Is My Son's Hair Too Girly For You?

This was originally posted on my site a couple of months ago but seeing as how its going through a major overhaul, I thought this would be more suited for our site here. Enjoy!

Last week, IG had its panties in a bunch because Tia Mowry had posted a photo of her son that showed him with a style that would “traditionally” be deemed one fit for a girl.

I personally saw nothing wrong with this and caught a few good feels because I happen to style my son’s hair in a similar fashion on an at least once a week basis.

 He’s a very active 2 soon to be 3 year old so a well defined twist out (yes he wears them too thank you very much) or wild fro isn’t always an option.

This was after a fun filled afternoon with pa pa.  His hair didn't stand a chance!

 There have been a few occasions I’ve found leaves and grass bits mingling with his curls.  As busy moms, we want to preserve and care for the hair on our children’s head.  I love my son’s curls and can’t imagine him without them.  They suit him.  I treat his hair just as I do my own.  Being natural, at least for the both of us, means protective styling in anyway I see fit, be it flat twists, free flowing twists, buns or a top knot.

All styles others have found to be attractive.  Well most anyway.  I’ve experienced a few instances of mistaken identity whenever his hair is in one of those styles but nothing malicious in behavior. But there was one member at my job who tried to “suggest” that it was time to cut his hair because he mistook him for a girl.  Boy bye!  Your thoughts on when it is an appropriate time to cut my son’s hair really isn’t any of your business.  These often biased, societal views on what “traditional” visual effects define males and females have hit a new low when they are directed towards children.  If anyone has paid attention in the last few years, the “traditional” male and female roles have changed or rather evolved. While there was once the notion of men are the breadwinners and women were the homemakers, women were silent in the church, pink was little girls and blue for boys.  It has now given way to more stay at home dads (shout out to Benjamin Floyd and his wife/baby mama, and a leader in the natural hair community at Natural Hair Rules!!), women who pastor over a flock (different view points here but that’s not the issue) and little boys AND men sport every color of the rainbow sporting wardrobes enviable by many.

My son’s hair does not define him.  He is just this sweet individual who is learning the world around him, the good and thankfully not the bad (at least not yet).  How she, I or any parent for that matter chooses to style their child’s hair or dress them for that matter (yes I’ve seen this too) is really no one’s business except the person or people raising that child. End of story. Haters, your opinion has been noted and discarded.