WEAVE...Taboo???... STILL???

*in my Antoine Dodson voice* “WELLLLL!!!……APPARENTLY… “WEAVE” is STILL a “Touchy”, “Sensitive”, or “Taboo” subject!” LOL. Nah, but really, I personally don’t understand what the big deal is about women wearing weaves, tracks, fake hair…whatever you want to call it…??? I myself don’t wear weave at the moment, but I have in the past; and, I would be remiss to say that I won’t wear it in the future.

Nevertheless, even as we are approaching 2011 there are STILL people who look down on, and even despise the fact, that some women wear weave. They see women who wear this hair style as “sell outs” or as being ashamed of who they naturally are. Some feel that women who wear weave are trying to be someone they’re not. They put a LOT of negative connotations on wearing weave as it being the manifestation of a deeper problem with us as Black women not being comfortable in who were are as BLACK women. I’d have to disagree with all of this. Although I’m not an avid “weave wearer”, I generally don’t believe these women are “sell outs”; and I don’t believe they’re purposefully trying to “trick” people into thinking that that’s their “real hair”. Seriously, I’m almost completely sure every woman who wears weave on a regular basis is highly aware of the fact that people are going to be curious. With this being said, I’m also pretty sure that the brave soul bold enough to ask the infamous question, “o_0…Is that your real hair?” will get an honest answer…an answer with slight attitude possibly, but an honest answer nonetheless.

I also feel a lot of women wear weave because it’s convenient and because it gives them freedom of expression with their hair. To many women, hair is an accessory, much like shoes, purses, earrings, etc.  Black hair is so versatile in terms of styling, the possibilities of expression are endless. Those possibilities can range from going back to basics (becoming natural), relaxing our tresses (chemical processing), to adding extensions (braids, twists, tracks, wigs, etc).  

Furthermore, I’ve done almost EVERYTHING to my own hair: weaves, braids, relaxers, wigs, hair dyes, whatever, so unlike a lot of other people I’m very open to trying new things with my hair. Yet, I feel like some women lowkey are too intimidated to try something new for fear of the stigma that society will place on them. For example, a while back, someone literally told me, “...it’s just the idea of fake hair…I just can’t do it.” Funny how this SAME person, wears “fake hair” on a REGULAR basis now. So all I have to say to her is, “REALLY hun, who were YOU fooling?”

Another point I want to make is I find it rather amusing and slightly annoying when men and women turn their noses up at women who wear weave as if that’s “beneath” them. All I have to say to that is “PUHLEASE!” lol. I get a sense that a lot of men feel women wearing weave is unattractive and undesirable. Knowing this, it’s understandable why some women who WOULD have tried it out, NOW in turn shy away from it. Don’t get me wrong though, even though I said I understood why some women would shy away, does NOT mean I myself would do that. I’m self assured with who I am as a Black woman, and I know that no hair style is going to change who I am as a person. Therefore, people can miss me with their irrelevant opinions of how I should or should not wear MY hair.

The main point I want people, especially women, to take away from this is to never let society dictate how confident you should be in wearing WHATEVER hair style you decide wear. Remember that’s YOUR crown and glory, not theirs. Don’t define yourself by society’s standards. Make your own. Know who you are as a person and don’t let outside things like hair and other people’s opinions of you cloud your confidence and self-concept. Also, for those who may or may not still have negative views toward "weave", please open your minds and take what I'm saying into consideration :).

--Tania AKA Nia Janei...THE Prototype