To Straighten or Not: Hair Politics Snags Black Women

For black women, it's near impossible to choose a hairstyle without society weighing in. Chemical relaxers help straighten hair, but "you’re pegged as selling out," a black studies professor tells the New York Times. But go natural and "you’re seen as not practicing appropriate grooming practices." The issue may seem outdated, but Malia Obama, all of 11, caught flak for going natural and wearing her hair in twists recently. (Her mom straightens.)

Many women are tired of the debate—it's also the subject of an upcoming Chris Rock documentary, Good Hair—and want hair to be just that instead of a political statement. "I am who I am regardless of how I wear my hair," says the owner of a website devoted to black hair. But not all black women feel comfortable making that choice: Sales of at-home relaxers are holding steady at $45.6 million a year.
(More Michelle Obama stories.)