Autumn writes;
This is for other new naturals, like myself, looking for ACCURATE progression pics!
My BC was in November 2010. But more importantly, I have been *PC* since July 2010.
Progression: I have almost 4 inches of hair. Which puts me on track for the average 6 inches in a year!
As a natural, ONE of my goals is to grow my hair stronger and longer than it ever was when I was relaxed. And that’s past BSL. So, I’m always scouring the web (blogs, forums, Fotki, Youtube) for progression pics. I’m always inspired…and then disappointed.
Here’s what happens: I see a picture of a girl with similar hair to mine, and her hair is significantly longer. Then I have to scour the pages/comments to find out her story. “Ooohhh”, I say to myself soberly. We BC’d around the same time, but she transitioned for A YEAR, compared to my measly 4 months.
Disclaimer:
I know that everyone’s hair journey was not escaping relaxers.
I know not everyone’s hair goal is to grow waist length hair.
My last relaxer was October 22, 2008, so that makes me 29 months PC.
Queenofthe4s.blogspot.com
@Anon 11:01am – i know not everyone is transitioning from the relaxer. but for you i would just refer to the last time you pressed your hair. it's still a journey, and i'm happy that you're on it!
@Luscious Mahogany – thanks so much! i'm trying to love my curls AND my fro (undefined). i'm trying to be patient and enjoy the TWA days… but i have to admit, i'm longing for length. I MISS MY SWANG!
autumn
I cut off the ends of my hair that were still permed I didn't want to BC and I just love my hair. I am the same as Tonya, I am contstantly on Youtube for inspiration and i do different styles. The only problem i'm having is that i'd like to put a colour in my hair and each time i try it just stays black.
I agree ….it is more relevant to know the date of your last perm and not your BC date if you are a long-term transitioner. I was a short-term transitioner (3 months)—and BCed to about 1-2 inches of hair….so my BC date was basically my starting point. I don't think it makes a person more "authentic" to be a short-term transitioner but does more clearly explains their starting point.
Its been 7 months since my BC and I have about 4-5 inches of hair. I constantly look at Youtube for inspiration and I'm curious about how my hair will look at the different growth points. I don't think it is so much about envying someone's hair growth…
Autumn I love your progress and your pic, nice curls!!
I don't know if I am missing the point, but I am 36 and have never had a perm. I am transitioning now from hair that has been pressed (straight ends) to no heat. So what is that called?
I agree with Anon 3/23 3:51 pm re what BIG CHOP (BC) really means. Funny, I never thought this was all that complicated…and before more folks get their panties in a wad, it (doing or not doing the BC) doesn't make you more or less "authentic natural." It's perfectly okay to transition for umpteen years and then cut off the last 1/2" of your hair if you want to. Also, it's perfectly okay to transition for umpteen years and then chop down to a TWA…that, to me, is what a real BC is.
And while I'm on the subject, my personal definition of TWA relates to length as well. Just because my hair shrinks down enough to look like a TWA doesn't mean it is…and anyone who's actually experienced the differences between styling 1" of hair and 6" of hair knows this.
Now as for this other stuff about Post Creamy Crack or Post Perm or whatever…I do think that transitioners should be clear about how long they transitioned before cutting off their ends, particularly if they ended up with natural hair that's longer than TWA length. However, I also (wishfully) think that women should STOP COMPARING THEIR HAIR GROWTH WITH OTHERS' because ultimately it doesn't matter what others do…your hair is going to act like your hair no matter what.
^^^ Agree with anon 8.15 am re comments from other cultures. I once wore my hair blown out straight for an event and one of my white male friends (who is considerably taller than me, I might add) was staring at the top of my head. Finally, I give him a look like, "whatcha looking at?" And he asks: "How did you get your hair like that? Do you have to burn it with chemicals?" LOL. Not funny, but I did enjoy explaining to him, that no, I do not relax my hair at which point he admitted that he'd just seen the Chris Rock film and was curious about why anyone would do it and thought it was all black women yadda yadda.
All that to say: I'm no "Good Hair" fan either!
note: above should read "cultures", not "culture's"… Please excuse me!
Agreed w/ Anonymous (Mar 24 5:50a). I have been natural for 15 yrs and none of these terms (transitioning, BC, twist out, braid out, etc) were around. Yet, none of those are as stupid sounding or insulting as "creamy crack". I never saw Chris Rock's movie and never will, but I know from all the comments I get from people of other culture's that did see it that it did a lot more harm and perpetuated many more stereotypes than it did good. I will never use that term and didn't even know what people were talking about when they first said it. It's got a negative connotation and is associated with a film that portrays God-given, natural curly/kinky/coily hair in a negative light. No thank you.
More annoying to me is the term "creamy crack". Can we stop saying that?
I agree too
I agree 100%!!!
Ha ha good point! I always check when somebody stopped using a relaxer and then I factor in the BC. For example I'm a 3 year natural and have waist length hair, but I have to remind people that when I bc'd I already had about 5 inches of hair (10 months pre-cream crack LOL). If somebody with 1 inch of hair BC'd the same time as I did, well obviously my hair will be longer.
I kind of agree with anonymous 3:51. But I think it depends on how much your hair shrinks in a way. I transitioned an entire year and grew about 6 inches of hair which isn't exactly a TWA but it shrinks so much it definitely looked a lot shorter than my hair was. So even though I didn't just shave my hair off or cut it only a couple of month after my last relaxer I still consider it a big chop rather than just cutting off my ends.
Domino
I do agree that the term BC has kind of morphed into something that just seems like an everyday word. When I was transitioning (3 months) I knew I was going to BC. All of the blogs I read at the time said that a BC was a drastic cut with less than a few inches of hair. It was the pathway to the twa phase. Having said that, I think we also need to modify our use of twa. I'm tired of naturals with more than 6 inches of hair saying that they have a twa. I think both words are vastly overused and maybe a little misunderstood by many of us.
LOL I feel the exact same way! I would always wonder how their hair grew so fast and mine was at snail's pace only to realize they transitioned for 1 1/2 years and I instantly BC'ed.
I agree that we should start counting the transition period from the date we "missed" our last relaxer touch-up.
Long Term Transitioners should be a little more clear about the dates of transition and the approximate date they removed the relaxed hair.
I don't believe we should regulate the use of the term Big Chop. Let the BC B Free.
Transitioned: June '10 to Oct '10 Big Chop: Oct 31. Status: Feeling my way through! www.labellekin.blogspot.com
LOL! I thought I was the only one who felt this way! It makes much more sense to refer to your last relaxer. I barely even refer to the date of my big chop anymore, I always refer back to my last relaxer (Nov 1 2009) when trying to make judgments about my hair. It also makes it easier to get info about a natural when it's clear when she got her last relaxer.
However, I WILL say this. I think some new naturals are obsessed with finding out someone's last relaxer in an attempt to see if their hair growth is "on track." E.g., she got her last relaxer in April 2010 and I got mine in January 2010 so how come my hair isn't longer? This is a surefire way to get disappointed – comparing your hair to someone else's. I was guilty of it after I BC'd.
All in all, I wish we'd refer to the last relaxer measurement also, although it can have its drawbacks.
wow! I thought I was the only one who had a problem with this….lol! Sometimes it takes so long to find the blog page discussing the BC or the vlog on youtube where the person actually mentions their transitioning time. And then because they never mention their last relaxer date I have to keep reminding myself that the woman i'm watching is farther along in the journey then I think…lol! People always ask me how long I've been natural and I always give both dates. I transitioned for 8 months, so it would be unfair for me to only use my BC date. That's 4 inches or more for some people, that can be the difference between SL and APL. It's been so frustrating looking at people with APL hair 6 months after their BC and wondering what I did wrong….
p.s. I think people should also reference their height every once in a while (since we are talking about accuracy)
It really doesn't matter to me. A chop is a chop in my book.
Good point! What I did personally, I took a picture every day every since I started to think of going natural. I transitioned for 7 months (I started October 24, 2010) , then I big chopped(May 7, 2010). I have pictures documenting THE WHOLE THING! LOL!! Now I'm coming up on my 1year natural mark, and it's really fun to see the journey. I did this mainly because I had the same issue that you do, I was looking for a comparison, to see what ACTUAL progress looks like! 🙂
Well technically, the BC is supposed to be for women who didn't transition….. I don't consider women who transitioned for long periods of time as "BCing." I just think they cut their relaxed ends off.
I bc'd in that when I was due a relaxer (which is 6 weeks after I recieved one), instead of getting one, I cut all my hair off spontaneously. I didn't transition at all. I thought that was why Curly Nikki had a section for "I Bc'd" and "A Transition story"
It has never made sense to me that people say that they are 6 months natural because the BC'd 6 months ago but they actually transitioned for 1 year prior. They are not 6 months natural but 1 year and 6 months natural! I think that it gets on my nerves so much because it is misleading. People with 14 inches of hair saying "I'm 2 months natural" is ridiculous.
Just a thought to me this article seems to be about length retention and the way I see it if one cuts their hair then ur starting again on another journey is that just me? I understand about wanting an accurate pic etcc but this journey should the personal and it shouldn't matter if someone has more growth than u. I find comparison leads down a slippery slope.and breeds competitiveness.
i cant agree more!! i get confused as to when people say they've been natural for a year for example does that mean post bc or post relaxer!
I agree, I frequently just say, my last relaxer was November 08 but I BC'd in October 09.
I agree. I would like to see more Post Creamy Crack dates. (Which I think should be abbreviated to PCC) To me your natural hair journey starts when you decide to stop using relaxers. It just makes sense to me. When people ask me how long have I been natural, I respond my last relaxer was 15 months (Dec. 2009). When others ask am I all natural then I give them details of my 2 BC's in Dec. 2010 & March 2011. But only one date matters to me.
PC is confusing n makes me think of politically correct.
I totally agree! I hate searching YouTube for hair stories only to find out that the person transitioned for a year or chopped for a second time. I transitioned for 8 months and chopped almost 2 years ago, so when people ask me how long I've been growing my hair, I calculate the total amount of time post-relaxers (about 27 months). That way, I'm giving an accurate description of my hair growth. Otherwise, you get people who feel some kinda way because they think their hair is growing extra-slowly or you get comments about having "that good hair".
I completely agree and that is why I took a picture the day I got my last relaxer and every month since. That was August 2010 up until this month!!!
I agree also. I hate having to search around to find the last date of relaxer on a blog or fotki. Personally, I'm 3 months post-BC but I'm 19 months PC! HUUUGE difference.
OMG! I feel the exact same way. I NEVER care about when people BC, I'm always looking through their story to figure out when they had their last relaxer! I'm with you, lets start using PC instead of BC!
-KEYZ