"Lay Off the Locks"

Green Bay Packers linebacker, Clay Matthews, was a guest on the Ellen Show today. Part of he and Ellen's discussion was Clay's long hair. As a joke Ellen presented him with a football helmet that had a hairnet attached. If someone pulls on the hairnet a little sign pops up that reads "Lay Off the Locks." I thought to myself; "I know that feeling so well."

Those of you who know my husband, JC, are thinking; "She's going to blog about JC's long hair." No, he fights his own hair battles. This blog is for all the curly tops around the world who want well meaning people "to lay off the locks."

I believe that people assume that all curly haired people wish they had straight hair. Not so. There are many of us who are quite comfortable with our curls and have no desire to flat iron, pomade, or chemically straighten our locks. We're cool with it, but - it's almost as if it bothers those around us. I am constantly asked why I don't flat iron my hair or use a relaxer. Answer - because my hair is part of me. They will tell me "how much better" I will look with straight hair. Would those people like it if someone told them they needed to alter a part of their body? If you have curly hair and you want to straighten, go for it, but if the person is happy with their curls they shouldn't be made to feel as if it's a disfigurement.

I have had my share of hair cut disasters and I am talking butcher jobs. Once when I got to my appointment the stylist said "You didn't tell me over the phone that you have curly hair!" I asked if that was a problem. He replied that indeed it was and he refused to cut my hair. I'm thinking to myself that he must have been absent at stylist school on the days that covered curly hair cuts!!! I have since learned to always ask in advance if they have a stylist that is good with curly hair. I kept the same stylist for many years but two years ago she changed her work hours and it isn't possible for me to get my hair cut at her shop any more. I miss her. She never criticized my curls or my cowlicks. My current stylist is good at cutting my hair but she can't style it. If curly hair looks good wet, it's a good cut. If you have to mess with it, you might as well find someone else to cut it. My stylist "tried" to style it on my first visit to her salon. She started blowing it out with a round brush. I told her that was not a good idea. True to fashion, she ignored me and soon I had a beehive that put Dolly Parton's 60s hairdos to shame. I said "I told you that curly haired people don't use brushes." She called over another stylist and try as he might he couldn't shrink it down to a size small enough for me to fit in my car. We finally washed it out, put a little mousse on it, and called it done. Since then my stylist just cuts it and lets me use her blow dryer before I go out the door.

Naturally curly hair is caused by Trichohyalin, which is a gene on chromosome one. Until someone comes up with a gene altering procedure for curly hair, it can't be changed. I've read that only 15% of people that are of European descent have curly hair, while 40% have wavy hair. I inherited the curls from Dad's side of the family. He and his sisters, as well as, my brother, sister and me all have curly hair - and I mean really curly hair, not waves. My granddaughter, Lily, and grandson, Reid, also have inherited the curly hair gene and I love their hair. It's part of who they are.

When it's hot and humid my hair does get really big and out of control. That's when the headbands, hair clips and sometimes hats, come out. My hair looks its best in the cold, dry winter. But what ever the weather, it's still MY hair and to all who want to be critical, I say, "lay off the locks."