Loyal viewers of Joy Ann Reid’s “The ReidOut” on MSNBC are well acquainted with the host’s incisive commentary, no-holds-barred interviews and winking sense of humor — and they’ve also grown accustomed to some dramatic hair changes. Since the show launched, Reid, like many Black women, has showcased an array of looks, ranging from a wavy auburn bob to Senegalese twists to multi-toned braided updos and more — including, most recently, a blonde pixie cut.
“I think that Black women have come into our own in every aspect, insisting that we will be ourselves, including in the way we wear our hair,” Reid told theGrio’s Eboni K. Williams soon after launching her primetime show in 2020 (per Forbes). There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to embrace our hair as it is, or how we reimagine it, and it’s an affirmation of our full arrival as citizens and cultural leaders. And yes, our natural hair is a political statement,” said Reid.
On Monday, the acclaimed journalist made yet another major statement, debuting a platinum blonde buzz cut.
“It’s #HairFreeSummer, everybody! Enjoy it!” Reid proclaimed from the set of her show in an Instagram post that included the hashtags “#BlondeAndBougie” and “#BlondesHaveMoreJoy.” An additional post said, “That thing when you debut a dramatic new look on the TV,” documenting the anticipation and crediting Maryland salon Koiled & Coiffed for the transformation.
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Aside from looking impossibly chic in a new ‘do that draws the focus to her face and glowing skin, Reid may be onto something. With record-breaking temperatures creeping across the country days before the start of summer, and more heat projected in coming months, opting for “the big chop” may be an organic way to stave off overheating.
“Less hair keeps the head cool,” posits a report from the American Institute of Physics, adding that “People can lose up to 50 percent of their body heat from the top of their head … But when we don’t want to get overheated, having less hair can make it easier for that heat to escape the head,” thus reinforcing why hats and hoods are essential during colder weather.
Further, “Thick overlapping layers of hair ‘insulate the scalp,’” said Desmond Tobin of Bradford University in England, who was interviewed for the report. “Short hair will reduce this during hot weather,” he said. The report also notes that short naturals are even more helpful, noting that “Curly hair, such as an afro, is ‘raised’ above the scalp and can actually permit wind … to cool the head,” according to Tobin.
As for the ease of styling, it’s a no-brainer that “wake and go” will always be easier than “shake and go.” Plus, there’s no fear of sweating out a meticulously silk-pressed style or dealing with uncontrollable tresses amid summer humidity. Then, there’s the expense. According to a 2023 survey, Black women are estimated to spend as much as four times more than white women spend on haircare; a disparity exacerbated by the fact that we typically earn significantly less.
Still, as so many of us covet our hair as our “crowns,” taking the risk to go close to bare can be nerve-wracking, even in sundress season.
“Years of conditioning have tied my identity closely to whatever hairstyle I’m wearing that day, that month or that year,” wrote Habiba Katsha for HuffPost UK in 2021. Despite the rise of the 21st-century natural movement, the conversation around Black women’s hair remains loaded. Beyoncé recently felt compelled to prove that, in spite of her longstanding penchant for wigs, she also has lengthy tresses flowing from her scalp. Conversely, Rihanna had to give further context to her new short and curly ‘do, explaining that she experienced significant postpartum hair loss.
Then, there are the ways in which women instinctively tie hair to femininity. “As a natural ‘girly girl,’ I was also terrified that if I cut my hair, I’d somehow lose my femininity,” writes Katsha, explaining the emotions that preceded her own big chop. “Equally, I wanted to challenge myself and that very notion.”
In doing so, she and several women she interviewed ultimately found the change liberating, unleashing a newfound confidence that became a welcome new normal. “Short hair makes me feel powerful and at my most beautiful,” said young millennial Dakota Branch-Smith, who was interviewed by Katsha. “It’s made me do bolder things like try new colors and styles … and just embrace my natural curls.”
With that in mind, should you contemplate a liberating new look? Summer could very well be the ideal season to test your hair bias and take the leap. After all, what do you really have to lose?
