#Freethecurls: Why Abc News' Janai Norman Chose To Embrace Her Natural Hair On Tv
- Posted on 13 June, 2019
- Hair Care
- By Anonymous
How the ABC News anchor came to embrace her natural hair.
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To free my curls, I first had to free my mind and that may sound like an overstatement but really good morning, I'm ABC's Jane orbit. Thank You, Jen a Normie for nearly 30 years. I was conditioned by a standard of beauty that left me out. I just wasn't included TV magazines society by omission. Told me I wasn't: beautiful reporting live in Columbia, janae Norman, ABC 17 news, my hair needed to be bone straight. My eyes, blue or green. My skin fair and I just didn't - make the cut when I got pregnant back in 2017. I didn't know yet if I was having a boy or a girl, but I knew that I wanted my kid to grow up loving themselves still to this day. I hope that my son is confident and knows that he is beautiful and perfect, as is, I believe, kids learn best by example. So I knew that I had to embody that confidence that sense of self-worth in myself and a big part of that was accepting my hair as it goes for my head. So I was battling this internal conflict undoing the years of conditioning they're, trying to fit a beauty standard that I would never fit and, at the same time, learning to appreciate what makes me unique while reassuring myself, I can still be taken seriously and seen as a Professional with my natural hair for many women, like me in news, there's also an external factor we struggle with in deciding to go natural. We worry about whether wearing our natural hair will impact our career trajectory and how we'll be perceived at work. We worry for good reason. There are news directors right now who will not allow black reporters black anchors to wear their natural hair on air, and that is a shame. So I was ready to challenge that and though it's been one of the most liberating decisions of my career, it was not an easy one and it took some time so while I was pregnant, I began trading, my hair, less and less, and eventually I was wearing Wigs to protect my natural hair, my natural curls, the first time I entered the overnight, show the hairstylist convinced me to unbraid my hair and to wear my natural hair on air, as it was the feedback that morning was fantastic. So when I was named the overnight anchor a short time later, I decided I wanted to find a way to bring more of my natural self to that role. Most of the time I do a twist out, manipulating my curls a bit, but one Monday in December. I was back from vacation and I didn't have time to twist my hair, so I did a wash and go, which is just my natural curl pattern with some curl cream. I hadn't nailed down my routine or found the right products and I was so self-conscious that was the first morning. I was on the GMA set with Robin Roberts digging the hair cap this morning, because I wanted that hair. That was it my husband still laughs at me because for months years even he encouraged me to wear my natural hair on air, but I was too nervous. I was too scared. I was so reluctant, but once Robin Roberts signed off on it on national television, the rest was history. The response to that moment between Robin and I was pretty big on social media and by then I'd started using hashtag Frieda curls to celebrate wearing my natural hair. That hashtag helped garner more engagement from viewers and brought attention to the fact that this wasn't just a different hairstyle put a conscious, liberating decision to free my curls that had been stifled for years by Flatiron and then smothered under wigs. So often I'm hearing from moms about what it means for their daughter to see the representation I got goose, bumps NSO makes me teary-eyed when one mom messaged me and she said every time my baby girl sees you. She says. That'S me mom, so many other women and men have reached out some of them. They just appreciate seeing that representation on TV having someone at the network with natural hair. That, though, does not mean that the strides made are enough and there's progress to be made like making sure that we're supported with hair stylists, who know how to do natural, hair and managers and decision makers were also open and supportive of the change. And that's exactly what I hope for to be what I wanted to see what I needed to see growing up. I hope the young girls growing up and coming up behind me don't ever have to worry about how they're perceived just wearing their natural hair, and I hope, being in my position that I'm able to do the same for others out there. I imagine the reporter, who is the only black woman at her station or the only black reporter in her whole market, who wants to wear her natural hair. It was fearful for whatever reason I hope she feels like hey. She is on ABC News with her natural hair. If she can do it, I can do it too. Well, hey there GMA fans, Robin Roberts here thanks for checking out our YouTube channel lots of great stuff here so go on click. The subscribe button right over right over here to get more of awesome videos and content from GMA every day anytime. We thank you for watching and we'll see you in the morning on GMA
Comments
Sunny Monkey: Your hair and others with curly hair is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Celebrate and accept fully who you are and do not compromise yourself for anyone, any company or any job!
Violet2816: Women please PLEASE embrace Ur natural hair! ❤️ Nothing speaks more to those “standards” or mentality that we all have to fit into a one hair style than embracing our natural style. We are all different. It’s on us to change the rules and shed that fear of feeling that how we look is wrong. We are all beautiful and we come in different shapes and sizes❤️
So D'Vine: I'm with you sistah, embracing my natural hair and I love my natural hair so much.
TiffanyMS: I feel the EXACT SAME WAY! I straightened my hair for 15 years. Even now when I have interviews, I NEVER wear my hair curly. I feel like I MUST straighten my curls out to be taken seriously. It’s a shame, but it’s true. And it’s prevalent in our culture
Bevy: Omg! I love this! What an amazing story. What beautiful soul... thanks for sharing your story.
chemerai: OMG! I work around all white men and I wore wigs for years to make them see me as more "approachable/acceptable". I have had so much anxiety about my hair. I moved to GA and their is so much more representation I felt more comfortable wearing my natural hair. It is so great to be free.
Angie New: She has an amazing smile
karen jones: Yes! I love you for this. We are all beautiful in our natural state and the world should know it! I e always admired the fact that you chose to wear your natural crown
Hattie Dennard: A beautiful woman with beautiful hair....Love Love ❤️
Noa Léon-Volny: great job Janai !
Lisa Grayson: Your hair is beautiful. Thanks so much for showing how you style your natural hair. (would love to see a more detailed video) Can you share the products that work for you?
Nancy Cornett: Looks fantastic!!
Gina ChildFree: Her natural hair is gorgeous and she's a gorgeous woman, but as an African American myself, I think it's unfair how there's a recent movement from some women of color to pretend that "natural black beauty" has never been celebrated by stars like Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Cicely Tyson and media like Essence Magazine, Ebony & Jet Magazine, and even going back to Soul Train TV Show that showcased afros. Natural hair celebration isn't new & I disagree that America has only celebrated "blonde hair and blue eyes" for the past 30 years ..I can understand the culture of news reporters promoting straight hair for the past 30 years, but pop culture & the arts have celebrated black beauty. Tell your story, but Please don't re write history when doing these " I went natural" hair stories
By Faith Walking: I have a BLACK supervisor who is indifferent with me because of my natural hair and braids. Tough! I'm going to continue wearing my natural hair and braids
Kathy MahoneStreet: It is interesting that as Black women we always find fault with our hair, it is either to straight or to curly. We have to learn to embrace our God given features!
martina evans: Absolutely beautiful
WWDMVHW97: She is beautiful
Kathy MahoneStreet: Love this video!
Sandra Johnson: You are amazingly beautiful inside and out. Congratulations on your newest little blessing ❤️
E. Shaw: ❤️❤️Love this!
Ms. Vickie: I wish I had that hair texture. I have to buy a lacefront wig to look like that. Love it. Its beautiful.
Jakub pogubila: You look beautiful don’t worry About it
yourblueboy: Most of the times black people are forced to wear weaves or wigs because of the pressure from all these social standards
Julia Foster: I love her hair
Igor Tanaskovic: Your natural hair is beautiful
Cynthia Dennis: I love your natural hair style. What products do use on your hair?
Claudia Langner: C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S!!!!!! You are beautiful as you are!!!!
BILL Taylor: They lied to you, Naw!…girl you fine as hell not only that… you’re so very special
Eric Talbert: Beautiful
Musings of Harmony: She reminds me a bit of Kerry Washington. Both beautiful!
Brad Woods: She is fine as all get out. Aight ima head out ✌
Finley Radcliffe: #DisneyPlus must fully replace Disney Channel in this year.
Finley Radcliffe: Lifetime, Lifetime Movies and Lifetime Real Women must close down in this year because they abandon cable in favor of streaming services.
Finley Radcliffe: TV channels from The Walt Disney Company that must change in this year: 1. FX to GEV 2. FXX to GEV XF 3. FX Movie Channel to GEV+ as a general entertainment streaming service 4. Lifetime to GEV Gag 5. Lifetime Movies to GEV Black 6. LRW to GEV Latino 7. Disney Channel to Disney+ 8. Live Well Network to HispaNet as a Spanish-language broadcast television channel
Lisa Lisa: I'ma hair dresser and I don't think that's your hair it's good hair weaved into your hair and they did a good job you can come it run your hands through it and only a hair dresses can tell it's a good weave it's for sure a good weave ps I realized I spelled comb wrong but that's a good weave real greasy looking but a good weave I put them in hair all the time I know a weave alledely
Melissa Dean: You are so gorgeous!!
Daughter Of YAH 💜: That’s right be you !! I am let them talk
Finley Radcliffe: The Walt Disney Company must launch the streaming video news channel called "AccuInfo" in this year.
Earl Johnson: With straight hair she could have gotten a white guy.
chrisgrace81: Love this!! I hope Sunny Hostin and Princess Meghan free their curls too!!
I Mari: Not at all supporting the very racist notion that non-whites must straighten their hair into submission because the sight of kinks and curls offend “Almighty Whitey”, but really how many coats of make up are you wearing? What about the poor professional woman who doesn’t want to wear make up, or wear it to the degree and in the manner prescribed by whomever?
Braxton Latashia: I just realized how much she looks like Michele Obama
rushbuzzy: Wow, you are a cute, smart woman. Yumm
Mind Over Matter: Pocahuntas type hair.
Denise Stampley: Smh, this was abc news worthy??
Glendina Ingram: Michelle Obama's Twin