If you wear your hair weaved or relaxed, you can relate to memories of sitting between your mother’s legs as she treated your hair with Soft & Beautiful, a common hair relaxer used on young girls. You might also be familiar with struggling with Liquid Gold Bond-A-Weave hair glue over a bathroom sink or spending hours in a chair waiting for your best friend to plait a braid pattern for a sew-in weave.

The natural hair revolution is challenging mainstream perceptions about beauty within the black community and encouraging women to stop chemically straightening their hair. Although health concerns underline the argument for natural hair, the campaign also demoralizes traditions that have united black women for generations.

In 2009, comedian Chris Rock’s documentary, “Good Hair,” brought disputes between natural and processed hair to the attention of mass media. Since then, stereotypes and misconceptions fueled battles with the black community about natural versus chemically processed and weaved hair.

Rock was inspired to create the film after overhearing a conversation between his daughter and her white friend. Rock was disappointed that his daughter felt that her kinky curls were not beautiful. In the film, Rock visited beauty supply shops and salons and interviewed black women from various communities across the country. Black women spend fortunes damaging their self-esteem and their scalps in an effort to conform to a portrait of beauty he felt was designed by white society.

“Whatever makes you happy is good hair,” Rock said in a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey. “Do your hair for you, and you will be happy.”

The film suggested that black women were suffering from identity crises despite ending on a positive note. Rock finished the film by encouraging women to quit using chemical strengtheners such as Organic Root Stimulating Relaxer.

He also supported women choosing whatever style made them happiest, but this statement didn’t protect Rock from harsh criticism. Despite the film’s attempt to appear balanced, it failed to present the healthy traditions black beauty culture has established over generations of kitchen salons and corner barbershops, which have developed a culture of hair techniques and processes that have diversified the black perception of beauty and femininity.

While the media has exaggerated this cultural war between women with natural and processed hair, it brings attention to stereotypes black women use when identifying each other.

In a positive light, natural hair is celebrated as being healthier and empowering. Facebook groups such as Back to Natural Hair and Geaux Natural are dedicated to sharing new styles and supporting women as they liberate themselves from their chemically relaxed hair.

These sites are becoming more popular as women bond over struggles with managing natural hair and facing mainstream perceptions that label kinky curls, afros and dreadlocks as inappropriate or “nappy,” a common derogatory term in Rock’s documentary.

It is not necessary to go natural, but many women choose to completely shave their heads and restart with pure new growth, a stage known in reforming to natural hair as the “big chop.” New growth refers to the virgin hair that grows from the scalp before being treated with relaxers.

“Since I became natural, I am more confident in my own beauty,” said media production junior Zondra Victor. “I don’t hide behind my straight hair anymore.”

Victor made “the big chop” two years ago because relaxers tend to thin the hair, damage the hair follicles and irritate the scalp. Rock criticized mothers for using relaxers on young girls by calling the process “kiddy perm.”

Black celebrities like India Arie and Solange Knowles are idolized for their natural hair. Arie moved into the mainstream music scene in 2006 with her song “I Am Not My Hair ft. Akon,” which encouraged all women to stop identifying themselves by the style of their hair. In 2009, Knowles shaved her head to become natural and was disgusted with the negative criticisms she received by fans and the media. In an interview with Winfrey, the host restated a post from Knowles’ Twitter page.

“I just wanted to be free from the bondage that black women sometimes put on themselves with hair. … In this phase of my life, I want to spend the time, the energy and the money on somewhere else and not in the salon,” Knowles said.

Photos of Knowles’ shaved head were the third top Internet trend in 2009 during the weeks following the revel of the singer’s big chop.

Today, the hype has cooled down over natural versus weaved hair in the media, but runways and magazines continue to predominately feature models with chemically straightened or weaved styles. Ataui Deng, Yasmin Warsame and Alek Wek are the natural haired models who make it into high-profile ads and fashion shows.

The harsh contrast between African and black models creates the feeling that natural hair is enforcing African traditions on black society, which has developed its own norms. Psychology junior Ody Ezeigwe said that being African should be more than just looking the part.

“I don’t believe that having a different type of hairstyle means that you are losing touch with your African roots,” Ezeigwe said. “It is the most natural, but our beauty shouldn’t be defined by just one type of hairstyle. In the end, the idea of beauty depends on an individual’s perspective. Besides, a person should intellectually invest themselves in what it means to be an African and not just try to look the part.”

Ezeigwe is a second generation Nigerian-American and prefers to wear her hair relaxed and weaved and enjoys a wide variety of styles.

The push for natural hair has fallen from the attention of the mainstream media since “Good Hair” debuted four years ago, but it has given the black community space to approach the issue in a more accepting environment.

In urban neighborhoods, beauty supply shops have become hubs for natural, weaved and relaxed women alike. Although weaves and relaxers continue to fly off the shelves, new products and tools that make it easier for black women to have a straight or polished look are being introduced. Popular ethnic hair product companies like Organic and Crème of Nature have introduced safer relaxing formulas and encourage women to treat their hair sparingly.

Black beauty culture is evolving into a diverse world that encourages women to express their unique fierceness and discover their own form of beauty.

arts@thedailycougar.com

That’s the situation I’ve been in for the last four years. My boyfriend lives in California, and as difficult as it is trying to get your life together as a college student, being in a long distance relationship provides a new level of problems. As wonderful as it is to video chat with him, it’s painful to see Facebook posts of events you won’t get a chance to go to. It’s fun to talk about the future, but how can we build a future together if we don’t live in the same state?

Like any relationship, it’s all about compromise. It’s a little difficult to do that when you can’t physically be with the other person, but it is possible. Even if it seems a little cheesy. If it’s been a busy week for us, we’ll set a time for us to have a date night. We’ll pick a movie, get some snacks and watch it together while being on the phone. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s something to look forward to. We share a Netflix account, so we’ll add movies to our queue and watch them on our dates.

One thing that does take a while to accept is that you won’t meet their friends. This brings issues of trust to a new level. You don’t know who those people are, but keep in mind your partner doesn’t know your friends either. There isn’t one thing you can do to make it easier, but a few smaller things really matter: answering the phone around friends, adding the closest ones on Facebook, giving a little bit of background information on new friends goes a long way.

Another thing, which seems a bit narcissistic, is taking pictures when you go out. Whether they’re of you and your friends, your food, the venue or something funny or weird, taking pictures makes it feel like your partner is there with you, sharing that moment together, instead of just hearing about it.

As difficult as it can be sometimes, it is rewarding in a way other relationships can’t be. You get to know who your partner is as a person, not just as projection of who you want them to be. You love them for who they are, and they love you for the same reasons. It’s a wonderful feeling not having to hide certain parts of who you are. It’s a level of intimacy more frightening than physical intimacy, and finding someone willing to be that open with you is something many go their entire lives trying to find but are unable to.

Every relationship takes work. A long distance one isn’t more difficult, just different. It takes a bit of creativity to make it, but when you’ve found the right person, it doesn’t matter if they are 20 or 2,000 miles away — it’s all worth it in the end.

arts@thedailycougar.com

Not only was I going to be among women from a local roller derby team, The Valkyries, but I would be learning how to skate like a real derby chick and possibly get a cool name like “Hot Rod Bettie” or “Wicked Sweet.”

The Valkyries is one of four home teams—the others being the Bayou City Bosses, The Brawlers and the Psych Ward Sirens—in the all-female HRD league that was organized in 2005.

It was 7:20 p.m. last Tuesday when I arrived at Houston Indoor Sports. Once inside, I was greeted with a stack of waivers I was required to sign before I could participate. Next, I was given seven pieces of equipment that consisted of knee and elbow pads, protective gloves and a helmet. I was ready to put on my skates.

Anticipation was killer.

The last time I owned a pair of old-school skates—white shoes with purple wheels—the rhythmic dancing of my hair was interrupted by a sudden jolt of pain as I lost control over uneven surfaces and landed with my back against the concrete.

I remember laying there for a while before I dragged myself up and gathered the remaining pieces of my Walkman. I retired those skates.
Tuesday, though, I was ready to redeem myself.

Newcomers spend six weeks reviewing basics such as skating, learning how to stop, turn, prop on and off the floor, and fall. Yes, there is a proper way to fall.

It’s called “falling small” and, when done right, it keeps your fingers from being crushed by rolling wheels and your butt from being sore.

All these skills are evaluated on the last day of the 6-week training period and help determine if you proceed to the intermediate level and eventually tryout for one of the teams. Upper level learning involves skating in a pack and learning how to block opponents. I had a hard time just trying to skate.

“So when you’re skating, you want to bend your knees and basically you want your shoulders over your hips, kind of like you’re squatting over a dirty toilet,” one of the experienced skaters said to the group of about 30 women. “It sounds funny, but the lower you are the better your center of gravity is and the sturdier you’ll feel.”

Of those 30 women at practice, 10 or so were currently on the six-week track and there was one other “new skater” besides myself.

Novice skaters are instructed to stay on the outer vicinity of the roller rink, while advanced skaters dominate the arena. Besides being taught the basics, all the women joined together for two group stretching sessions, once at the beginning of practice and anther towards the end; both in full skater gear.

Overall the practice lasted two hours. Women are encouraged to bring their own gear, water/sports drinks and dress comfortably. Donated equipment is available. Next time, I’ll bring my own. Free gear is nice, but the stench requires a longer shower afterwards.

The next day I was a bit sore, but nothing out of the usual for exercise. I felt the workout on my lower back and butt region.

Through it all, I completed practice without being a “floor hugger,” although I did fall “improperly” on my left thigh, but my interest in roller skating had returned.

With a lot of practice and most likely a sore butt, I too, just might get an awesome roller derby name. I like Kit-Kat Killer.

The Houston Roller Derby hosts its next team bout from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Bayou Music Center (formerly Verizon Wireless Theatre), 520 Texas Ave.Tickets are $15 general admission; $25 VIP entrance.

For more information, visit www.houstonrollerderby.com.

Coming up: A review of Saturday’s bout and a story on HRD’s ties to UH.

arts@thedailycougar.com