In the Natural Hair Community, Inclusivity Is a Moving Target

The natural hair movement, which started to pick up steam in the 2000s and was accelerated by millions of YouTube tutorials and thousands of targeted hair products, gave many Black women and femmes space to explore their hair outside the confines of relaxers. As the daughter of a West African hair braider, I grew up in the world of natural hair and have had my own complicated journey with it, so how Black women relate to their hair has always been a point of fascination for me.

For what it's worth, the natural hair movement does not show signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Nor should it. Natural hairstyles like locs, twists, braids, and Afros have become synonymous with creativity, symbols of freedom, and marketing tools for a booming billion-dollar haircare industry. Its popularity has led to important legislation like the CROWN Act, which bans race-based hair discrimination in schools and the workplace.

For everything wonderful the natural hair movement has brought us, the conversation has remained nuanced. Often times, going "natural" meant stockpiling an arsenal of new products and dedicating hours to the art of hair styling. But what about those who do not wish to spend a small fortune on products and services in the hopes of changing the way their hair looks?

Case in point: A Tweet from earlier this year by @TheRealChanee asked her followers about the "interesting" resurgence of relaxed hair. Cora Harrington, an author and lingerie expert who goes by @lingerie_addict, responded with her take. "The natural hair movement eventually created a lot of pressure around what natural hair 'should' look like," she said, "rather than encouraging people to embrace their own textures and curl patterns."

The thread that followed sparked a passionate conversation around the natural hair movement's intentions. If you love your "unnatural" hair—whether that be straightened, colored, or bald—is there anything wrong with that? Can you still be part of the community? Only through understanding the frustrations with it can we create a more inclusive movement.