Dear White Men: Don't You Dare Come for Maxine Waters' Wig, by Aurielle Marie
On any given Tuesday, a Black woman’s hair is called unkempt or too radical. We’re asked by society to tame our hair, to manipulate its natural pattern so that it mimics styles that appease white-centered beauty standards. We lose jobs over our coiffed dos because they supposedly threaten the comfort of our white counterparts. We are told that the natural pattern of our hair is not “professional” enough for corporate America. These, too, are dog-whistle terms to remind us that no matter how we part it, dye it, sew it down, or perm it flat, Black women are ceaselessly devalued in spaces historically occupied by white people.
Hear me when I say: BLACK. HAIR. IS. POLITICAL.
Relevantly, Black women spend over a trillion dollars on our mane-maintenance trying to meet these ridiculous standards that dictate our value. Much of this sum may be attributed to chemical processes that manipulate our curls to mimic straight styles, and even more money is required to then revive our broken hair. However, protective styles — yes, this includes wigs — are a way to retain length, secure hair health, and not lose our edges because white men like O'Reilly apparently won't listen to us unless our 'fros are slicked down. To Bill, Eric, and anyone else uncomfortable with Black women critiquing your shit, I have this to say: You do not get to dictate when, where, and how Black folks speak up. You cannot demand that we present ourselves “professionally” (read: caucasian-adjacent), then undermine our work because we do not appease your inflated egos or your presumed privilege — you cannot have it both ways, beloved. Black women are leading a resistance that extends from every corner of the street to every mic in the Capitol, and we are not going to curl over when someone disses our curls. Unless you want to deal with all of us, I suggest you reconsider ever coming for one of our wigs.
