Obviously, I am Team Natural, PERIOD. I thought Solange’s wedding photos were gorgeous and that her halo of natural coils made her a standout and stunning bride. Of course, however, there will always be those hateful, narrow-minded ignoramuses who believe that the only way to look good is to become something that they’re not (AKA, something resembling Eurocentric features). Um….NO. I’ve taught my daughters that ‘others have what they have, you have what you have and being different isn’t the same is being bad.’ How telling and tragic is it that, in 2014, there is STILL such an overboard emphasis on shaming one group’s inherent physicality and cultural hallmarks in favor of another’s. Know better DO BETTER, self-hatred isn’t cute and the madness needs to STOP!!!

“Earlier I said that her hairdo was also “disturbingly defended.” I call the defense disturbing because it is unsettling that we have to constantly go to great lengths to explain, support and justify the hair that naturally grows out of our head. I’m am over people calling natural hair “edgy” and “different.” I’m abstract because I don’t grow straight hair? I know natural hair is beautiful but I hate how much we have to stress how beautiful it is just to convince the world that we are secure with ourselves.

The commenter that suggested Solange to “brush her hair” is a result of challenged beauty standards. We’ve been forced to achieve European beauty goals for so long that it is basically a threat to achieve anything other. Another commenter, a white woman whose profile picture was her own bridal photo in which she dons a sleek updo, commented “Really?? Gorgeous??..” What she really meant to say is: How dare a black woman find strength, power and beauty without my culture’s influence?” (HuffPost)