"Why don't you wear your hair natural?"

My hair isn't worn natural because of the fear
The things that have been said, the words that I hear

My ears have been trained to hear the wrong in your sentence
But if society hadn't built this, self acceptance would be present

I've been told to fit in, given a mold
But just like many molds, the glue just doesn't hold

I want to break out, be set free
But I'm afraid of what you'll say, what you'll say about me

My race has been ridiculed, beaten down, and scorned
We've been judged on our appearance, or what we have worn

We've been given our own stereotypes, the ones that are least appealing
Then the ones giving out stereotypes ask questions that send us reeling

"Can I touch it?"
"Is it real?"
"Is it soft?"
"How does it feel?"

Do you want to be pet, and treated like a dog?
Or thrown into a pit, with mud, like a hog?

You are the one that's given me this name, put me to shame
But I can't say too much, because I've done the same