Wild, Intricate Sculptures — Made Out of My Hair | Laetitia Ky | TED
My Journey to Embracing My Natural Hair
Early Struggles with Identity
- The speaker shares their childhood experience in Ivory Coast, expressing resentment towards their Blackness and natural hair, desiring straight hair for ease of management.
- At 16, after a significant incident that led to shaving their head, they began the challenging journey of embracing their natural hair.
Transformation Through Inspiration
- At 18, discovering a photo album of African women's hairstyles from pre-colonial times profoundly changed the speaker's perspective on hair as a medium for storytelling rather than just beauty.
- Initially focused on aesthetic shapes, the speaker received positive feedback online which motivated them to create more complex sculptures using their hair.
Artistic Expression and Advocacy
- The speaker showcases various sculptures made from their hair, including animals, text (like "perfect"), and zodiac-inspired designs.
- The process involves sketching ideas and sculpting with natural hair, extensions, and wire; while it can be painful due to tightness needed for stability, it's part of the artistic expression.
Impactful Viral Moment
- A pivotal moment occurred in 2018 when a photo series featuring playful configurations of their hair went viral; this led to messages from Black women feeling empowered by seeing the art.
- Realizing the power of their work prompted the speaker to use it as a platform for advocating gender equity based on personal experiences growing up in an environment that normalized mistreatment of women.
Themes of Empowerment and Self-Love
- The speaker emphasizes bodily autonomy and self-love as crucial themes in their work; they share personal growth from self-dislike to embracing all aspects of themselves.
- Addressing societal taboos around women's bodies is central to their sculptures; they recount an experience at age 15 where negative comments about body hair impacted them deeply.
Education and Intellectual Empowerment
Gender Inequality and Education
The Disparity in Educational Opportunities
- Women are often expected to prioritize home care for future husbands, limiting their educational opportunities.
- In contrast, sons are permitted access to education, highlighting a gender bias in societal expectations.
- Many women end up marrying older men; when these relationships fail, they face significant challenges due to lack of education.
- The abandonment by husbands leaves women with minimal career options, perpetuating cycles of poverty and dependence.