All The Girls I’ve Been
In this personal piece, Normal’s Jenia Nwancha reflects on her relationship with hair, beauty and self-expression. She reflects on wearing extensions, braids, wigs and relaxers from a young age and how this affected her natural hair. “These are all the girls I’ve been” shows how hair can represent identity, change, and self-expression.
Team:
Writing by: JENIA NWANCHA
I’m Jenia Nwancha, and for as long as I can remember Ive always worn different forms of hair extension. From a very young age, I was taught that my natural hair wasn’t very presentable, and to look presentable, I had to have it either done in braids, under a wig etc. I also thought the only way I could have my natural hair out is if it was relaxed. I relaxed my hair almost twice a year, which caused severe damage. Relaxing is the process of permanently straightening one’s hair with chemicals. (Studies show that there’s a correlation between long-term use of relaxers and increased risk of hormone-related cancers). I eventually had to shave all my hair off due to the damage it endured
These are all the girls ive been.