What's MY HAIR Got To Do With It?

I have kept my hair natural my entire life.  For those of you that are not familiar with the term natural in regards to hair, it means that I have never used chemicals in my hair to make it straight or some prefer the term "manageable".  I am black, so therefore my hair is natural or kinky or nappy or whatever term you choose to use, but something that I am proud of especially at a time when society says that I shouldn't love my natural hair or I can love it, but do my best to hide it.

I have dated and been in a relationship with a couple guys that did not take to kindly to my natural hair and one even suggested that I get micro braids (weave) because he liked his women's hair in that style.  When I did wear my hair out in an afro one time on his birthday he made it clear that my hair should only be worn like that for him indoors.  That was a number of years ago when I was not so brave to wear my hair completely out in an afro in public and if I had been a lesser woman I probably would have gotten those micro braids the same way I got acrylic nails for him one time.

More recently I was dating someone (read Tenth Date Kiss) and I asked him what he thought of my hair and long story short he didn't like it.  I was taken aback by his reaction and I still can envision the horrid look on his face at the mere subject of my hair. 

Most men like my hair and have often told me that its something that attracted them to me because a lot of women are not wearing their hair natural and it is beautiful.  I have even had women compliment me on my hair and ask questions.

I don't want anyone to get me wrong I am not against weaves or perms or wigs or fake nails, but what I am against is society telling women especially young girls that they need these artificial items to be considered beautiful.  That wearing their own hair whether it be long, short, coarse or manageable is unacceptable.

I don't think that I could be in a relationship with a man that didn't like my natural hair because I wear it often in an afro because I like it.  That may be a petty statement to make and I surely hope that my singleness and hope for a relationship doesn't come down to having to pick between a man and my hair because honestly, what's my hair have to do with it?

Thanks for reading!
(John 3:16)