Growing up, my curly hair was something I was always made aware of. While my curls were often perceived as a negative trait, I learned to embrace them over time and find confidence within them. I grew up hearing comments like “Is that really your hair? It can’t be that, it looks like a wig.” “Homie The Clown,” and the all-time classic, “Frizzball.” 

There is no doubt that curly and textured hair requires different hair care compared to straight hair. From the frizz control and constant moisturizing, to simply trying to achieve those bouncy coils or curls. From a personal standpoint, the choice to wear my natural curls or straighten them was often influenced by society, stereotypes, and even professionalism. 

Within curly hair, you can experience both–oddly enough–positive and negative biases. Public perception can deem curly hair as being favored for its wildness and beauty. However, at the same time, it’s subjected to numerous stereotypes or discrimination. During my younger teenage years, strangers would tell me, “Wow, you have such exotic hair,” or “You just didn’t feel like doing your hair today?” which felt rather odd and puzzling to say to a 12-year-old girl. 

As the beauty brand Moisture Love says on their blog page, based on the beauty standards of society, most find that straight hair is more “put together” due to Eurocentric beauty standards. Eurocentric beauty standards have played a significant role in these viewpoints and have been the dominating ideals for centuries, with the standard of straight hair, light skin, thin lips, and a slender figure. While MomBlogSociety discusses why straight hair is deemed as professional, polished, and gives a put-together look, and gives a better image from a global perspective. 

Women with curly hair are often judged against societal ideals of polished beauty. Curly hair is still portrayed as unprofessional, untamable, wild, and crazy looking, further reinforcing outdated narratives. It is no surprise that when I straighten my hair, considering it is deemed as more professional and put together, there is indeed a big difference in my treatment compared to natural curls. From dealing with microaggressions to discriminatory behavior, there is still a difference because of these standards and stereotypes. 

As a student with curly hair who was dorming last year, daily hair care was a constant requirement. Maintaining curly hair adds extra challenges due to the limited space, rising prices for the proper products, lack of privacy with shared bathrooms, and a busy class schedule. It can be difficult to find time and privacy to properly wash, condition, and style your curls. 

Styling curly hair typically involves brushing curls, wetting down your hair completely, along with the use of a strong detangling brush and diffuser. Whether it’s applying multiple products to prevent your hair from looking and feeling dry, to the gel cast, or laying out your edges, it’s costly in time. Curly hair routines demand great patience, careful attention, and often a proper space with a mirror for styling curls and coils, as it’s not easy to come by in shared housing environments. 

Curly hair is not just about the aesthetic; it carries a sense of emotional and cultural significance that can deeply shape an individual’s identity and self-perception. Moreover, embracing one’s curly hair can be complex due to the lack of representation and the societal standards that have been in place for centuries. However, social media communities amplify curly-haired voices, building representation, reminding individuals they’re not alone in regaining their pride once lost to wearing their natural curls and coils.

Overall, embracing curly hair is a part of normalizing natural hair and rejecting all of the outdated Eurocentric beauty standards that have disempowered those with diverse hair textures. Both curly and straight hair should be embraced equally and have their beauty in different ways. Neither hair type should be scrutinized, which can eliminate biased attitudes and dismantle harmful stereotypes.

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