As some of you may or may not know... I LOVE TYRA BANKS. Not only do I love Tyra Banks, I also LOVE NATURAL HAIR. Though I absolutely love these two separate entities, I could care less whether or not they merge. I ran across an article today about Tyra's revelation of her hair. Her real hair. GASP! I know right? Tyra without a weave or wig? Who would have ever thunk it right? I must commend Tyra as well as the writer of that article (Angela Bronner Helm for BlackVoices) for introducing to some and reinforcing to others an alternative to what mainstream America views as beautiful. So in this article sister Helm asks the same question I am asking: Why do we care? Helm asks in response to Craig JC for Clutch, an online magazine, and I am in concurrence with her sentiments. Now, Craig JC is insinuating that Tyra may have meant that those of us who wear weaves, wigs, pieces, and the like may not be real on the inside... (check the face).Craig JC, dear heart, you're definitely digging too deep. In case you're not one, and even if you are; just let me tell you something really quick: As a Black woman, I believe I can say this and be 100% sure that I am correct; these are our definitions of the words real and natural as it pertains to hair.
REAL: 1. Hair that grows out of one's scalp naturally. 2. without wigs, weaves pieces, clip-ons, slide-ins, surgical implants, or any hair or semblance of hair that has not grown from our natural scalp. NATURAL: Real (see definition above) hair that is not chemically processed by perms or relaxers. 2. Hair that is not chemically processed by perms, relaxers, or color treatments. 3. Hair that is not chemically processed by perms, relaxers, color treatments, or straightened by heat; usually via hot combs, and flat irons. Now I'm no Webster's on Black women's hair terminologies, but... I think I'm right ;-).
Anywho, back to my main point: I'm sure, about 10,000% sure that Tyra didn't mean that women who wear fake hair aren't real on the inside. There's no way for Tyra or anyone else to make that assessment. And if they did make such an assessment (notice I'm not using the J word (judgement) because I don't like it) they would definitely be out of pocket. No love lost Craig JC, let's just try not to squeeze watermelons out of lemons ;-*
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Dolce....