In Tuesday night’s episode of Reed Between The Lines, the Reed’s daughter Kaci had a strong desire to change her hairstyle to impress a boy. Like her mother, Dr. Carla Reed (played by Traci Ellis Ross), Kaci has beautiful natural hair that she wears in curls. She was required to straighten her hair for a play and once it was straight, she mistakenly believed that her straight hair was the only reason the boy she had a crush on started paying her any attention.
Dr. Carla Reed was definitely upset with her daughter’s desire to change her hair. Once you go to the creamy crack, your hair is never the same. And I am saying this as someone who gets a relaxer every few months. Natural hair is fabulous!
For decades, there has been a social stigma that natural curly hair is less beautiful than straight hair. There is also an idea that a curly style represents a certain lifestyle that straight, relaxed hair does not.
I loved this episode because it shed light on a bigger issue than natural hair vs. relaxed hair. It reminded all of us about the importance of self acceptance. Society has tried to convince us through various forms of entertainment that looking a certain way is right (long straight hair combined with a certain body type). It’s important as women, that we don’t let what we see in media and hair stereotypes influence what we think about ourselves or the decisions we make in terms of our looks. Women should not feel as though they need to change their hair or any other physical attribute in order to please someone. Your hair is the way it is for a reason; you are the way you are for a reason. Far too often we are so concerned with what others think and we get lost trying to make an impression instead of being comfortable in our own skin.
