A Hairy Subject

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Hair. Merriam-Webster defines hair as "a slender threadlike outgrowth of the epidermis of an animal." When it is said like that, it sounds boring. I think hair is so much more than that. Hair can be a means of expression and a defining feature of one's culture. It's funny to me that I'm writing about hair because I spent most of my life with a shaved head. My dad was my "barber," but his clippers only had one setting. It was easier just to cut off all the hair instead on trying to style it. As I began to grow my hair out, senior year that is, I realized I have no idea what to do with it. When I started to look and ask around, I found there were so many different styles, cuts, and tools I could use to make my hair whatever I wanted it to be.

Being that I am African-American, there is a unique type of hair that I have. This became even more evident when I came to Ohio Northern and would be bombarded with questions like "how do you get your hair like that" or "Your hair looks so puffy, can I touch it?" I thought it was nice to be able to explain to someone the way and tools I used to do my hair or how I got it done. Ada, Ohio does not have many African-Americans. I am one of the few. My freshmen year I remember needing going to the local barber shop with a couple friends. Upon walking in I looked around and saw that with my hair type I was not going to be able to get the proper haircut there. My friends laughed and made some comments, to which I took a little offense at first. I thought this would just make it harder to manage my hair because I didn't know where to go nor how to cut my own.

Then it hit me, yeah, my hair is different, but that's not a bad thing. It is a defining feature for me (well now that I have it as opposed to a shaved head). I just had to take an extra step to figure things out. I think sometimes these kinds of differences can be looked at negatively by outside parties and even by those with this type of hair. Why? Just because something is different does not automatically make it wrong. I'm proud of my hair, I enjoy trying new styles, seeing what works, and even answering all the questions I may get about it. It just another way to share my differences with the world for our differences are what should bring us together.

Until Next Time,
James



Comments

  1. Alexandra GeslerSeptember 18, 2019 at 8:01 PM

    I love how you view hair! It is such a simple thing that many people don't ever think about. I think of my hair as a thing that I can control. I like to change up my hair and wear edgy clothing every once in awhile. I am the type of girl that cuts her hair whenever something drastic happens in her life or gets a new tattoo when she is bored. Controlling how we look is a way we can express ourselves to the ones around us.

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