There is an expectation that women with curly hair should straighten their hair for more formal or professional occasions. But what is it about curly hair that indicates a lack of formality? If you saw the hair routines of these two curly-haired reporters,  you would know there’s nothing casual about it. In reality, straight hair is no more “put-together” than curly hair.

The vast majority of actors in films have straight hair, and even when we finally see curly-haired characters, they often get makeovers where they straighten their hair in order to finally be considered beautiful. When we see that Mia from The Princess Diaries only gets noticed after she loses her curls, we grow up with the message that curly hair is an issue that needs to be fixed and that the only thing between us and our dreams is a flat iron.

An example of this is the question we are asked constantly before we attend an event: “Are you going to straighten your hair?” This question gives us the impression that our curly hair is not “fancy” or “classy” enough for said event.

This message is reinforced by the people around us. We can’t count the number of times people have suggested we straighten our hair. And if we ever do, everyone acts as if we have finally unlocked our full potential and lets us know that we should do this more often. It’s no surprise that most of us went through a straightened-hair, everyday phase in middle school (and our strands certainly paid the price). “If I straightened it, that used to be the only time I would get compliments,” said senior Yara Assadi. “So, I thought straightening my hair made me ‘pretty.’ ”

It may not sound like that big of a deal, but the treatment of people with curly hair is indicative of a larger issue. America’s preference for straight hair has roots in exclusive Eurocentric standards. Many people have subconsciously adopted these standards and tend to perceive women with “European” features (i.e straight hair) as more attractive. By telling a woman to straighten her hair, you are suggesting that she conform to these absurd standards.

By far, the most annoying thing about having curly hair is when people assume we hate it. In reality, curly hair is neither a burden nor a flaw. Curly hair is not a trend that should be looked down upon; it is natural hair that many people are lucky to have. You may want to sit down for this revelation, but the truth is, we don’t wish our hair was straight. So stop asking.