My locs tell a story….a road to personal freedom

My hair have gone through many transitions. I think that with every life changing occurrence in my life, my hair has changed as well.

As a child and into my teenage years, I wore my hair in its natural state. My hair was thick and long and there I wore what was called doo doo braids. This was my look all the way to senior year of high school. I was nominated for senior class president and therefore made a big decision to allow my friend who was studying cosmetology to straighten my hair. We did it in school and I was so afraid to go home. But that straight look had people treating me differently and me feeling different about myself. I felt more confident and for some reason finally seen.

While I was young and married, I wore my hair straight with minimal curls. This style was supported by my significant other as well as everyone in my circle and surroundings. It was the norm, the in thing, what was acceptable in the workplace. As I grew older and into my 30’s and early 40’s, I wore an abundance of curls in my flat ironed straightened hair. This style was also highly acceptable by society. That was my focus. What was accepted in turn made me feel accepted. Forgive me, at the time, I didn’t know any better.

My mid 40’s made me take a hard look at myself. That confidence that I felt with straight hair was no longer there. I felt judged and brainwashed into thinking straight was it. Therefore my straightened hair went out the window. I started to wear my naturally curly hair in an Afro. I loved the freedom of it. This allowed me to work out as much as I wanted without worrying about how my hair would look afterwards. The more I sweat, the more my hair would curl. I loved it. I went from a big Afro to a bald fade and when I tell you that was the epitome of freedom. When a woman can wear a bald fade confidently, then you know she is the shit!!!!

Then about two years ago, while braiding a friend of mines husbands locs, I got the idea that maybe I should loc my hair. His locs were so beautiful and they made me feel like that would be the ultimate freedom. The most natural state of Black hair that you can ever get is locs. So not even two weeks after, I made an appointment to get starter locs and the rest is history.

My locs gives me a personal satisfaction that I can’t explain. I feel like kindred spirits with others that I see with locs, especially my students. It feels like we are connected somehow. I can’t stop touching my locs. I find myself unconsciously twisting them, tugging on them for no reason. I feel proud to have them, like they serve as my crown, which fills me with the pride of royalty. The confidence that I feel with my locs is mind blowing. I use to feel regal with my Afro, but my locs gives me even more pride. I can’t even pinpoint what it is about them that makes me feel this way. It’s like they are my personal hype men sitting on top of my head, telling me that I can accomplish anything so just go for it. Crazy… I know.. but very true.

I no longer worry about what society thinks about my hair. Nor do I care about what a potential employer thinks. When I go out with my friends or on a date, I don’t worry about getting to the hairdresser because I know that my locs can be easily twisted up or just crinkled quickly into whatever look I want it to have. My hair is my crown and glory. Accept it as you will. My locs, tell a story…..and I am sure everyone’s hair tells theirs as well.