Do you Covet Tracee Ellis Ross' Natural Hair?

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

The curly we love to love -- Tracee Ellis Ross -- is asking fellow curlies not to covet her curls.

Ross, whom many naturals hold up as a natural role model in Hollywood-- including this blog -- is asking her fellow naturals to love their curls, no matter the texture.

Tracee Ellis Ross curls

Ross is so adamant about everyone loving their curls, that she introduced the Hair Love campaign on YouTube. In her video, she thanks viewers for liking her hair, but asks them to embrace theirs. She even shares that she used to hate her hair but has grown to love it.

“I genuinely am honored and tickled and excited by the fact that people like my hair,” Ross said.  “It’s really nice when people like something about you, especially when they like something that you worked so hard on and used to hate.”

 Source: YouTube

“I used to hate my hair,“ Ross explained, but accepts it after years of experimenting.

She was event more blunt about hair envy.

“I don’t want you to want my hair," she said. "The reason I don’t want you to want my hair is I’m of the school of love what you got. For me, the reason my hair was such a battle was because I was trying to make it something it wasn’t. I wanted the hair that somebody else had.”

Ross also asked women to share videos about why they love their hair.

My Take

All I can say is that this is quite a statement. Ross' hair is pretty -- and so are those of us with thicker, kinkier, textured hair. The challenge is that many naturals want hair like Ross, who is bi-racial and probably has multi-textures, and are so disappointed that they don't have "Joan" hair.

There is definitely an obsession with curl patterns in the natural hair community. I've been guilty of it, and, so, too, have many other naturals. Hell, look at most curl cream advertising and you know what I mean; the implication is that looser curls are the gold standard.

Curl Envy

And when your hair doesn't quite measure up to that -- and never will?

It's easy to say love your curls. And clearly, hair isn't just hair.

I'm glad Ross put this out. No amount of product is going to make your hair look just like hers, if you don't have similar textures. There isn't a magic potion to give you Joan curls.

I get it. Totally. Tracey wants you to like her hair. But love your own.

“I love that you love my hair,” she said,. "But I only love that you love my hair if it’s an inspiration for you to love your hair.”

What do you think of Ross' Hair Love video?