Nicholes curlychroniclesmultimediagenreresearchproject

CURLY CHRONICLES
Black Women’s Identity Crisis
Are we relaxing our natural roots
to belong to the “good” hair society?
g
g
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A Tale Of Two Sisters
Beyonce & Solange
Ever wondered what a debate would actually sound like between a woman with
relaxed hair and a woman with natural hair about their chosen hairstyle?

October 2012/Curly Chronicles 2
Two Words…
got milk?
VISIT
CURLYCHRONICLES.COM
OCTOBER 2012

Curly
Contents
October 2012
Volume I Issue I
5 Letter from the Editor
7 Defining “good” hair vs. “bad” hair:
According to Tyra Banks, Chris Rock, and Spike
Lee
8 What is “creamy crack?” Studies showhair
relaxers linked to Fibroids in Black Women
9 Curly Chronicles go 1-on-1 with Professor
Thomas Mickey and his concepts on Sociodrama and
how it ties in with Black Women wanting to be part of
the “good” hair society
13 The Girl Who Cried Relaxer
14 A Tale of Two Sisters:Beyonce & Solange’s
Great Hair Debate
18 What’s Your Hair Type? Knowing your curl
pattern
19 Can we call a truce? Curlies vs. Relaxers: Is
there a solution within Professor Mickey’s theory?
20 Bibliography

I’m Tangled
By: Rumi Kolliyaat-e Shams-e Tabriz
I'm tangled,
like the curls of my love's hair, like
a snake encharmed, I turn and
twist.
What is this knot, this dizzy maze,
this snare
All I know: if I'm not tangled here,
I don't exist.

Editor’s Letter
Whether Black women want to accept it or not, we are going through a major
identity crisis when it comes to our hair. The questions constantly catapulting through our minds
are,“Should I accept my naturally kinky coils?” or “Should I relax my coils into submission?”
This ongoing debate has transpired for decades,and the battle has sparked a never-ending feud
we’ve waged within our community and ourselves.
I want to fill you in on the generational anecdotes that have been passed on from our
great-grandmothers, to our grandmothers, to our mothers, and to us regarding Black hair. Imagine
hearing that sleek, pressed out straight (i.e. Hispanic, Asian, Indian, Caucasian) hair is prettier
(because its easier to get a comb through) than our kinky, coily, wiry hair. Listening to this every
time your mother does your hair or to flinch in pain as your hair is being brushed and combed
because it isn’t straight wears and tears on you mentally and emotionally.
I hope the picture I’ve just painted is giving you a snapshot of why Black women opt to
relax their hair because they want to belong and identify with the “good” hair society. Speaking
from my own personal experience I didn’t believe my coiled hair was beautiful – until three years
ago. As a child I was natural until I was about eight and begged my mother for a relaxer because I
wanted “pretty” manageable hair. Time though brings about a change, now that I’ve “re-embraced
my natural roots” I have to say it’s been a freeing and liberating experience because of the
versatility that comes with having natural hair.
The ongoing argument of natural hair being “ugly” and not acceptable is the basis of my
claim with the Multi Genre Research project. In my opinion Black women are desperate. We’re
facing a serious identity crisis when it comes to our hair. We want to belong and identify with the
“good” hair society so much that we’ll chemically alter our hair with a relaxer just to fit in so we
won’t have to deal with our wild wiry hair. My line of reasoning ties in with Professor Thomas
Mickey’s theory of sociodrama. Mickey made a claim, “as members of an audience we want to
identify with others. We want to be part of something. If we can identify ourselves with an
organization, we become a part of it. They no longer communicate to us; we communicate with
one another.”
Mickey’s claim on the concepts of sociodrama helped me birth the idea of Curly
Chronicles magazine for the research project. I’m in love with magazines. They are informative,
and accomplish an awesome task of keeping the public engaged and entertained without bogging
them down with loads of information.
The first article in the magazine is where I give readers a quick lesson in defining “good”
hair and “bad” hair. The first page will be dedicated to “good” hair and there will be a picture of a
Black woman with silky straight hair. I will then define “good” and “bad” hair from the Urban
Dictionary. On the following page will be a Black woman with “bad” hair. These examples will
give readers who aren’t familiar with “good” and “bad” hair a better understanding of what it
means in the Black community. The “good” and “bad” hair perspectives will be coming from Tyra
Banks, Chris Rock, and Spike Lee. The trio has all spoken out about the debate with both Spike
Lee and Chris Rock having made films in regards to “good” and “bad” hair.

The second article will explain what “creamy crack” or relaxer is. I will give a
brief synopsis on its origin, how it was accidentally created its uses, and how the sodium hydroxide in
it is being connected to Black women getting Fibroids.
In my third article I will introduce Professor Thomas Mickey. I will also give an analysis on
his theory on the concept of sociodrama and how it relates to my identity crisis claim regarding Black
women in the “good” vs. “bad” hair debate. Following my analysis, is an interview (mock) that I
conducted with Professor Mickey on sociodrama and how the Black woman want to be a part of the
“good” hair society.
The third piece in my project is entitled “The Girl who Cried Relaxer.” This is my
interpretation of conversation I had with a friend of mine, and you’ll never believe the reason why
she’s given up her natural hair.
Woo Hoo! I was very fortunate about being able to get some free time out of these two
superstars busy schedules. The forever- glamorous Beyonce and her naturalista singer little sister
Solange! Their piece is entitled A Tale of Two Sisters: Beyonce and Solange’s Great Hair Debate. If
you’ve ever wondered what a debate would sound like between a woman with natural hair and a
woman with relaxed hair about why their chosen style? Well, look no further because Beyonce and
Solange are bringing the “T” (truth). Following the great debate,have you ever wondered what hair
type you have? We’ve got the answers. I end the issue with can we call a truce? Is there a solution
within Professor Mickey’s sociodrama theory when it comes to the Black women’s identity crisis
when dealing with their hair?
I really hope you enjoy what you read here, and that you will see how the Black hair identity
crises ties in with Thomas Mickey’s theory regarding sociodrama and how we as individuals always
want to identify and belong to a group because it gives us a sense of belonging and security.
Remember all hair no matter how kinky, coily, straight or oily it is, love your hair because its
beautiful. Don’t believe the hype nor fall for the stereotypes… Live, Love, and always Laugh.
Nichole L. Wiggins

Tyra Banks, Chris Rock, and Spike Lee Interpretations of
“Good” Hair vs. “Bad” Hair
Good Hair: A term used for black people’s hair. If the hair is long, soft, and smooth. This type of hair is considered
attractive because soft and smooth hair is the healthiest, or at least looks that way.
Bad Hair: A
opular term used in the Black
ommunity. The typical hair of
ose of African descent. It
extremely
curly/wavy and
escribed as “nappy”, “kinky”,
r “coily.” It is unmanageable
Tyra Banks on “Good” Hair
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeXUm8OOUA8
Tyra Banks jumped in on the “Good” Hair vs. “Bad” hair debate after years of wearing weaves.
Chris Rock on “Good” Hair
Chris Rock’sHis movie Good Hair was inspired by his four-year-old daughter Lola. She had become obsessed
with
a friend’s hair. She said, “My friend has some pretty hair. Daddy, why isn’t my hair pretty?”
Her question, inspired his movie.
http://youtu.be/yVH1mgkiBgA?t=2m14s
Spike Lee’s Movie School Daze
Scene of “Good and Bad” Hair
http://youtu.be/5HUUvQ3Yac8
O Of the three, Spike Lee was the first to get involved in the “good” hair vs. “bad” hair debate.
H His movie School Daze focuses on many issues within the Black community. This example is a
dance number featuring Black women with “good” hair versus Black women with “bad” hair.

What is Creamy Crack?
Studies show relaxer linked to Fibroids in Black Women
Relaxer or “creamy crack” as its called in the Black community is a creamy lotion that
makes hair less curly and easier to straighten by chemically “relaxing” the natural curls. Garrett
Augustus Morgan is credited with accidentally creating the relaxer when he observed that it is
possible to change the basic structure of the hair shaft when chemicals penetrate the cortical layer.
The woman you see in the picture is getting what is called a “touch” up. She has relaxed
hair however, because her roots have started curling, kinking, coiling up again, she’s sitting in her
stylist’s chair to re-straighten her hair.
According to blackdoctor.org: A new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology has
linked hair relaxers to uterine fibroids, as well as early puberty in young girls.
Scientists followed more than 23,000 pre-menopausal Black American women from1997 to 2009
and found that the two- to three-times higher rate of fibroidsamong black women may be linked
to chemical exposure through scalp lesions and burns resulting fromrelaxers.
Women who got their first menstrual period before the age of 10 were also more likely
to have uterine fibroids, and early menstruation may result from hair products black girls are
using, according to a separate study published in the Annals of Epidemiology last summer.
Three hundred African American, African Caribbean, Hispanic, and White women in
New York City were studied. The women’s first menstrual period varied anywhere fromage 8 to
age 19, but African Americans,who were more likely to use straightening and relaxers hair oils,
also reached menarche earlier than other racial/ethnic groups.
While so far, there is only an association rather than a cause and effect relationship
between relaxers, fibroid tumors, and puberty, many experts have been quick to point out that
the hair care industry isn’t regulated by the FDA, meaning that there’s no definite way to fully
know just how harmful standard Black hair care products really are.
This right here should really make Black women think twice before being so desperate to
join the “good” hair society.

One-on-one with Professor Thomas Mickey
His Concepts of Sociodrama Theory
How it ties in with Black Women
desperately wanting to be part of the “good” hair society
Professor Emeritus Dr. Thomas J. Mickey is a realjack-of-all trades. Not only is a he a
master gardener from Quincy Massachusetts,but he’s also an author and teaches at Bridgewater
State University.
Curly Chronicles Editor-in-ChiefNichole Wiggins had the wonderful opportunity to
speak with Dr. Mickey who birthed the sociodrama theory where we learn about how people
“make meaning” with language, movements, and symbols, and what those words, actions, and
symbols mean to them.
His concepts of sociodrama theory is what piqued my interest. There was a particular
statement that Dr. Mickey said that resonated within me. His claim: “as members of an audience
we want to identify with others. We want to be part of something. If we can identify ourselves
with an organization, we become part of it. They no longer communicate to us; we communicate
with one another.”(Hansen-Horn and Neff, p. 127). His statement reignited an ongoing argument I
see within Black women. We’re facing a serious identity crisis when it comes to accepting our
natural hair. Like Professor Mickey said we want to belong and identify. In this case we want to
identify with the “good” hair society so much that we’ll chemically alter our hair with a relaxer
just to fit in.
What does the good professor have to say in regards to my analysis?

One-on-one with Professor Thomas Mickey
CC: Dr. Mickey, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule and sitting down for this interview.
PTM: (smiles) No problem Nichole. Thank you for having me.
CC: The pleasure is all mine. I have to tell you how honored I feel to be in your presence. This first
graduate class has been pretty intense, we’ve been analyzing different theorists and theories and out of all
of them, your theory on sociodrama is one that has resonated with me.
PTM: Why thank you. I am humbled by your kind words.
CC: Professor Mickey, being a Black woman, I have the knowledge and wisdom regarding the identity
crisis troubling Black women when it comes to dealing with our natural hair. The stigma has been
something that we’ve had trouble accepting for decades. Through analysis and interviewing various family
members and friends, I believe it started with our great-grandmothers and their dislike for their natural
hair passing the negativity on to our grandmothers, who passed it on to our mothers, and now here we are
– hating our hair.
PTM: That’s terrible. I can’t imagine what that’s like. Why do you hate your hair? How do you cope with
the negativity?
CC: We hate our hair because it’s basically untamable and unruly. It’s thick, wiry, coily, and kinky. Our
natural hair has a mind of its own, and at times it can really be hard to get a comb through. As far as
coping with the negativity in regards to our natural hair, we find ourselves turning to hair magazines,
television, movies, and music videos for hair inspiration.
PTM: Hair inspiration? Please elaborate.
CC: Okay. (laughs) Whenever I feellike trying a new hairstyle, I typically search various Black hair
magazines for some sort of inspiration. If I see a style that I have to have which nine times out of ten is a
picture of a woman with some sort of silky straight hair, I will take it to my stylist and tell her that that’s
the style I’m going for.
PTM: I noticed you said you typically go for the pictures of a woman with silky straight hair. Why is that?
CC: Let me reiterate a bit further. The dislike of our natural hair has been ingrained within us that our
natural hair is ugly, and although I don’t believe that anymore seeing that I’ve been without a relaxer for
three years,subconsciously I think I still believe that my hair would probably be prettier some days if it
were relaxed because the straighter the hair, the more manageable it is to maintain.
PTM: That’s very interesting.

On
CC: Interesting, but sad that we don’t accept our hair. It’s funny that we’ve embraced society’s standards of
beauty that is “straight” silky hair is better and that we’ll probably get further in (i.e. career,dating, and the
like) life if we conform. In order for us to feel like we’ll be accepted by our peers and in society is if we
emulate what we see in magazines, videos, and television is of women with silky, straight, manageable hair.
We look at it and think it’s beautiful so therefore we want to emulate the “cookie cutter” image.
PTM: I never realized how deep this situation is for Black women.
CC: I don’t think anyone has ever taken time to think about how we feelin regards to our hair. I know it’s
made me think a lot though. I have to say the more research I’ve done on this issue brings me to your theory
on sociodrama and how it relates to the ongoing identity crisis I see within us. Can you please give me more of
an in-depth definition of what sociodrama is first before I begin?
PTM: I’d be glad to. Sociodrama is a language based approach to public relations and as much is interactional,
interpretative, and cultural perspective. Looking into sociodrama one (whether it be an individual or a public
relations practitioner) learn about how people “make meaning” with language, movements, and symbols and
what those words, actions and symbols mean to them.
CC: Speaking of words you said some words in your sociodrama theory that I found to be very profound, and
it’s actually the main reason why I wanted to set up this interview with you.
PTM: Really? What exactly did I say that piqued your interest?
CC: Your claim: “as members of an audience we want to identify with others. We want to be part of
something. If we can identify ourselves with an organization, we become part of it. They no longer
communicate to us; we communicate with one another.”(Hansen-Horn and Neff, p. 127). I totally agree with
your claim.
Let me start by saying that as a Black woman and analyzing us, this is what I see. For decades,we’ve
always wanted to be part of the “good” hair society. For example, as I’ve stated before,the stigma of our
natural hair has been something that we’ve had trouble accepting since coming to America from Africa. I’ve
seen pictures of our African descendants and the closely cropped Afros and braids they wore. I honestly
believe the love/hate relationship we’ve had with our hair truly began when we stepped foot onto American
soil and got a chance to see how different our hair was in comparison to other women.
However I believe the strong dislike for our natural hair started with our great-grandmothers hearing
their mothers groan and complain while trying to think of a “quick” fix in regards to doing their hair. The
dislike and negativity was then passed on generationally to our grandmothers, who passed it on to our
mothers, and now here we are – hating our hair. Case in point, as little girls, we’ve always looked at our
friends (the ones with the good hair) with longing, and envy wondering why our hair is coarse and coily and
not silky and straight like theirs? Here’s how Dr. Mickey’s sociodrama ties in with another example.
Take Chris Rock’s four-year-old daughter Lola. He tells the story about how after a dance class she
was obsessing about how pretty one of her friend’s hair was. Lola made the comment, “Daddy my friend has
pretty hair. Why don’t I have good hair?” Lola’s question catapulted Chris Rock into making the movie Good
Hair. It’s situations like these that we as young girls experience that no one will ever be fully to understand,
and that’s why we have this strong hatred for our hair. Why is it that we have to go through hours of
maintenance to keep our hair up, when it seems like what our counterparts go through seems effortless? The
separation of the “good” hair versus “bad” hair has left us feeling resentful, angry and we’ve also experienced
bouts of low self-esteem feeling like we’re not good enough because our hair doesn’t match up with society’s
standards of beauty.
So, if we can identify ourselves with an organization, we become part of it. For instance the only way
we as Black women can identify ourselves with the “good” hair organization is if we relax our natural roots in
favor of getting the silky, straight tresses we see in the movies, magazines, music videos, and countless
television commercials. Getting rid of our natural roots in a sense is like us burying who we are in favor of
being accepted and welcomed into the “good” hair society. Now instead of society and our counterparts
throwing us questioning looks in regards to our wild curly afros,they welcome us with open arms, because
we’re no longer different, we look just like them in regards to the silky straight hair flowing down our backs.
Our counterparts and society no longer communicate to us because now we’re on the same level playing field.
We now speak the same language and share a common ground and likeness now that our hair is no longer

Once our hair is no longer kinky or coily, we’re instantly seen in a much favorable light. I
hate I’m admitting this but hear me out. It’s as if the organization we’re desperately seeking
membership into opens its doors and says, “You are now accepted in our great society.” We hear these
words and we smile. The words infuse us with the confidence we were lacking giving us reasons to
exhale in relief because we’re now able to speak the same language boldly. We can hold our heads
high and lift our shoulders proudly. We say to ourselves, “I’m beautiful”, and that’s sad to me. How
come we didn’t see ourselves as beautiful before? Why does altering who we are always have to be an
option? Why must we go to the point of no return? Following our hopping off of no return boulevard,
we are no longer timid in our actions and movements because we hold a key and have access into the
once forbidden world, the world that once rejected us and made us feel inferior.
We all speak the same language in a sense, therefore making it easier for us all to
communicate with one another and live harmoniously. We are no longer the odd man out, but my
question remains, are Black women really living harmoniously seeing that our hair only stays silky
and straight for about three weeks,and then it starts to revert back to its coily wiry roots? Why must
we rely so much on the unhealthy “creamy crack” quick fix? that only lasts for a short period of time
before we’re off touching up our roots once again in order to belong. Why can’t we just accept our
hair in its natural glory?
The sociodrama theory in regards to identification really made me think. It’s true. We all want
to identify and be part of something, but does one really have to try and hide ones uniqueness in order
to be accepted and welcomed by the majority? Why must we conform? Why is it so important to want
to belong to an organization? Are we winning some type of grand prize by belonging? Does it make
us more popular? Will we make more friends? Get more men to date us? Will it make us a better
person? Is identifying with own self that bad that we have to resort to the opinions of others to make
up our minds about who we really are? What happened to the mantra “To thine own self be true?”
PTM: Nichole, you are right on target in regards to tying in my thoughts on sociodrama in regards to
the identity crisis plaguing Black women when it comes to their hair. Your analysis was used in a
perfect way. It’s true we all want to be part of some organization, some group all of the time. Our
decisions often happen because of that need to identify. Black women for example, and their
desperate need to be part of the “good” hair society. They want to be part of this group so bad that
their decision to relax their hair often happens because of their need to identify with the “good” hair
society.
CC: I totally agree Professor Mickey. My hope is that one day that we as Black women can just be
proud of the hair God has given us, and not feelso pressured that we have to jump on the “relaxer”
bandwagon just to feel as if we belong.

The Girl Who Cried Relaxer
Meet Christen Smith. She’s an acquaintance of mine, and we’ve been friendly for
about three years since I’ve been working in the daycare. She and I have bonded
through our love of natural hair. We swap natural hair secrets and discuss our
regimens as far as the dos and don’ts and what works and what doesn’t work when it
comes to our natural hair. Well a couple of weeks ago, Christen and I got together for
dinner, and I was blown away that she had gotten a relaxer. She looked at me wearing
a sheepish demeanor, and said, “Yes, Nikki, I know. I know.” I asked her what made
her want a relaxer and she said, “I’m so used to having men at my beck and call, but I
feel like since I’ve been wearing my hair natural, they haven’t been giving me that
much attention.” Her words shocked and disappointed me. I was Shocked that she
would actually blame her hair-style being the reason why she feels men aren’t doting
on her. Christen’s revelation made me think about Professor Mickey’s sociodrama
theory. Christen so desperately wants to identify with the “good” hair society that she
altered herself just so she could fit in to get a man’s attention. In my opinion a real
man, would love Christen in all her naturalness, but again, this is just my little old
interpretation.

A Tale of Two Sisters
Beyonce & Solange’s Great Hair Debate

The Debaters:
Beyonce: The Relaxed Diva
When you look at this picture, what do you see? What I see
besides two sisters who obviously love one another is one who loves her
silky straight hair, and one who has totally embraced her fierce natural
look.
Beyonce, and little sister Solange are more than sisters, they’re
two beautiful Black women who have come to terms in accepting how
they choose to wear their hair. It made me think, do you wonder what a
debate would actually sound like between a woman with relaxed hair and
a woman with natural hair about their chosen hair style?
Beyonce: The Relaxed Diva prefers getting a relaxer. She has considered going
natural but has chosen to stick with a relaxer for now as well as the near future. The
relaxed diva loves wearing her hair straight and indulges in any and all literature
about keeping her tresses as healthy as possible

Solange:
The
Natural
Diva
Solange: The NaturalDiva loves wearing her hair natural. She used to relax her
hair and chose to grow her relaxer out and embrace her natural roots. She has no
plans to apply a relaxer to her tresses again and believes that her hair is much
healthier in its natural state.
The Debate:
Beyonce: Solange, I love your hair - it's gorgeous! I love the style.
Solange: Bey, you know your hair is gorgeous too.
Beyonce: Sis, you never did tell me why you like wearing your hair natural?
Solange: I love wearing my hair natural. You know I used to relax my hair for years but I got tired of it
breaking off all the time. I also like the styling options that are available to me now, and it feels and looks a lot
healthier in its natural state, but you never really told me why you continue to relax your hair?
Beyonce: Solange, you know mom has been relaxing our hair since we were little girls, and I guess I’ve just
grown used to wearing my hair like this. I have considered going natural, you know that but I'm so used to
relaxing my hair and prefer taking care of it in this state.
Solange: I can understand your hesitation about going natural. It is a major decision for anyone who has been
used to wearing their hair relaxed for a long time. However, once you make your mind up and go through the
emotional transition as your hair changes, it is easier to get used to your natural tresses and embrace them.
Beyonce: I understand because I watched your emotional transition as the relaxer grew out of your hair, but for
me I just don't feel the need to go natural. I just hate that I have been accused by some of being "addicted to the
creamy crack," and I find that a bit harsh just because I love wearing my hair relaxed. Is it wrong that I prefer
styles that I can achieve if it is relaxed? Think about it, when all is said and done, it is my choice.
Solange: To each his own I guess. I’m not going to lie though I think there is a part of you that wears a relaxer
to please the media, your fans and assimilate into Eurocentric environments. Think about it, Bey - The whole
point of creating relaxers was to help blacks assimilate to the status quo/white environment. In addition, many
of us have been brainwashed to believe that we look prettier when our hair is straight and flowing.
Beyonce: We work in the entertainment industry. What do you expect me to do Solange? I know my hair being
relaxed has played a role in my success with fans and the media accepting me, and I’m not going to apologize
about it. So what if my hair helped me get ahead? Why are black women judged so differently when they
straighten their hair, when there are plenty of non-black women out there with naturally curly hair that like to
wear their hair straight as well. There are a lot of non-black women who treat their hair with harsh chemicals
for various purposes, like bleaching to get blond hair, etc. We all do things to alter our beauty to fit what we
want. So why am I "brainwashed" because I straighten my hair?
Solange: I'm not trying to make you feel bad about relaxing your hair. In my opinion, it's the mental state that
goes behind doing the beauty-altering process. Non-black women who straighten their hair or bleach their hair
do not necessarily believe that they will be more generally accepted in a Eurocentric climate if they do such a
process. Black women are more likely to believe that their hair will help them assimilate in a Eurocentric
environment just like with Professor Mickey’s sociodrama theory. Non-black women don’t want or need to
identify with society’s set standards of beauty because THEY set the standard by already belonging to that
environment. In essence, the chemical straightening for a black woman is more likely executed to please others
and be accepted more-so than for beauty purposes. Some women refuse to believe that we blur those two
purposes quite often.
Beyonce: Please acknowledge that is an assumption that we are relaxing our hair to please others. Do
some women relax their hair to please others? Sure. But there are also women out there that simply choose
to relax their hair because they like the styles it allows, and that's all. I can easily assume that some
women go natural for people-pleasing purposes too, you know. That some women only go natural because
they want to please other women who prefer natural hair and criticize and sometimes even bully other
women who stay relaxed. But I am not going to assume that, because everyone's case is different. Plain
and simple. Judging someone based on the outward manifestation of their choice is different than judging
someone for the actual reasons behind their choice. Assuming the actual reason is flawed analysis from
the outset.

Solange: Understood. You’ve made your case clear,but hear me out. You know I don't bully anyone into
going natural, but you know that your hair would be a lot healthier if you go natural though, right? I can
honestly say that it is definitely mentally freeing process. In addition, my hair is a lot stronger in its natural
state.
Beyonce: Think about this. Do you your hair is healthier in a natural state because you didn't know how to
take care of your hair while it was relaxed?
Solange: {Shaking head} I don't think so. Come on Bey, you know I tried different relaxers and I took
excellent care of my hair. I found that my hair simply had an adverse reaction to relaxer. My hair stopped at
shoulder-length and would break pretty easily. Not everyone's hair can take a relaxer. Plus, even if my hair did
do well with relaxers, I probably would have gone natural anyway. I didn't like the idea of having to get such
harsh chemicals applied to my hair so often. Remember when we went to go see Chris Rock's movie, "Good
Hair"? That sodium hydroxide chemical can burn through metal. Something like that should not be applied to
a human scalp, or any part of the skin for that matter. It seems pretty dangerous for any person's health.
Beyonce: I agree that some hair simply doesn't react well to relaxers, so I understand, and yes I know you took
excellent care of your hair. I agree that the chemicals can be harsh if not applied correctly. You know I don’t
obsess over having "bone straight" hair while getting a relaxer treatment, and that's why I don't like the relaxer
being applied directly to scalp during the application process. I also don't have the chemical applied to already
relaxed hair. You know I also stretch my relaxers and I don't mind taking care of my natural roots for a while
before I get my next touch up. Overprocessing hair is one of the top reasons why relaxed hair breaks so easily.
I can go on and on about what I do to keep my relaxed hair healthy, but that is another conversation all
together.
Solange: Yes it is, and you know, that all sounds good. But that sodium hydroxide chemical still gets absorbed
somehow into your body whether you like it or not.
Beyonce: True. But I believe proper technique negates the deleterious effect of the chemical application. Just
ask some older black women who have taken good care of their relaxed tresses over decades and still have a
healthy scalp and healthy hair. Plus, don't believe the hype about the "green chemical" that gathers under the
scalp of women who relax their hair over time. There is no legit study to even prove that rumor.
Solange: Well, I will say that you fair a lot better with your hair compared to women who are obsessed with
getting bone straight hair and relaxers every 3-4 weeks.
Beyonce: I agree. That's really disturbing.
Solange: [Laughs]
Beyonce: [Laughs]
Solange: You know, I love my natural hair and won't change how I feel about it for the world. However,I
appreciate talking with you and respect your decision to take care of your hair in a way that works for you.
Beyonce: Thanks Solange. I feel the same. I love your hair, and respect your decision to go natural and rock
the styles that you do.

What’s Your Hair Type?
Type 2 Wavy Hair

Type 3 Curly Hair
Type 4 Coily Hair
Can we call a truce?
Curlies vs. Relaxers:
Does Professor Mickey’s Theory provide a solution?

Bibliography
The more I analyze Dr. Mickey’s claim regarding sociodrama and how we as an audience we
desperately want to identify with others. It’s true. In our society, and how we make meaning through
words and symbols, ties in with how we want to identify and be a part of something. For instance me
being a Black woman and how I’ve always had issues with my hair all of my life until I decided to go
natural three years ago.
The first thoughts always entering my head were,“Man I wish I had good hair.” I’m not going
to lie I hated my hair. I thought it was too nappy and crinkly and too unmanageable, so I got relaxers.
The relaxers though (I got them for twenty-three years) were just a temporary fix. I would get a
relaxer, but my hair only remained straight for a couple of weeks,and guess what? My nappy roots
would make their strong presence known again. Now? Oh I’m in LOVE with my natural hair and have
accepted it in all it’s wiry, coily, coarseness because I’ve learned how to care for it.
Through Dr. Mickey’s thoughts on sociodrama I thought about how I wanted to identify and
be a part of something. The something I was so wanted to be a part of was the “good” hair society. I
wanted to measure up to society’s standards of beauty by getting rid of my wiry hair in exchange for
something more acceptable. For the twenty three years I was a part of the “good” hair society I have to
say, I really don’t know what the fuss was all about. Yes even though I was able to identify with the
majority and was able to communicate on the “inside” there was still something missing. I don’t feel
like I was ever myself or fully accepted all of me because I was so obsessed with having “ good”
hair.“Good” hair as I’ve defined throughout this magazine is means that it’s similar to “Caucasian,
Asian, Hispanic, and Indian” (i.e. manageable hair).
So is there a solution within Mickey’s theory? Yes. I believe there is. I believe in order for
Black women to want to identify with others, they first need to identify with self. If you want to be a
part of something, then why not start something in which you can be proud of. I believe it should be
about self-acceptance. Identify is such a huge word. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary
identify means to conceive as united as in outlook, spirit, or principle. That’s huge.
The thing with Black women is that we don’t know how to identify with self because in
actuality we don’t know who we are. Instead of accepting our hair the way that it is we immediately
want to run from it because it’s different instead of embracing our beautiful hair. Know that I know
this and have actually come to grips with loving my hair, I no longer want to identify with the
majority (silky, straight, hair). I love that my natural hair is versatile, and that I can wear it wild and
curly, or straight. See here,I’m setting my own standards of identity in what makes Nichole, Nichole.
Good hair whether its kinky, coily, wiry, silky, or straight is acquirable for all of us. If we want
“good” hair, we as Black women have to make it look good.

"Good Hair vs. Bad Hair." The Black Hair Diaries (blog), July 16, 2012.
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-black-hair-diaries-good-hair-vs-bad-hair-
11568272.html?cat=69 (accessed October 6, 2012).
Hansen-Horn, Tricia, and Bonita Dostal Neff. Public Relations From Theory
to Practice.
Boston: Pearson Education Inc., 2008.
"I am Tangled." Hair Poetry!!! (blog),
http://www.endarkenment.com/hair/poetry/rumi.htm (accessed October 6, 2012).
Mickey, Thomas. "A Postmodern View of Public Relations: Sign and Reality." Public
Relations Review. 23. no. 3 (1997): 271-284.
Mickey, Thomas. “Sociodrama: An interpretive theory for the practice of public relations.”
Lanham, MD: University Press of America., 1996.
Rippa, "Hair Relaxers linked to Fibroids in African American Women." The
Intersection of Madness & Reality (blog), February 22, 2012.
http://www.rippdemup.com/2012/02/study-hair-relaxers-linked-to-fibroids-in-
african-american-women/ (accessed October 7, 2012).

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