When did cutting your hair short become a symptom of mania?

Okay, I know the answer to that question. Britney Spears. But for African-Americans, cutting their hair, or doing a "big chop", is not a cry for help, or a demand for attention. It can mean a lot of things.

Solange Knowles didn't really go into why she decided to cut her hair short, and you know what? That's her right to do so, and it's her right to cut her hair whenever and however she decides to.

When I saw the pictures, my first thought was "FANTASTIC!!!!!". Solange has amazingly big, beautiful eyes, so the short cut would accentuate and make them POP. I imagined her rocking some dangling earrings and a fantastic outfit and just looking gorgeous.

I must say that I was astonished at the public response to her cut. Bossip calls her "Boy George" (ha ha hell!), Bow Wow chastising her for being unoriginal (!?!?!?!? GTFOH, Bow Wow) and "tryin to look like boyz" (whatever!) and Lativia (Who got the boot from Solange's daddy out of Destiny's Child) saying she looks like a "Tranny".

It really amazes me in this day in age, black people still have that "if it ain't long, it's wrong" attitude about black women's hair. We look at images daily of sistahs with barbie doll hair on their heads all day and we stop and pause because one women (temporarily?) decided she had enough.

I am not making judgments about weaves, wigs and extensions... I think that if you wear it well and it makes you feel beautiful, then right on! But allow people who chose NOT to go that route should feel beautiful without being told they're crazy or that they "look like a fool"...

I applaud Solange's simply put response to her critics:

I my opinion, I think that Solange should make this a personal statement. I think it would be great if she decided that she's going to no longer relax her hair or wear extensions and be natural. I think it would be kick ass if she decided to no longer be a spokesmodel for Loreal (in solidarity to the people hurt by Loreal's racism) and instead model for Karen's Body Beautiful, or Oyin Handmade, or other products designed with the natural black woman in mind....But I'm prejudiced. I want to see more celebrity nappturals out there!

All in all, I say... Go, Solange, Go!! Be bald, bold and beautiful. And whenever you feel the pressure to conform, take a look at these beauties for inspiration: