Does Being Black Still Make a Difference?
Shin_LoveLife sets out to find ‘unity’ within our community and explores whether race is still an issue.
The Afro Chronicles: Volume One
A comic in which Leo chronicles what it’s like having an Afro.
Having an Afro is hard work…
After actor Amandla Stenberg’s critiqued Kylie Jenner’s cornrows on Instagram, it felt like the entire internet and their nan suddenly had an opinion on black hair and hairstyles.
Having an Afro is hard work, and I’m not talking about looking after it (although spending two hours finger-detangling isn’t exactly a walk in the park either.)
No, it’s hard work having a hairstyle that can be amazing, flexible, diverse, desirable, and gravity-defying, but also seriously misunderstood. It gets tiring explaining why it’s irksome that a Jenner gets praised for wearing cornrows, or what a doobie wrap is, or why, no, you seriously can’t touch my hair. So, I created a comic about what it’s really like having an Afro. Volume One is below.
Watch out for Volume Two coming soon. In the mean time, tweet us your hair tales @rifemag
Want to see more diversity expressed in a unique way? Then follow Unity Youth Forum on twitter @BME_YouthForum. If you’ve been a victim of bullying because of the way you look, Off the Record are a great place to get help and advice.
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About the author
Varaidzo
Varaidzo is the arts and culture editor for gal-dem and has contributed to Media Diversified, New Statesman, Complex and the book 'The Good Immigrant'.
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