Let's Talk About the "Curl Police"
Media stir-up and debates over what counts as curly hair, and who decides it
I’ve been putting off talking about the Curl Police since I started this newsletter—not because I don’t have thoughts, but because it’s already been discussed a lot, so I figured it was already being covered. But a few days ago, it hit me: if you’re not deep into this side of social media, you might not even know what I’m talking about. So let’s get into it.
What is the “Curl Police”?
In simple terms, the Curl Police is a label that’s been widely used online to describe people who publicly criticize others—usually in TikTok or Instagram comment sections, or sometimes creating their own videos to continue forming opinions—for how they describe other people’s curl type. These people often act as self-appointed gatekeepers, deciding who can and can’t claim their hair as “curly.”
Most of the time, these are people who have curly hair themselves (though not always), and they seem to feel a personal obligation to let others know when they think someone’s curls—or waves—don’t “count.”
My Thoughts on the Curl Police
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this, so let’s break it down.
First off, I really don’t think it’s worth anyone’s time to sit around policing whether someone’s hair meets a certain curl standard. If someone’s just trying to figure out a hair routine that works for them, who does it hurt? We’ve got bigger issues going on in the world than someone mislabeling their waves as curls. To take the time to leave nasty comments or make entire videos to tear someone down over their hair—honestly, feels deeply unnecessary.
That said, I do think it gets a little more complicated than just the surface-level opinionated comments.
As someone with curly hair, it can feel a bit off when people with naturally straight or very loose hair try to manipulate their texture into waves or curls and then turn around and claim them as “natural curls,” just for the sake of being part of the curly-haired community.
Is it hurting me personally? No. Is it the end of the world? Definitely not. But it does read as performative, and I think that’s where the frustration from the so-called Curl Police actually stems from.
Especially when you consider the history behind curly hair, particularly in the Black community, since for years, curly and coily textures were seen as “unprofessional” or “unruly,” and people were pressured (or outright required) to straighten their hair to be accepted. So when we see mostly white influencers now pushing their straight hair into curls to join in on a trend and then claiming space in the curly hair conversation, it’s understandable why it feels… off.
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That being said, I get where some of the frustration is coming from. I still don’t think it justifies dragging people online, but I can understand why it hits a nerve for some. There’s a difference between someone honestly trying to figure out their hair and someone jumping into the curly hair space because it’s become trendy, without really knowing the history behind it. So while I don’t support the way the Curl Police go about it, I can see how this all starts to get a little more complicated once you take a step back.
At the end of the day, though, people are allowed to explore and describe their own features without being torn apart for it, whether it’s their hair, body, or anything else. While I understand the deeper history that makes these conversations a bit more sensitive, I still don’t think that gives anyone a pass to be rude or condescending online. Personally, I’ve never felt the need to correct someone over their hair type—it’s just not that serious to me, and definitely not worth the kind of drama it tends to stir up over the internet.
Lately, I’ve been posting to the newsletter a little later than usual, and honestly, I blame the warm weather and those long summer days that keep pulling me in a hundred different directions. No complaints here, though. I’ve been craving the heat since the first cold breeze hit NY months ago.
That said, I haven’t forgotten about writing, I’ve just been pushing the send button later than planned, thanks to having multiple things on my mind—but I am still here!
Anyways, see you lot next time, and stay tuned for what’s coming ;)
With love,
Chloe
