Brooklyn Bass

Recently, the use of an old term has been brought back to popularity. Those who refuse to put chemical relaxers in their tightly curled hair are calling themselves “natural.” They are not the first to do so. In fact, during the late ‘60s and ‘70s African Americans who rocked the afro created the term. For them, being natural was not just about the decision to refrain from using chemical straighteners in the hair, but to promote black pride and to rebel against European beauty standards.

Contrary to the natural hair movement of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, those who say they are “going natural” today are doing it for a variety of reasons. Some actually have come to the realization that relaxers are detrimental to a person’s health.

“Relaxers have no true purpose,” said Robert Perkins, star of the controversial YouTube channel DaREVOLUTIONARYWitDaTattoos. He explains that unlike wigs that may help with covering up hair loss, relaxers are purely used for simply straightening the hair. “Relaxers are actually damaging to the hair and scalp. It also handicaps healthy hair growth,” Perkins said.

Unfortunately, relaxers pose a larger risk to the body. According to Fox News-Atlanta, there may be a link between fibroids and chemical straighteners. This is not to mention that relaxers pose as a potential cancer risk and are the cause of burned scalps and extreme hair loss for many women. These facts are alarming, especially when considering that children as young as three or five years old have the treatment applied to their scalps.

The dangers of curl relaxation have kept junior Regina Artisan from chemically straightening her hair. “I like my hair to grow,” Artisan said.

While some embrace their curls for health reasons, others find that unlike popular belief, straighter hair is not always better.

“I have no need to straighten my hair,” said junior Christion Simmons. “I never saw a need to straighten it.”

According to Perkins, the need to assimilate into white-dominated society has led to the popularity of relaxers among black people.

“People are programmed by the media,” Perkins said. “Corporations are often driving relaxers and straighter styles to make more money. The more they can make us hate ourselves, the more money they can make. Money is the bottom line.”

The growing number of naturals has hurt many corporations who rely on their curl relaxation products to make a profit. In fact, Dark and Lovely, the famous hair care line for providing relaxers, just launched a new natural hair collection of hair products in March. The need to keep up with a new wave of curlies has many retailers like Target adopting natural hair care lines into their inventory. The new changes might make wearing one’s natural kinks a new beauty norm.

Nevertheless, Simmons does not think poorly on people who decide to rock a straighter style every once in a while. If the sleek look is what one might be looking for, he advises to straighten the hair without chemicals.

“Don’t use heat all the time. It can damage your hair,” Simmons said.
When considering taking the step to banish the relaxer, Perkins suggests a person should embrace the curl without hesitation.

“Don’t think about it,” Perkins said. “That’s extra. Just be natural.”

Jaidah Kirksey

Braids, sew-ins, dread-locks–all are common hairstyles in today’s modernized society that take on the term “non-natural.” Non-natural doesn’t necessarily mean that we despise our own natural hair; we just simply enjoy the fact that we can do any and everything we want to our heads, in an easier way.

A lot of celebrities rock the not-so-natural look, including Beyonce, Rihanna, Ciara and Kim Kardashian. Some others, however, choose to wear weaves and braids to help their hair grow faster. Some do it for fashion reasons, like me. Dyeing my hair wouldn’t make “mama so proud,” now would it? So to express myself while making her happy, I get weave and dye it in the color I want, or just get a weave in that color. Now everyone’s happy.

Hair isn’t just about how good it looks. It’s an expression of yourself and who you are, and people should be able to do anything they want to their heads, whether it’s wearing weave or going natural. For a variety of reasons, many students at U. City wear weave over their natural hair.

“I prefer weave because it’s easier to manage,” said junior Symone Little.

Taking care of natural hair takes time. With natural hair you have to wrap your hair every night so it doesn’t get messed up, especially if you’re a heavy sleeper like me. In the morning you would also have to touch-up your hair, like re-flat iron it or re-curl it. People who wear their natural hair also have to wash it often, more frequently than those with weaves.

“I like weave because dealing with my hair is way too much,” junior Cayla Johnson said.

Dealing with my natural hair is also sometimes a hard thing to do. At 6 am, I am already rushing to make it to my bus, but wait, I still have to do my hair! It’s just way too much, and having weave makes it so much easier. Some people just don’t have the patience that motivate those in favor of natural hair. Unfortunately, the debate with team natural versus team weave will never be settled. Wear weave if you want to and wear your natural hair if you want to, because in the end, you’re doing what you want to do and that’s all that counts!