Beyoncé and Jay Z’s daughter Blue Ivy is a very beautiful child. This week I could only shake my head on the harsh comments people left about this 2-year-old baby over her hair. As a Black woman, I feel disappointed that Black people still judge each other harshly not only by skin complexion, but also hair texture and appearance. There is a real political issue over Black women’s hair. Not having an acceptable natural hair texture can make many women feel insecure. Your hair is too dry. Your hair is too kinky. You don’t have “baby hair”. You don’t have good hair.

Being judged on hair texture and appearance can truly lower a Black woman’s self-esteem. Did you know hair could be such a big deal? It is no surprise there are so many women wearing hair weaves and putting chemicals in their hair to fit a standard of beauty. I like Blue Ivy’s natural hair. Her hair is authentic and refreshing. It inspires me to allow my daughter to wear her hair natural, if I am ever-blessed with a daughter.

I didn’t even embrace my natural hair until I was in college. I am proud to say that I am not afraid to embrace my hair texture. I am not afraid for the man I adore to touch my hair. No permission necessary. Feeling good about yourself is truly the most empowering feeling in the world. Do not let anyone take that empowerment away from you ever. This brings me to a recent discussion about natural hair and the professional career. Will natural locks ever become acceptable in Corporate America? I’ll tell you a story. My younger brother had a perfect afro growing up. It was flawless and people from all walks of life would look at it in admiration wishing they had a fro. He kept it neat and tidy. Then one day he started cutting his hair low and I knew it would never grow quite the same. He told me he cut his hair because he knew it would hold him back from career advancement in corporate America. It was just too ethnic. The same stigma goes for women with natural hair as people love when black women wear their hair straight as it is easy to play in. We don’t discuss that the heat to hair process is extremely damaging to the hair.

As a black woman who embraces natural hair, it feels like total acceptance of self and gives women more confidence because it’s their natural state. Growing up I was scared to wear my hair natural, let alone cut it low. I did both by the age of 20 and have no regrets. Accepting my natural beauty was a breakthrough for me. I urge all women of all ethnicities to accept themselves as is. You’ll be surprised how wonderful life gets when you do. You can learn about the Politics of Black Women’s Hair by reading The Root Issue: The Politics of Black Women’s Hair . Watch the videos below to get an understanding how hair politics negatively impact Black girls and Women. Share your stories on our Fromgirltogirl Facebook page.