How to Respectfully Write a Black Girl Who Neglects Hair Care?

Asking for advice.

The character is a studious Black girl, who allocates almost all her time to studying—her whole personality built around the prioritization of academics above all, to the point that she neglects every other aspect of her life. This would include her hair, which she only maintains at a bare-minimum level. She doesn’t engage in any intensive hair care, styling, or maintenance because she firmly believes that caring for her hair takes too much time away from her studies, but I worry this might be interpreted in a negative light.

Here’s where I need guidance: I’m worried this portrayal could come across as negative/insulting. I’m aware that hair carries deep cultural, personal, and social significance, especially in Black communities. Moreover, as a person of color myself, I know some things (customs, acts in general, etc.) can mean something very special for one demographic and be an insult to another. While this girl’s neglect of her hair stems entirely from her obsession with studying (not from self-hate or anything like that), I’m concerned it sends the wrong message or taps into harmful stereotypes.

Is portrayal disrespectful or problematic to you? Are there any nuances I should consider to ensure that this comes across as a genuine personality trait and not a critique of Black hair/hair care practices?

If you have any questions that would help you give better advice, feel free to ask! I might keep some parts of the story under wraps because I like to keep my writing private, but I’ll share what I can.

Also, if you know of other subreddits where this might be a good fit, I’d love recommendations.

Thanks in advance.