My Connection to Robinson's "You Can't Touch My Hair"

I am super excited to write this Blog! After reading Robinson's, "You Can't Touch My Hair" I am purchasing the book. It is a done deal, I must read more! The reading was extremely captivating, and I could not help but to develop a personal connection with it. I wish I would have held off the content on the last blog and saved it for this one. However, I am going to relate this to my personal experience again, but in a different light.

To start, just by looking at the title I already made a connection with this book. I thought to myself, “Yes! Finally someone is talking about this!”. Side note: As a biracial female, I am NOT the spokesperson for black or biracial people. Everyone’s experiences and background differ. Okay, I know my hair texture is different, but you should not touch people’s hair without asking. It’s super annoying when people, sometimes complete strangers, approach you and start running their fingers through your hair. First of all, you should never put yourself in that kind of danger. If you attempt to run your fingers through my hair, they will get stuck, and I am not responsible for your injuries. Secondly, after you have fought for your life to keep your fingers, you have now angered it (I use personification because it truly has a mind of its own). And it will remain angry until I get home to fix it. So please, please, please, do not touch the mane. 

Robinson discusses the phrase "good hair". In our society that term is linked to anything but black people hair. Hogwash. We all have good and bad hair days. You cannot associate a specific race and hair texture as "bad". For most of my life I too thought I had "bad hair". I always thought straight was somehow better. After a while I came to a point in my life where I was tired of fighting and learned to love it. However, that does not mean I have to only be curly. If I wanted to cut my hair short I could rock an afro! If I wanted a weave I could go to a store and buy a bundle! There is so much one can do with their hair. Experimenting with different styles and textures, does not discredit your own. I love my curls, on the good and bad days!

Phoebe notes that her inspiration was the artist Res. I think it's important to credit your inspirations. Therefore, I want to spotlight some people who have inspired me over the course of my self-love journey. Growing up most biracial girls I knew hated their hair and always straightened it. So I turned to YouTube. The first Youtuber that inspired me to accept my hair was SunKiss Alba. She is an incredible person and I love that she is all about being 100% natural. She does not use anything toxic on her hair, skin, or in her diet. I think this was what attracted me the most to her. My hair would not be in its current, healthy state it I had not stumbled upon her videos.

SunKiss Alba: 

Sheesh, what a Queen!

 Another inspiration that helped me embrace myself as a biracial woman in general is Samantha Maria. She’s a YouTuber in London. She often discusses her own struggles as a biracial person and it is always comforting to know there are other girls out there just like you, from all over the world. I love her bubbly, free spirited personality and edgy style! She has taught me a lot from my biracial identity to other lessons I have applied in my life. She has shown me that it is my choice on who I want to be as a person. 

Samantha Maria: 

Just wow. Another Queen!

It is astonishing how most of us go our whole lives without ever meeting our celebrity icons and inspirations, yet they have such a heavy impact on our lives. Robinson addresses that when she first discovered Res, she looked over her shoulder as her. Then once she gained her own self-identity and confidence she looked over her shoulder as Phoebe (26). Truly remarkable. Each YouTuber has helped shaped my life in some way and I am forever grateful for what I have learned and gained from them. 

Who inspires you? I would love to know! They don’t have to be celebrities or YouTube influencers.