

J9