When I was growing up, women of color typically had relaxed hair. It seemed as if it was almost taboo to have natural hair. My mother never let me have a perm, even though I wanted one so badly. She encouraged me to rock my natural hair even though her hair was relaxed. It was not until high school when I became fully comfortable with wearing my hair in its natural state. This new found confidence in myself had a lot to do with the natural hair movement. Black women all over the world were chopping their relaxed hair off, taking out their sew-ins and wearing their natural hair.

Now that natural hair has become the new trend, where does that put women who still have relaxed hair? The whole point of the natural hair movement is to show black women that their God given hair is beautiful. So, does that mean that women who still have relaxed hair are less beautiful? There seems to be much competition between the two textures. It's almost as if the natural hair movement has caused a divide between those who have a perm and those who have natural hair.

The truth is natural hair is not better than relaxed hair, and relaxed hair is no better than natural hair.

The best thing about being an individual is doing what you please. As black women, we need to stop worrying about our hair so much, and do whatever makes us feel comfortable So whether you want to wear it straight or curly, up or down, brown, blonde, natural or relaxed, at the end of the day it is just hair, right? The most important thing is to be you, stay true, and love yourself.