What's interesting to me is how society has deemed natural hair as rebellious, militant, and almost radical.
If a white first lady had say, pink hair, or a mohawk, or even a very trendy, asymmetrical bob, it would be deemed "unprofessional". She would be discouraged from wearing it.
But a black woman is discouraged from wearing her hair the way it grows out of her head. Society has told them THAT's unprofessional.
I remember my friend telling me she had to get a sew-in for a job interview because, "it's the kind of place that only hires black girls with long hair."
It's funny you posted this because i'm in the middle of Americanah and she talks about this very thing. In fact, in an interview, she said that if Michelle Obama had natural hair Barack would not have won the election. Strong statement to make, but I agree.