Pagan Blog Project - N is for Natural

It's been over a year since I've had any chemicals in my hair. In the Black community this is known as going natural. Why is this such a big thing for me? My first relaxer was at 9 yrs old. That's 30 years of my hair being treated with lye, the same chemical in drain cleaner. Part of being Pagan is being able to accept yourself, your true self. I never realized how "unacceptable" natural Black hair is until started learning how to better take care of my hair. For some reason the European standard of beauty is the norm and all races are supposed to conform to that standard.

Now, I'm not saying I'm against hair color, piercings, tattoos, etc. even though these things aren't natural. The thing with relaxed hair is that it cannot be undone. The process actually damages the hair strand. Remember, we are to harm none including ourselves.