Embracing the Big Chop: Redefining Beauty and Identity in a Black Woman’s Hair Journey

By Jamie-Lee Collman

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About a year ago, I decided to make what some would deem a tough decision to cut my hair. It wasn’t just a request for a small snip with scissors from my stylist, but I took the leap to commit to the big chop. I felt like my hair had become a bit of a struggle to deal with. I had spent a decade in a cycle between relaxers and extensions, but eventually, I grew tired of it. Even though I witnessed the new influx of people supporting going the natural route, the idea didn’t actually sink in for me until years later. Around that time, people eventually tried to debunk the concept that going natural was the better option after all, and that it was actually the more difficult choice. This didn’t seem to come from dealing with texture, but the reality of how much it cost to maintain because of the amount of products that were required to keep the process going, successfully.

Luckily, I didn’t share the same issue. Even though it took me a while to figure out which products worked best, I was able to finally settle on a process that achieved the best results for myself. This process ended up only consisting of about 3-4 products depending on what I was aiming for that day. If you’re curious, the products are below!

• The Doux Mousse DEF - Texture Foam

• Miss Jessie’s Multicultural Curls

• TGIN Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer

Of course I can’t forget the edges!

• ECO Style Professional Styling Gel

Once I finish applying the product to my hair, I actually go in afterwards with a diffuser. That way it can help speed up the drying process and also tighten my curls. I find that this allows for my wash n go styling to remain intact for at most 4 days!

You may be thinking: “That can’t be the only reason she decided to do the big chop?!” When I got it done, in a weird way, it also felt like a weight had been lifted. I now no longer have to deal with heat damage from a flat iron or fighting for my life against humidity. Prior to making my decision, I was also concerned that the cut wouldn’t fit my head shape.

My forehead is kind of big, so I thought it would only further enhance it. Yet, none of the assumptions turned out to be true in the end. I remember when I went to visit my parents and they saw it for the first time. My mom was on the verge of tears and couldn’t believe what I’d done. The same sentiments were shared with my sister as well. My mom thought I had spent so much time working hard to grow my hair, but deep down my hair’s growth always felt stagnant to me. Meanwhile, the products that I kept putting in it weren't truly doing my hair growth and health much justice. Now that I’ve decided to maintain a cut, it seems like my hair grows incredibly fast - much faster than it used to actually. So, I didn’t really agree.

At the notice of her being on the verge of tears, it made me wonder why there was so much attachment to hair length. Why did it matter? What difference did it truly make?

Unfortunately, those feelings didn’t seem to be very uncommon within the Black community. As I continued to go down the rabbit hole of other Black women who decided to do the big chop, I realized that there must be something deeper that was causing this belief that having short hair wasn’t flattering or as welcoming as long hair. It suddenly became clear that the attachment and connection of long hair was equated to femininity, which stems from the belief that Eurocentric features are more desirable. Nevertheless, even though I realized that I was also impacted by this belief system, it actually enabled me to feel more confident in my decision because the reality is, Black women are also capable of having long, healthy hair. It typically varies, depending on genetics and with this thought in mind, I was reminded that it can and will grow back when/if I feel like giving it a chance to do so. And even if we weren’t capable of growing long hair, our hair is beautiful regardless of length.

Since doing the big chop, I’ve experimented with different colors. Although I've done this in the past, it felt different because I was doing so with a brand new hairstyle that I wasn’t used to. Up to this point, there have been no regrets in doing so either. I don’t miss my hair, nor do I feel like I’ve lost my femininity because of it now being short. So if you’re considering doing the big chop, just know that it will grow back if you choose to let it. Not only that, but you will likely look just as good with the short style more than you think.

If you find yourself on the border of deciding to do the big chop, never forget the profound words of India Arie: I am not my hair. At the turn of the century, it’s time for us to redefine who we be. We are more than our hair. We are more than the constraints of Eurocentric features that try to determine our worth based on what is believed to be the standard of beauty.