Originally Published on Letesec.tumblr.com .
I am not that “natural” woman. This is not the 1960s, my hair is a not representation of no one’s fight, but my own when it comes time for me style it.
I am not a member of a team so spare me with the #teamnatural captions and tweets. Just exactly what are y’all playing for? I am not buying anyone’s expensive “natural hair” products. I am not afraid of a cotton pillowcase. Hello, that’s what bonnets are for. No there are no incents in my room. And no, I am not against those with relaxed hair. The most important one, no I cannot do your hair.
Stereotypes unfortunately follow us throughout life and these are just some of the ones I’ve experienced over the past two years since I transitioned from relaxed hair to natural.
I had no idea that the decision to change my hair would mean so much to others, probably more than it means to me. Yes my hair is natural but it doesn’t define me, I define it.
If I allowed it, stereotypes would bury me alive and I would die satisfying other people’s expectations. But then again, maybe no one will care because being natural is in now.
-Letese Clark (@pieceoftese)
