Don't touch my hair boo

Solange released an album two weeks ago entitled, A seat at the table. Now please take a moment to pull it up on Spotify then continue reading.

This isn't a music review but just a highlight of good music to represent some of the oppression and feel of little self worth we as black people face right now in 2016. So many things are going on in the world, right now being the fact that so much racial injustice is at the forefront of American media and ,I do as more black people are being stopped and killed for 'looking like a bad guy'. As well as Donald Trump running for president with the likelihood that he may well win as he says what people are thinking and is unapologetically a shit maker.

But now this album has me happy at the crane song and then the hair song. The hair song keeps playing in mind as much as I believe in sharing my culture and having intimate conversations about being blacks or the magic that is my hair I too don't want people gawping and trying to touch my hair. When uninvited it's demeaning and hideous as if I'm in a show and you're petting an animal. I honestly don't let people touch my hair but only in intimate settings where I can talk about the beauty of it. I'm introvert so 2 or 3 people max is my intimate settings optimal number.

Now I remember this year having a conversation with a friend from China and she down right was against educating people in this day and age about our hair because the internet is attached to their wrist so why should we accommodate them and let them touch and ask questions when we definitely wouldn't dare do that to them? She had a point in that very long and drunken argument but I disagreed happily as I think we should educate and erase stereotypes and just help remove ignorance. When I explained my air to my friends in China it was crazy but fun as I let the two of them touch my hair and ask questions. I didn't need to ask about theirs because on my natural journey I learned about the different hair types so I'm content in my knowledge.  Our hair convo led to us talking about how it felt to be blackening China and the other variations of black there is and who is more accepted (lighter tones). Had I not had a hair convo I could not have taught them this and showed them that there's more to us as a race and my crown is still my private property.

In schools I've had kids try and slyly touch it which does upset me as they have dirty little hands and I myself don't touch up my hair if my hands aren't clean, I don't even lay down on the bed without a headscarf as my hair has in a bunch of oils, Lol! I think my point here is that women of colour can feel objectified and dehumanised when people try and parade their way through the body and feel something because we live in a world where freedom of speech is taking liberties. Luckily my friends have sense and probably see how I act with my hair that they've learnt to be a friend first before they ask to touch my hair. I suggest you become friends with black people first if you want to touch their hair, and even then they may not let you touch their hair. You can't blame them, I mean if I asked to touch your blonde straight hair, wouldn't that be kind of odd?

Also, with how society pushes us to conform and follow the latest trends, Don't touch my hair says NO to that bourgeoisie belief! Why should teens and those a little older use Kylie Jenner lip plumping stuff when just a few years ago black women were mocked for having big lips, but now it's the trend and is seen as acceptable for those who naturally have fuller lips? Why should black women wear European weave to fit in in their industry and be seen as equal and boringly the same (by image) as other women? You have women serving for their country or going to school and being told they can't have THEIR afro out or wear dreads as it's not neat. Boy chile please, I wasn't born with it straight so it won't be slick even with some organic gel as I'll still have waves that will withstand your misogynistic,  pompous, racist views. On top of that why must women wear heels to work and have that enforced and supported by Law in some countries? This song was made for the curly-melanin-enriched woman who sees very few like her shown in a positive light.

We just about have a black Barbie, strong and global black owned businesses, positive leading tv shows, and childrens shows. I'm not knocking gripping tv shows like Scandal as it's written by a black woman but can we star in well written works in a positive light without wrecking marriages? Black-ish is just about gripping, but i respect the show. There's some doc mc stuffing which is decent but she has imaginary friends. So in this time as we continue to grow let's lift our self esteem in every way and legs that start from within. Please don't touch my hair, please step aside if you mean to keep me below average and let my black girl magic flow.

Xx