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Sunday 28 February 2010

Blonde ambition



Minxy is having a blonde moment.

She's obsessed with all things straight and golden.

Her own tresses are about as far from that as you can get. And there's the rub.

I remember in my own youth wrapping a towel round my head and pretending I had long swishy hair instead of tight afro curls.

No matter how many positive role models I was surrounded by, the lure of the Western idea of beauty was too strong. Luckily, I found the inner confidence to embrace my roots and accept how my hair looked.

And I know that Minxy will too.

I've experimented with every look going, afro, relaxed, weaves, plaits, twists. I've been short, long, every colour going and yes I've been blonde. Well, they were extensions, but you get the gist.

My hair style changes every few months and that's the beauty of afro hair. It's versatile.

Barbie and Hannah Montana heavily influence Minxy. She is mesmerised by them and their hair, and she's even wanted to be some of her friends just because they are blonde.

We've got a great book called I Love My Hair which empowers black children to literally love their hair.

I'm not blondist, some of my best friends are blonde, I just want to make sure that my daughters learn to love their heritage and how it defines their beauty.

2 comments:

  1. well said on an important issue, and true, the versatility is one of the beauties of afro hair.

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  2. Very well put. That's why I did like The Princess And The Frog, because Disney finally created a black Princess and therefore a different role model for little girls. Let's see if they carry on with the right message.

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