FUNNY, I had to remove the wig to wear a CROWN of FREEDOM!
I’m Meechie, and this is my journey to becoming BaldBoldFree.
Growing up in a home, the eldest child of five, life was normal. I was very energetic, talkative in elementary and high school, but I was also really smart. I was in spelling bees, I cooked with my mom in the kitchen, and I played kickball with the other kids on the block.
In my late twenties, after wearing hairstyles that were popularized in the African - American culture such as, french braids and weaves with glue, I noticed I was having an adverse reaction to these hairstyles that my friends and family weren't experiencing, and my hair began to thin out.
Eventually, after years of frustration and self-diagnosing, I was officially diagnosed with alopecia in 2004. When it was revealed, the patches of hair loss occurred as a direct result of the illness. Relationship woes, anxiety, genetic make-up, autoimmune deficiency, and poor diet were contributing factors to what I thought was the end of life.
Wigs became the essence of my existence because I was not comfortable in my own skin uncovering the bald head for all to see. Wearing hairpieces with or without glue was a standard of living, I considered the norm to portray this image of false acceptance of self with hopes others embodied the same.
Breakthrough
In 2018, upon the release of the acclaimed Black Panther movie and through the encouraging words from my son and boyfriend (who’s now my husband), I was motivated to unveil the truth behind the store-bought hair and display to the world, a new person who finally began to accept who she was minus the aesthetics to cover the bald. The transformation from this insecure place came with a heavy price to pay as I battled with stares and sneers from others that did not understand the sight of a bald woman, the rejection from producers and directors who thought I needed a wig to be on television, and the pressure to remain relevant in today’s society.
