I blooming love my hair. Took years of trying to straighten it (in the times before straighteners) to accept defeat. I'd been so brainwashed into thinking it was ugly to have big curly locks mostly because of mean jibes at school: (The Burning Bush😭) and only seeing straight hair everywhere but oh how wrong I was. Now it's the thing I get complimented on from anyone and everyone: kids, grannies, men, women. It is such a part of my being that I don't recognise myself on the odd occasion I get it straightened at the hairdresser. But thanks to @weeslice's Instagram stories recently I've started to follow a lot of women going through the motions with cancer (@thatmumwithcancer 😘 and @vic_cancer_frometoanacup 😘) who have lost their hair and who are struggling to figure out what they are seeing in the mirror and what everyone else is seeing. Is it them? Are they being judged? Are they being labeled as unwell and that's it?

Yeah hair is tied into our gender expression but it can be way more than that. It can be a barrier, a mask, an ornament, an accessory and when it isn't there anymore what do we do? I'm learning from listening to these women that anything is possible in our futures and unsuspectingly anyone could be hit with fucking massive hurdles. And even though I sing the mantra: "I am not my body" I feel that losing my hair would be a whole universe which I'd need to navigate. I send strength and love to anyone going through a forced change to what they know of their body. Whatever that may be. I'm not quite sure of the right words to say but hey, sending love. 😘 #fuckcancer Oh and another reminder to book in for that overdue #smeartest @joscervicalcancertrust

#cancer #hair #curlyhair #bighair #female #femalehair