I love a good back and forth on social media.

Readers, I know it sounds messy. However, a good back and forth discourse among strangers makes me want to grab some popcorn. Quiet as it’s kept, I try to keep it cute online. I do not have the desire or energy to go back and forth with anyone about anything that may make my blood boil. It really isn’t necessary.

With that being said, I do enjoy a level of high drama from those with a slick tongue. This may be why I used to be a fan of reality t.v. Currently I get that same level of spice from listening to my favorite podcasters and their response to each other’s quibbles. There is an actual skill involved in being able to respond to those online with a remark that sends the other keyboard warrior in a frenzy.

As a fan of hair, makeup and beauty tutorials, I was up early this morning (as I am most mornings) watching a short clip of a woman with thick, 4C hair displaying pleasure as she got a perm. As soon as I watched the short clip of the woman shaking her head from side to side enjoying her bone straight tresses I just knew the comments section would be highly entertaining.

As predicted, there were over a thousand comments from women all throwing in their judgments about her hair, her decision to perm her hair and the discussion of what that may or not may mean about how she viewed herself as a woman of color. I grabbed my imaginary popcorn and took a deep dive down the rabbit hole of opinions. The comments were endless, there were those who praised her decision as they lamented about their own struggles with expensive hair products, rigorous hair routines and not achieving the ideal look based on their own curl patterns.

Others judged her and believed she was caught in the matrix of beauty standards that did not align with her race. The juiciest comments were from the content creator herself. She blasted those who judged her on a thirty second clip and suggested everyone worry and focus on themselves and not her.

This caused me to take a pause.

Are women of color who choose to wear their hair in its natural state judgemental to those who choose to chemically straighten their hair? In the year 2022, should it even matter? What are your thoughts dear reader? Blessings.