Hairy Situation



 

Queens, Hair, and Identity. Is it just Hair?

It is said that a woman’s hair is her crown and glory by way of a crown being worn on the head, but what if, metaphorically speaking, a woman’s crown is not her hair but instead her perspective.

Crowns symbolize wealth, dignity, power, and the distinction of sovereignty proclaimed in the physical realm, but they are also concepts of adornment in appearance. It can also signify a belief and portrayal that is spiritual in an unyielding conviction of dignified recognition without reservation.

The peak of the head is where the crown chakra is located and characterizes the transcendence of uncertainty and limitations. The distinction between perspective and appearance is not to be regarded as a harmless occurrence of insignificance beyond influence but a constant state of being. Instead, an act of self-proclaimed royalty and a display of queenly declaration. 

Found in the crown chakra is clarity, wisdom, self-love, enlightenment, self-acceptance, and elevation from this perceived physical realm. It is where vanity and the ego dissolve, and balance emerges from being in harmony with one’s self-identity and uniqueness. Nature manifested in its uniqueness.

It is where the subconscious mind and the perspective of your identity reside as the crown itself. This state of mind is a one-dimensional self-determination, sustained by your distinct existence where all is true, that is internally believed and faithfully embraced while genuinely expressed.

It is created within a one-dimensional space of self-acceptance and revealed outwardly in a two-dimensional realm of self-expression but received in the three-dimensional reality of life transformed by the eternal beauty of confidence and certainty of self-identity.

Hair exists as an inanimate aesthetic having life but no feeling. It is superficially assigned cosmetic value through cultural conditioning, diminishing its natural splendor and uniqueness.

Cosmetic hair’s value is narcissistic in nature, pretentious in practice, and insecurity of appearance by sincere self-evaluation. It gets its value from your feelings towards it and evokes feelings of inadequacy when applying projected expectations of other’s standards of beauty. It craves validation by association and imitation.

Cosmetic hair then becomes not the standard of beauty but your actual conformity to the perceived beauty you have allowed to mask and define your self-image. It distorts a direct correlation between your self-image and the external masquerade you project as reality.

The greater the exaggeration, the more it reflects your insecurity and delusion yearning to fit into some contrived role. Psychologically this is a symbolic expression and representation of unresolved insecurities at best and coveted cultural appropriation at worst by embracing that which you are not and rejecting that which you can only be.

The authenticity of your identity is the highest representation of your natural self and character. Hair is used as an external cosmetic but cannot truly empower and transform you to be what you internally already are or could be.

This self-deception essentially is a crutch revealing a need to claim the self-loving salvation of your crown identity. An assessment of your self-esteem, identity, and confidence that is dependent on hair color, texture, or length camouflaged as fashion indicates that an awakening of self-worth has yet to be fully embraced.

A woman’s actual attractiveness, capabilities, and substance are not in her hair but the radiance of her intellect, personality, and uniqueness. Quantity or quality of hair is not an indication or essence of a woman’s value.

That value is obtained by personal development, embracing and expressing yourself as your crown. Often uncertainties are self-imposed by comparison and by seeking perfection that devalues what you already possess, a value that is unique to you.

Pursuing personal development to be self-aware and self-accepting without external props leaves you always properly adorned. It frees you from the delusion of obtaining external validation and perfection.

That which is external only creates an illusion and represents a dependency that weakens you internally, for it shall wither under time and vanity. This creates a delusion that manifests itself as an unstable self-confidence and an artificial acceptance of self-doubt, which feeds your insecurities and disrupts your harmony.

The deception of this imposter persona creates a lavish fantasy whose performance must be compulsively maintained. A mental and emotional addiction then defines your self-worth and restricts your ability to function without feeling social anxiety.

The solution is to not submit to a foolish misconception, believing that is what allows you to be who you are. You can empower yourself to be because you chose to be sovereign by your permission and validation.

Empowering perspectives allows you not to crave, conform to, or identify with psychologically defeating denials of your identity, cultural or otherwise. It also may delay the maturation of your strength in your identity without it.

For example, wearing artificial blond hair down to your waist does not promote images of cultural role models conducive to empowering those who are young and unduly impressionable. Cultural appropriation of anything black causes outrage but is not considered theft when the opposite occurs, especially certain depictions of hair.

Just as black females need to see themselves and their images represented in dolls and professional positions of power and entrepreneurship, they need to see their image positively and naturally in their mirrors and other black women.

The proliferation of unnatural hairstyles encourages them to embrace something other than themselves. By comparison and example, they cannot embrace their features, blackness, uniqueness, and crown with the subliminal messaging being sent that strong, independent, regal, and woke black women display and believe that their beauty is other than their natural selves.

Abandoning their natural beauty to imitate another’s cultural idea of beauty has a psychologically damaging effect on themselves and the young females who are starting to form images and acceptance of their own identity.

Black beauty covers a broad spectrum that can accommodate your stylings without the exaggerated extreme portrayal of unnatural stylings as costumes and artificial headdresses.

Collateral considerations that are impacted are the forced labor and exploitation of women in the countries that produce the hair. Their level of compensation from a four-billion-dollar industry that black women overwhelmingly support is close to slave labor.

Black women being one of the primary users of the hair and needed accessories that generate massive revenue with minimal retail or wholesale opportunities returned to them amounts to the voluntary financial exploitation of black women by themselves.

No participation in the wealth accumulation of this industry questions the continued voluntary exploitation through the patronage of the black woman’s insecurities and cultural appropriation. The only money to be made is in service of the industry at the bottom of the economic chain. Crumbs should no longer be acceptable as a return on investment.

Perhaps it is time to support something that empowers the black woman’s identity, natural beauty, ownership, and responsibility as an example of a role model of self-love and acceptance. With this being a four-billion-dollar industry, any money steered to another industry that benefits and more closely aligns itself with the black woman’s natural beauty, interest, opportunity, and respect should be explored.

This is also compelling and influences the black male to support, acknowledge, demonstrate, and acclimate themselves to not appreciate the black female’s natural beauty and value.

Setting the example and standard for black beauty will avoid conditioning the black male to subliminally embrace a façade and unintentional portrayal of beauty. That standard that is not representative and appreciative of the black woman’s beauty should not be promoted by the black woman or man. Just in case a reminder is needed.

The black male also must participate in the elevation of the black women’s self-image and remove obstacles to the black woman’s crown state of mind. Providing support, input, gratitude, and encouragement is needed and well deserved considering what she has gone through, is going through, and will go through to heal and renew her spirit. Just in case some reassurances are wanted, and our contribution is needed.

Her glory lays not in hair but the dignity of her crown projection. A symbol of the renewal of mother earth, where all that exists is created, nurtured, and grown.

Remember, for all she does; hair does not make the woman; self-determination that reveals the acceptance of her cultural identity as royalty ensures that her best is more than enough and beautiful in its uniqueness.

In this time of black girl magic and the black woman’s celebration, beauty, and empowerment, it is in contrast to the imposed image of a European appearance and standard of beauty being shredded. Then, why does the black woman insist on these beauty standards appropriated and promoted by others?

The King of Soul, James Brown, said “Say it Loud I’m Black, and I’m Proud,” and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, spoke about “Feel like a Natural Woman,” but it is better said only if you mean it and walk it like you talk it.

Promote and be a representation of your unique, organic beauty. That is a beautiful example for black women to empower black girls to accept their own likeness as beautiful. After all, it might be MORE than just fake hair projecting a harmless cosmetic delusion of impractical images of black beauty.

Arm yourself in a manner you can not be disarmed with the confidence of your acceptance of yourself. Then you will be dressed your best.

 

Thurston K. Atlas

Creating A Buzz