"It's Just Hair! Why Does Any Of This Matter?"
Black hair is political. Black hair is a part of Black identity. Black hair is part of Blackness. But it is also part of individuality. In the past, the Black Hair Movement was about embracing Blackness and making political statements about the rejection of white culture. The New Natural Hair Movement however is more about embracing ones' self. As a Black individual in society, I can attest to the difficulties in identifying with the mainstream culture; the lack of people that look like me and love how they look shown in mass media; the lack of empowerment being instilled in Black women by the larger society. The New Natural Hair Movement is important because it is about self-love. In a world where women are taught that we are inferior, and Blackness is treated as a pariya unless it is being used by the dominant group to gain profit, it can be difficult to find a place of self-acceptance and self-love. The New Natural Hair Movement seems to be the embodiment of this. Instead of the "I'm Black and I'm Proud!" sentiment of the Natural Hair Movement of the 60s and 70s, the sentiment seems to be "I'm Me and I'm Proud!"