Singer India Arie is still fighting for natural hair empowerment.

The natural hair pioneer took to Threads on Sunday, Nov. 16, to respond to a discussion about former first lady Michelle Obama's comments about natural hair.

Obama explained in a live episode of her limited podcast series "The Look," that the urge for Black women to keep their hair straight rather than naturally curly has come as a result of European beauty standards.

"Let me explain something to white people. Our hair comes out of our head naturally in a curly pattern. So when we're straightening it to follow your beauty standards, we are trapped by the straightness," Obama said during a conversation moderated by Tracee Ellis Ross.

"That's why so many of us can't swim. And we run away from the water. People won't go to the gym because we're trying to keep our hair straight for y'all. Braids are for y'all so we can work harder and focus on the work.

"So why do we need an act, an act of law to tell white folks to get out of our hair?" she continued, referring to the CROWN Act, the set of laws banning hair-based discrimination. "Don't tell me how to wear my hair. Don't wonder about it. Don't touch it."

The comments spawned discussion online, with one person criticizing Obama's remarks for pushing the "narrative" that Black women "do anything for the white beauty standard," saying, "Why get on stage and say that nonsense?" The user received dozens of comments noting that Black people have endured decades of race-based discrimination and harassment due to their hair.

In response, Arie, 50, pointed out that the acceptance of Black natural hair away from white beauty standards came after decades of pushing from advocates like herself.

"There LITERALLY IS no 'curl specialist' job with out the path we laid for you," she wrote in one response, after the R&B singer said fans tagged her in the comments.

"Ive been walking this walk - Publicly- for a long time," she wrote in another response, and later added, "I did my 25 year bid of trying to help people awaken. Maybe the path we layed made it too easy to walk down."

The "Video" singer is known for pushing for self-empowerment and social consciousness in her music, as well as being outspoken about race and cultural identity issues. Her Grammy-nominated debut track, in particular, was a landmark single in soul music for its celebration of Black womanhood, dark skin and natural hair.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: India Arie enters natural hair debate after Michelle Obama's beauty standards comment

Reporting by Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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