Roots of Change
I am transitioning. It’s taken me three months to be able to say that. "Transitioning" is a term used by Black women to indicate their decision to journey away from straightening their hair with chemical relaxers to a new experience of their hair in its natural state. It's been three months since I last put a relaxer in my hair. I am “going natural,” becoming acquainted with my hair’s natural curves and character. I am redefining my understanding of who I am and what I understand to be beautiful. I did not know I was making a life-altering decision when I chose to rent Chris Rock's documentary "Good Hair" from the Red Box. I was very familiar with the phrase "good hair." Growing up, I had one cousin who had it. It felt smooth. Its roots were thin. It was straight. It was “pretty.” All of my female cousins, aunts, friends and I thought so. It was unlike what we had growing on our own heads. Our hair had thick roots that hurt as