Hair and butts are such a big deal in the lives of African American women (although I can not speak for them all). I can not say that I had the same experiences as the author in “Beauty and the Beast” but that part really stuck out for me. Society teaches us that being thin is required for beauty but in the African American community it is just the opposite. Having a round shapely butt is a must. I was always in search of this big booty but never quite got one myself. I did not know whether to be angry because I was the only person in my family who had not been blessed with junk in the trunk or to be happy because I was thin. Where one society accepted for my thin frame, I was often rejected because of it, being accused of starving myself, not eating enough cornbread, etc. But the very society, who accepted me for my build, rejected me for my hair. I always had long hair growing up, which I either had straightened or relaxed (made permanently straight my chemical use). Both were extremely painful rituals but nappy hair does not sit well with the Beast. Growing up, girls often ridiculed me because my hair was long and said that I was trying to be white. Oddly enough, when I got to college and decided to chop it all off and go natural, these same girls accused me of being crazy, stupid, and unappreciative of the long haired blessing that I had received. I just feel like as a black female, I could never befriend the Beast. It would always be something about me that he would not like.I would always be too short, nappy, overconfident, scarred, or dark. I still sometimes do not know which way to turn. Which side is right? Either way I choose, I will be selling out someone or giving off the wrong message. I like what Grealy wrote about needing to shed images and discover the truth,(although temporary). I like the fact that my image is mine to change and play with and embrace if I choose. That is so much fun to me. I like to walk past a group of people and ahve them stare because they don't understand what they see. Looking the same is boring. I enjoy looking in mirrors, watching for the changes. I do not always like what I find but the suspense of what I might find always excites me. Maybe that’s weird. What she wrote about truth changing is so reassuring because it lets me know that which ever way that I choose as my truth is fine b/c it will change also. Whatever is in style now is going to change along with the values of others. So why injure my scalp or self esteem for someone else's inconsistences. Nothing is permanent. Isn’t that so exciting and true all in itself?