H.E.R.'s Natural Hair Is Her in Her "Purest Form"

Ladies and gentlemen, H.E.R. is in her "purest form." On Dec. 18, the "Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration" star showed off her natural hair on Instagram, and fans are going wild.

Less than a week after she graced the screen as Belle, the "Closer" singer changed up her long Disney princess waves for voluminous, natural curls. When she shared the pictures, sitting in a sunroom in front of tropical foliage in a yellow bandeau top, fans swarmed the comments section with compliments.

"Curls for the girls 🙌🏼😍," one user commented on her post. "Natural is perfection," someone else wrote amid more praise. While it's no surprise the acclaimed performer has supportive fans, her post also lends visibility to textured hair, which is often at the center of discrimination.

For some Black people in America, natural hair may be an act of rebellion. In a culture that positions whiteness and white hair as "ideal" or "more manageable," natural hair can be a way to subvert racist norms, unapologetically and confidently take up space, and show love to one's most authentic self. Whether or not that was H.E.R.'s intention with her post, wearing her natural hair now, and in the past, might encourage more people to embrace their natural look.