My hair used to be curly.
I was constantly bullied because of it,
At home especially.
I was always sad I couldn't do the hairstyles I wanted.
When mama got my hair chemically straightened,
I was still embarrassed to try out the hairstyles I wanted.
I was afraid people would laugh at me and remind me of my old hair.
When I got bangs,
I became aware of the way my classmates looked at me.
I’d catch them exchanging glances and laughing.

I attended university outside of my governorate.
I used to brush my hair in the bathroom,
Because I didn't want any of the other girls to bother me.
I started realizing there were a lot of people like me,
When I started being active on social media.
These girls weren’t ashamed of their hair.
They went out in public with their curly hair.
I even read articles about the experiences of girls with curly hair.
It made me ask myself if my hair was something to be embarrassed about.
Why was I scared?
These stories gave me the courage to accept my hair as is.

I started taking care of my hair.
I stopped straightening it and using chemicals.
Everyone around me, however,
Still saw my hair as something I should be ashamed of.
One time,
I was brushing my hair,
When mama suddenly came in:
“Go hide,” she said, “Your aunt’s here. Hide so she doesn’t see your hair.”
But despite all this,
I love my hair.