66 Responses to “Natural hair more common in diverse environments?”

1. 

   yours truly 14 June 2009 at 4:54 pm Permalink

   i see where she's coming from but i don't particularly agree. as far as i am concerned, the choice to be relaxed, weaved up or natural comes down to personal preference, their specific beliefs and ideologies about hair and in some cases, health reasons.

   the type of population you live in may play a factor if it comes to social acceptance and getting ahead in a field or sector but that's about it IMO.

   Reply
2. 

   Cheron L. Hall 14 June 2009 at 4:56 pm Permalink

   I'm most cases, I think people who wear their natural hair are more informed, aware, and possibly even more educated. I don't mean to say this as a diss, because it was the case for many of my friends, as well as myself. Parents who are more educated about African history, politics, sociology, etc tend to be a little bit more open minded. As I'm becoming more aware, I'm finding that weaves are more of a social fad and becoming less of a way to fit in with White crowds or look more European.

   Reply
3. 

   Ebony Intuition 14 June 2009 at 5:01 pm Permalink

   I don't see this at all.

   "I think people who wear their natural hair are more informed, aware, and possibly even more educated. "

   100 % false, I walk by people with natural hair on a daily basis who are homeless, poor and uneducated so having natural does not make someone smart, aware, or educated . People need to stop defining people by external characteristics.

   I know people who have natural hair, and the ideoligies they preach about Africa, etc are false and incorrect.

   Reply
4. 

   Sunshinelovespeace 14 June 2009 at 5:18 pm Permalink

   @ Ebony Intuition-

   I don' think homeless people and people who otherwise don't make choices at all when it comes to their hair are the people that the other commenter was referring to when she said that natural hair wearers tend to be more informed , aware etc.

   I am sure she was referring to those of us that made a conscious decision to be natural and in that case I agree. I believe that it takes a certain amount of thought to go from one culture of hair into another.

   And I think that in areas where there are majority black people there could be more weaves and relaxers than in more diverse areas because we as black people are the ones that constantly pass on from generation to generation the need to straighten and hide our natural hair. It's become a real part of African (black) culture.

   Peace

   Reply
5. 

   Ebony Intuition 14 June 2009 at 5:35 pm Permalink

   Even people who are not homeless but have natural hair are not "more" aware or more educated.

   Reply
6. 

   Jc 14 June 2009 at 6:14 pm Permalink

   Having lived in Kenya for most of my formative years, I saw more naturals over there than I did in UK. I can count on one ok maybe two hands the number of naturals that I have seen in UK.

   I don't really see this pattern that Yuki sees. Maybe naturals are easier to spot in racially diverse or mainly white areas.

   I really disagree with intelligence = natural hair. It is often quoted that 80-85% of black women in USA/UK apply relaxers to their hair. This would really be saying that 80-85% of all black women are not very smart. It is a relaxer, it doesn't have the power to dictate intelligence.

   Reply
7. 

   Alice 14 June 2009 at 6:49 pm Permalink

   I've noticed more naturals in extremely diverse places when compared to largely black areas. I don't really know WHY it happens though. I think the "weave and perm are the best" sentiment is more prevalent in largely black areas because that's what is considered socially acceptable.

   In more diverse areas, you get exposed to more ideas of "beauty" and what is socially acceptable. Maybe this idea mixing helps because now you're hearing 2,3,25 different ideas of beauty.

   Reply
8. 

   afroburbs 14 June 2009 at 7:26 pm Permalink

   I've been natural for some years now and this is what I have learned:
   People (all races) respond to the vibe you put out. I love my mane and no matter if it's locked or in a bushy 'fro, folks show me love because they sense the love I have for myself. I feel radiant when my hair naturally growing and thriving.
   However, I see less women wearing their hair in it's natural state here in my racially diverse suburb. Weave and relaxers seem to rule. When I lived in Harlem, natural sisters were everywhere.

   Reply
9. 

   Stewie : ) 14 June 2009 at 8:07 pm Permalink

   I live in Manhattan and I have completely noticed the same thing…and not be a natural hair elitist but i think it's a damn shame. It's so weird bcuz most of the comments/compliments I get about my hair are from non Black/non kinky haired people…while most of the jokes/negative criticism I get from Black/kinky haired people.

   There's a poisonous mentality that seems so ingrained in the upbringing of many Black families & communities…we all know this, but how to combat it??? I hate that hair is so political.

   Reply
10. 

    D Alexandra 14 June 2009 at 8:24 pm Permalink

    i actually live in a predominantly black neighborhood. I also go to school in a largely black and hispanic area. so idk.

    Reply
11. 

    Samantha Maureen 14 June 2009 at 8:50 pm Permalink

    I think this is true to an extent. I go to a HBCU and about 10% of women are natural. Not because they're "more educated" in school subjects but because they took time out to learn about how to manage natural hair. They usually are more open minded and interested in african history, but it wouldnt be fair categorize this as the only reason..

    Reply
12. 

    Anonymous 14 June 2009 at 9:00 pm Permalink

    it wouldn't make sense if a homeless person wasn't natural.. If they dont even have money to eat, why would they have money for a weave or a relaxer? lol

    Reply
13. 

    Sugabelly 14 June 2009 at 9:18 pm Permalink

    So true. White people are FAR MORE accepting of Natural Black Hair than Black people are.

    Reply
14. 

    Sugabelly 14 June 2009 at 9:29 pm Permalink

    Also, I think a lot of people are confusing what one commenter said.

    Noone is saying that having natural hair means that you are smarter or better but it is actually quite observable that a LARGER PROPORTION of the young people with natural hair these days tend to better educated, etc.

    Okay for example (and these are purely fictitious statistics)

    Assuming there are 1000 black people in America, and assuming out of that 1000 black people 200 have natural hair.

    Out of the 800 with relaxed or straightened or woven hair, if 600 are well educated and upwardly mobile, (in other words 3/4)

    then 160 out of the 200 with natural hair are the same (well educated and upwardly mobile – 4/5)

    In other words you are more likely to find larger proportions of well educated people in sub-populations of natural-haired black women than you are in the general population.

    And it's true. If you ran into an ignorant, girl from the ghetto with a horrible attitude and seriously limited vocabulary, I bet you, nine times out of ten she will have either relaxed hair or a weave of some sort.

    I'm just saying.

    Of course what is on your head does NOT make you smarter or better but what is on your head can often be reflective of the person that you are.

    Of course this is not saying that people with straightened hair or weaves are ghetto, but I am saying that most uneducated, illiterate, ignorant, poor, etc Black women have straightened hair, weaves or some other thing.

    Reply
15. 

    mellowyel 14 June 2009 at 10:41 pm Permalink

    I think that it's possible for women in more diverse areas to embrace their natural hair as opposed to women in predominantly black areas, because a lot of the time pressure to relax or straighten does come from black people. However, as has already been stated, the decision to be natural is made based on a range of things, and not just the external environment. The external environment definitely plays a role, but it's not the single determining factor.

    Reply
16. 

    Rachel 14 June 2009 at 11:18 pm Permalink

    I agree with Ebony intuition only because yes, you will see people who are less educated and who are below mid-class that wear their hair natural. But as a young woman who grew up being made fun of by those poor kids who lived in the projects for not having a relaxer, I can't agree. I think the reason why those people who aren't as fortunate have natural hair is not by choice but because they don't have the money to do what they want to do with their hair. I know for a fact. I had people tell me growing up- 'You have enough money to relax your hair, why don't you do it?' or 'Your hair would look better straight'. But there are also those individuals who I lived with in the dorms my freshman year who made fun of me. And to my knowledge, these individuals weren't particularly poor. I do think that a lot of them grew up in predominantly black areas, however. But in any case, I think don't think that it has anything to do with color. But I think when it comes to being talked about for making the choice to go natural, most of the individuals that will make fun of you are in fact some of our own-rich or poor-educated or uneducated. The sad part is that our race thinks that the only way to be beautiful is to have long, silky straight hair. And if you are going to wear it natural you have to have "good" hair. Whatever that is. So I don't think it has anything to do with money or education. Because there are people who have plenty of money and plenty of education who choose to have relaxers and/or weave and they think that that is the only way to go. Sad but true.

    Reply
17. 

    Deola 15 June 2009 at 12:26 am Permalink

    I think it's important for us to do what we feel is often done to us in order to validate ourselves. As naturals, we often feel like we may be looked down upon. Let us not turn around and do the same thing to those with chemically treated hair.
    We can all be fly, depending on how we carry ourselves in our mannerisms and our demeanor.
    We should be promoting natural hair, but not at the expense of putting down other types.
    It is, after all, only hair. Let us not give it more creedence than it warrants.

    Reply
18. 

    Favoured Girl 15 June 2009 at 12:45 am Permalink

    I agree to some extent. I live in a predominantly white area in the UK and the English people love my hair when it's out in it's natural state. They want to touch it and I get complimented on it a lot. However, when I go into London, all the nasty looks and comments I get are from black people. So sad.

    Reply
19. 

    shasta 15 June 2009 at 12:55 am Permalink

    you know what, your right. i believe black people put much more pressure on ourselves that any other race.

    Reply
20. 

    Miss Malorie 15 June 2009 at 1:38 am Permalink

    I can't say I've observed anything about a correlation between location=hair style, but I can understand what is trying to be said about the education=hair style thing. Not that people with natural hair are smarter, by any means, but that maybe people whose hair is natural have taken that time to research and try to figure out what to do with their hair. It's all opinion and personal observation. It depends on whom you meet… I've seen some relaxed people who are very educated on hair and have very healthy hair, and some people with natural hair who aren't necessarily very educated about it at all.

    And I can say I've gotten the most love/curiosity from non-black women (not including the wonderful response I've gotten from my black lovershomiesfriends ;). Mostly, it's been white women who have been very curious about my hair… one of my best friends is excited about my hair transition because now she feels comfortable asking me all the questions she always had but was nervous to ask someone :) I think the Black people I come into contact with on a daily basis (including the kids I work with) are simply conditioned into the "relaxed" mentality (not being elitist or anything like that)… on a daily basis, my kids ask me why I cut my hair off, and I had a coworker ask me what I put in my hair (because she can now see it curling up)… when I replied, "nothing," and she asked, "so, your hair is naturally curly?" I wanted to say, "all of our hair is naturally curly/kinky/whatever you wanna call it…"

    So, long ass tangent aside, it all depends. Lol.

    Reply
21. 

    Aisha 15 June 2009 at 4:51 am Permalink

    The Black community can be very hard on those who don't fit in with a stereotypical "urban" appearance and attitude. I think that when many people leave an all-Black environment, they feel freer to experiment and express who they are.

    There was a natural profiled on here, I believe from Ireland, who was saying it's sort of a good thing there aren't too many Black people in Ireland in terms of having natural hair. Otherwise there would be that pressure to relax it.

    Reply
22. 

    Anonymous 15 June 2009 at 5:06 am Permalink

    I hate to admit it but it does seem to me that often times black people are the last ones to embrace their own hair. I love rocking my natural. Take mighty fine care of it and do it with love. However when it comes to styling I often have to brace myself for possible reactions and comments. Coiled hair does not fall as straight hair does and so therefore the styling will not have the same flat n smooth outcome…which is fine with me. Nevertheless, people will comment and that's on the my happy hair days. Heavens forbid you should have a hair day when things just are not working! I mean it happens to everyone straights just as much as naturals but it feels to me that the only way that many black folk will tolerate the sight of coily hair is if it is tucked and/or smoothed so that it mimicks the look and habits of straight, flat hair. Meanwhile, if I wanted flat hair i would not have bc, so I don't care I rock it regardless!

    Reply
23. 

    Anonymous 15 June 2009 at 6:36 am Permalink

    Maybe you see more naturals in racially diverse areas than in black areas simply because there are more black women in black areas; therefore there would be more of a variety of hairstyles than just that 'one' natural chick in a group of white people.

    I have had a different experience than some of you. I get a lot of compliments from black women and men when I wear my hair out. A lot of women with relaxers have said "you can wear your hair natural because you have good hair", but I don't consider these women uneducated, just misinformed. I tell them that if someone has "good hair" then that means that "bad hair" also exists and I ask them what do they consider "bad hair". 9 times out of 10 they say their own hair is "bad"; that is a shame.

    White folks aggrivate me with their "compliments". Everytime I wear my hair out (curly, wash-and-go, twist-out) they call it an afro. My coworkers say stuff like "Oh, you are wearing your afro today". Or "did you cut yoru hair, it looks short?". No, its called curls and shrinkage.

    Reply
24. 

    Anonymous 15 June 2009 at 1:16 pm Permalink

    I am so incredibly offended by this conversation. It's no wonder the chasm that exists between naturals and non-naturals continues to widen, when we should be narrowing it. These kinds of debates spur on the notion that naturals think they are superior. I live in a predominantly black area and am surrounded by naturals. Some of you seem to be implying that largely black = less educated and less aware. How insulting. Natural hair continues to be a fairly new phenomenum in the black community as a whole and, while I agree that SOMETIMES non-blacks are more accepting of natural styles, you cannot use that as a basis for stating that natural hair is more common among more educated blacks. I have found the opposite to be true. I've taken more flack about my hair from educated, high-income black people. Should I have drawn the conclusion that more education and more income is directly synonymous with ignorance and less acceptance of natural hair.

    Reply
25. 

    Lita 15 June 2009 at 1:51 pm Permalink

    i don't believe that we put more pressure on ourselves than any other race. indian women are several time more likely to kill themselves or self harm than other sectors of society (in the UK). part of the problem in a conspiracy of silence – 'don't let the white people know'. i could go on. we have our problems, and we should sort those out rather than concern ourselves with perceived superiority of relations within other groups.

    Reply
26. 

    Anonymous 15 June 2009 at 1:59 pm Permalink

    I agree with this to an extent. I've also noticed that alot (not all) of natural women have married/dated outside of the race. Not to put black men down, but it seems a lot of them have no love for natural women. A lot of black men have a white standard of beauty as it is, so this makes things more difficult. My friend's husband constantly tells her he hates her hair and when is she going to do something to it (as in straighten it). My other natural friends said that black men barely look at them now that their hair is natural, and these are women that couldn't walk a few steps without a man trying to talk to them. So yes, I believe we are the ones hurting each other. We have got to get over that slave mentality. There is a big difference between an unkept natural and a well-informed one.

    Reply
27. 

    Anonymous 15 June 2009 at 2:31 pm Permalink

    Anonymous – did your friend know her husband was an idiot when she married him? He "hates" something about his wife??? My husband loves my natural hair and loves it even more when its just out, unstyled, and wild. He doesn't like for women to look fake and my natural look is actually what attracted him to me….well, that and this booty! I've always been natural and NEVER had a problem dating black men. That is crazy.

    Reply
28. 

    Black girl with long hair 15 June 2009 at 3:05 pm Permalink

    i gotta say i'm very uncomfortable with the way the conversation is going, in terms of equating natural hair with intelligence, and also suggesting that the only support natural women get is from non-blacks.

    that hasn't been true in my life, or the life of many people i know.

    the biggest cheerleaders in my life, in terms of me going natural, have been black. my mother, father, siblings, boyfriend, boyfriend's family, friends. they've been very supportive.

    meanwhile i have gotten some tense reactions from white people i work with. i mean, i've gotten a lot of support from white college friends too… but it's not like i can say, point blank, that black people hate my natural hair and non-black people love it. and again, this is the story of many women.

    also, let's not forget that there are plenty of intelligent relaxed women out there. i mean, honestly, i'm even uncomfortable having to point that out!

    let's just be careful how we say things, and also not create more divisive stereotypes.

    Reply
29. 

    Da Jadedpoet 15 June 2009 at 6:00 pm Permalink

    In my opinion I find that its not so much that african americans who relax don't like natural hair, it's that our own natural hair texture is really foreign to us. A lot of us had the belief that we would not look good natural and thus so do some black people though they would like to have healthier hair or try it out. Or they are afraid that corporate america would not accept their hair. *doesn't sound like a dumb choice just a carefully weighed option, one unless told to you you would never know* doesn't make them less intelligent. At one time, a good percentage of us were permed lets not flip the script that quickly. Most of us may straighten our hair,do braids with added hair, weaves, wigs, add color to our hair..does that make us less natural or black or less intelligent? "ohhh that perm is killing her brain cells" :P
    I personally love to switch up my hair style so i've done all of the above *still do some minus the perm* and don't crucify others when they do. *

    Just like anyone else we are quick to criticize a style that obviously does not look very attractive. A lot of people will actually be very quick to compliment you especially if your hair looks healthy, kept up with and looks becoming upon the individual. blunt: if your shit looks together they can't tell you NOTHING! :-)
    Not everyone is accepting of natural hair, perms,wigs, weaves no matter where you live, but if your hair looks good no one can complain.

    Cept' the haters hahaha

    Reply
30. 

    Aisha 15 June 2009 at 6:29 pm Permalink

    As another posted pointed earlier, no one is saying natural=smart, therefore relaxed= dumb. What does one have to do with the other? If I say that most Nigerian immigrants in this country are highly educated, does that mean I'm saying all Black Americans are uneducated? Of course not! That would be a very simple minded conclusion.

    It does appear that a disproportionate amount of African American women who wear their hair naturally tend to be well-educated, upwardly mobile, and also more open to interracial relationships. For example, if you were to survey all the Black women college professors in this country, I'm pretty sure the vast majority would have natural hair. I'm also sure that a large portion of them would be married to non-Black men. This stands out because only 20-25% of Black women have natural hair in the U.S.

    Again, these observations really have no bearing on people who relax their hair. They are two different groups and the characteristics of one do not negate the other.

    Reply
31. 

    Sugabelly 15 June 2009 at 8:18 pm Permalink

    I think a lot of people are getting the idea that some of us are trying to say that having straight hair makes you less intelligent.

    This is not true. I cannot speak for everybody, but I am going to speak for myself.

    I just think that most of the people with natural hair tend to be better or more widely educated. It doesn't mean that there are not people out there with the same education and intelligence with straight hair but just that most people with natural hair (except those who are natural because they are too poor to afford relaxer) have made a conscious step in the opposite direction from where the rest of the population is going.

    And most of the time one needs education and enlightenment to make this step which is probably why there are so many girls that go natural in university.

    Nobody is saying that if you have straight hair you are dumb. That's not true. Most of us had straightened hair before, but that was usually because it was imposed on us by our parents and society and of those of us that had the good fortune to learn and expand our knowledge of ourselves and our hair, greater numbers choose to go natural.

    That's all I'm saying, and I'm just speaking for me.

    Reply
32. 

    Yuki 15 June 2009 at 9:03 pm Permalink

    This question has raised some interesting debate. However, I apologize if folks thought I was implying that natural hair = educated. I don't think that's the case at all. I would bet my last dollar that the majority of educated women are relaxed! I have two sisters who are both successful lawyers in London, and both have weaves. I, on the other hand, live the simple life of an artist in a small town in England, and have had natural hair for nearly ten years (before the chop, I had locs).

    The town I live in is predominantly white, but there are also a lot of south americans, chinese, malasians, indians, africans, eastern europeans, and various other races. I do feel a certain freedom 'express my true beauty' amid all these colourful people, a freedom that I think my siblings do not feel. Whenever my older sister comes to visit, she always compliments my hair, but when I say "Oh, you should grow locs/go natural" she laughs and replies "Be serious Yuki, I live in SOUTH LONDON!"

    I think it's a shame, but, just from my personal experience, I think black folks put too much pressure on each other to relax. I think the other races have, for the most part, gotten over the whole 'bad hair" thing, and we're still stuck in it! We really need to move on!

    On another note, I don't know what it's like in the states, but I've noticed in the UK, when a black model is used for a large advertising campaign, she almost always has natural hair, while products aimed at the black market tend to use models with relaxed hair or weaves! It always raises my spirits to drive past a billboard and see a beautiful natural woman in glorious technicolour! Bring it on!

    Reply
33. 

    Franki 15 June 2009 at 9:18 pm Permalink

    It's really easy for people to stick with what they know in terms of standards of beauty. The black people who have given me flack over my hair or who have looked at me sideways when they find out I've never had a relaxer aren't necessarily any less educated than those who have accepted my kinks, but they are much more set in a particular way of thinking when it comes to beauty, whether they follow the urban "fried, dyed and laid to the side" mentality or the young black professional "straighten that mess so the white folk don't call you a pickaninny" vibe.

    I think my white friends are accepting of my 'fro partially because it's different and cool to them, and partially because they expect me to be different on some level already, so seeing me with some wild and curly mane as opposed to something flat and straight doesn't really register as strange. My black friends who like the natural are the ones who accept me as I am and know that I'ma do me, whether they're relaxed or not.

    I wonder how much of the "natural = ethnically diverse/educated" idea comes from the fashion industry as well. I've seen many more black natural models doing couture and more hipster stuff than I see in black mags. Then again, I haven't done more than a basic flip through of a black magazine in years, so I could be wrong.

    Reply
34. 

    goldenchica 15 June 2009 at 10:02 pm Permalink

    I'm sorry this debate took such a turn…I'm an undergrad at a top school with a black population of 3%, and I was intrigued that BGLH posed. Most of the black women on my campus are natural: many of us began transitioning or BC'd once we got to school. I think being an environment where you are constantly confronted with your blackness-or even just your 'otherness'- makes people take a very good look at themselves. [College itself is a time when] one starts to wonder how others view them, what image they project, and why they do what they do. One of the benefits of being at a predominantly white school is that black students are given a chance to define themselves apart from many of the social pressures and expectations of black peers and society. That is very liberating, and I think the 22 black girls (out of 35 total) who are natural/decided to go natural at college embrace that freedom. Alice Walker once said "oppressed hair puts a ceiling on the brain", and I think she was onto something. I think that all of us at my school have examined very carefully why we do what we do and have taken advantage of the opportunity to define ourselves BY ourselves. Some of us have chosen to go natural and some of us have chosen to stay relaxed, either way, I think we all appreciate that we have made a conscious, informed decision that is more rooted in our own self-expression than external ideology. For an article I wrote on this, check out http://www.openzine.com/aspx/ReadMore.aspx?ID=9776&lid=77&IssueID=1858&zineID=4668&divid=310

    Reply
35. 

    larepublicadeblackbottom 15 June 2009 at 10:36 pm Permalink

    I would agree with Yuki, but this could be a regional difference. I'm from Detroit, there's a small minority of women who wear their natural hair, mind you the city is about 86% Black. More than likely you will get clowned even though some people may admire you for your courage. When I went through my perm to kink, that was the response I got. Or someone will say you're being African or afrocentric, which wasn't an insult but to me it was just like no, "i'm being myself…and to a certain extent you Black person." I definitely got lots of love from non-Black guys mostly and love from Black men who you would find in certain 'deep' circles (and i use 'deep' lightly)…but I know in NY there are more naturals. I mean Detroit is changing but most of the naturals you see are the girls with a different appreciation for their blackness–women into education, in poetry circles, etc…(and before this gets generalized, i am not saying that everyone who does poetry or who is in college is natural)…I feel like in the South there are a lot of more naturals and it's like a South cultural thing–like it's accepted as much as weave is accepted. I don't know if it is as much a 'conscious' (i say 'conscious' lightly) because maybe the idea of being natural may have already been ingrained in that upbringing, where as in detroit u have to come to that realization that being natural is ok. thats what i mean by conscious–we may have to exert more effort b/c we could be going against the grain…and in certain areas that grain may not be as profuse…

    so i would say in more integrated areas, at least in MI, it is likely to see more naturals there

    Reply
36. 

    Shoshoni 16 June 2009 at 2:02 am Permalink

    I live in a predominately white neighborhood and the school my son attends has a black population. About 1 1/2 years ago my 9 year old asked if he could let his hair grow. I agreed and now he has this big massive mane. When he wears it big and 'out' he gets lots of comments. I've observed that non-blacks always tell him his hair is 'awesome', 'cool' and absolutely love it. Even when he wears cornrows they are amazed that I actually do them myself. But, when around mostly black people, including family, I hear,"when are you going to cut that boys hair?" Along with frowns. So to me,it does seem like people in diverse communities are more accepting of natural hair.

    Reply
37. 

    J. Gracey 16 June 2009 at 3:11 am Permalink

    I'm one of few Black people living in my area, and honestly I think that was one of the factors that pushed me towards having natural hair. I wanted to make sure I held onto my heritage in some outward fashion.

    Reply
38. 

    Black girl with long hair 16 June 2009 at 3:26 am Permalink

    I gotta agree with larepublica… I think this is definitely a regional and national thing. For example, I grew up in Jamaica. And on an island that's 80% black, there is no dynamic of white people being more receptive to natural hair than blacks.

    also, i think that we really can't discount the legions of black people who love and support natural hair! i mean, this blog is a case and point. i will confess, perhaps these communities are more in middle-class, upper-middle class black communities. but they certainly exist. for example, i would consider myself part black hipster (yes…i just labeled myself, lol), and in those circles natural hair is embraced and incorporated into the overall aesthetic.

    i just get uncomfortable when point-blank statements are made. race is a complex things, and black people have many, many, many subcultures.

    it's not as simple, in my opinion, as black people hating natural hair and white people loving it.

    Reply
39. 

    Retromus-ik 16 June 2009 at 3:40 am Permalink

    I think Black people perpetuate this idea that kinky hair is wild and unattractive the same way that colorism puts the darker one as the unattractive. These were/ sometimes still are
    white ideas, and now we're continuing the job. Not all of us, of course.

    Reply
40. 

    butterfliesandstars 16 June 2009 at 6:33 am Permalink

    I am going to comment only on Yuki's comment in the previous post. When i read it, i honestly thought that she had a point. i am a Nigerian, living in Nigeria, which is as African as it gets, and generally here, it is a very small minority of women that carry their natural hair – save children, or those who due to hair problems decide to carry it natural for a while before it is relaxed again, or some churchgoers … who do not do anything with the hair but simply cornrows. there are now a few popular people who do natural hair proud, but very few.
    i just recently decided to transition to natural hair (my hair has been relaxed since i was 5 years old or so, because it was too difficult to manage), and everytime someone notices my undergrowth, they ask why i don't wanna get a relaxer, and when i tell them i'm transitioning, everyone rolls their eyes like it's some new fad.
    So I agree with Yuki that in the predominantly black neighbourhoods, women mainly relax their hair. i would say this is because there is no one debunking the myths that natural hair can't be styled, it is uncontrollable, and awfully hard to manage – i thought all these too, until i started doing research – and also because there is no "enlightenment" (i noticed a lot of intelligence and education being thrown around here, that is not what i'm talking about) on the advantages, joys, satisfaction and self-discoveries gained from carrying you natural, God-given head of hair.
    Fact is this – very few people are going to leave what they know, are comfortable with, and are used to, for something that is more time consuming and requires dedication unless they are moved personally.

    Reply
41. 

    Lita 16 June 2009 at 7:55 am Permalink

    Shoshoni:
    I think if you were white, you'd probably get it from white people. long hair on boys is seen as going against the grain within a lot of cultures.

    Reply
42. 

    Anonymous 16 June 2009 at 12:43 pm Permalink

    Yuki, I don't know much about London. I've only visited once. Loved it. My cousin lives in the City of London and she wears her hair out in a very large "fro". There are few blacks where she lives and she does not work with many blacks. Her white co-workers love her hair. In fact, when she's pressed on a few occassions, they didn't like her straight hair. She's in management though, so maybe she has more freedom to do what she pleases.

    Reply
43. 

    serenissima 16 June 2009 at 1:15 pm Permalink

    At L: I think the message is getting a little twisted here; from what I see no one is saying all white people love natural hair and all black people hate it. But in most of our personal experiences, non-blacks have been the most receptive to us going natural.

    Case in point: im currently transitioning so I wear my hair in a curly fro-ish style most of the time, and my Spanish girlfriend loves it way more than my straight hair (she has a serious case of hand-in-fro disease lol). My best friends boyfriend, who's black, however, constantly refers to my hair as 'messy' or says I'm wearing that 'messy style again.' My friend is relaxed, dyed, AND weaved out and he loves 'her' hair. Now this isn't to say that all people are the same, but this has just been my experience. I also think that this idea of non-blacks loving natural hair more also plays into the belief that more naturas are educated. I'm sorry, but I feel that if you went to a more racially diverse school, you are more open to change. The pressure of conformity at most HBCU's is downright STIFLING. Now, this make those that attend all-black schools less educated, but I do think there is something to bed said in the idea that people educated in a more diverse environment will be more susceptible to natural hair.

    Case in point #2: I'm friends with a large group of girls that all attended Spelman College, an all-black school in New York. How many of them are natural? Zero. And having visited their campus many times, the majority of the girls there are relaxed or weaved out, and if you are natural, you're an African-Studies major or an all out free-thinking radical. Proper Spelman women just don't do that, and I honestly believe that it's because of the mentality we, as Black women, were raised with that relaxers were the only way to achieve beautiful, good looking hair. And isn't that the basis of this blog? So I don't understand why that fact is making anyone offended or uncomfortable.

    I mean, think about it, really think about it: most of us were raised to believe we had to alter our hair, while most White people were not… Doesn't it make sense to think being in a more racially diverse area might inspire to wonder what would happen if you just let your hair grow out of your head, too?

    Reply
44. 

    serenissima 16 June 2009 at 1:26 pm Permalink

    PS I live in manhattan and I've definitely seen the same trend on billboards as another commented said… Black Models for Gap, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, etc. are ALWAYS rocking glorious naturals, while most things marketed towards urban youth, like, say, sneaker ads or McDonald's commercials feature girls with relaxers. Now THERE'S an offensive, uncomfortable, and deeply disturbing trend.

    I was also on another forum that read that most Black hipster/indie/trendy guys in NYC are into White chicks, and vice versa…most Black chicks with naturals that I see walking around Soho are with White or Asian men. So there's something else to chew on in this whole debate

    Reply
45. 

    A. Davis 16 June 2009 at 2:14 pm Permalink

    I really think the conclusion we have come to on this debate is clear: there are different reasons for anyone to do whatever it is they do to their hair. This holds true for all women in the world, not just Black/African/African-American/(whatever title you choose). Like goldenchica, I also attended a predominantly white college where a lot of the Black women chose to either transition or BC before graduating, but there were quite a few women who chose to continue with the relaxer. The one common thread that runs through the entire group is that we all had our own reasons for deciding what we would do with our hair.

    Personally, I grew up in DC, went to college in an overwhelmingly non-Black area, and will be moving to NYC soon. There will be naturals in all of these locations because we all have different stories and different guiding forces. I think the conversation/debate will always turn ugly in a discussion like this because all of us have our own beliefs ingrained in us, usually from an early age. And while my decision to "go natural" came relatively recently, I think I've always had an affinity for non-relaxed hair, meaning I would get there whether I had a Ph.D. or dropped out of school in second grade.

    Environment may play a role in whether a woman continues to relax or transition or BC because of social pressures, but I don't think that dictates whether it will happen in the end.

    Reply
46. 

    Anonymous 16 June 2009 at 2:34 pm Permalink

    @serenissima , I was inspired to go natural at an HBCU. Whether or not I received positive comments depended largely on where the person commenting was from. Many of the people from the deep South hated natural hair. Most of the east and west coasters loved it. I received a mixed response from men. The ones who were into long hair loved me bc, the ones who were into natural & simple loved me post bc. What's annoying me about this discussion (and all disucssions like this one in the black community) is our continued insistence on boxing ourselves in, on coming up with extremely narrow definitions for ourselves. It's no wonder the rest of the world can't figure us out. We can't figure our own damn selves out. We insist on using our personal experiences to develop theories to be applied to the population at large and, thus, we continue to widen the divide. Enough.

    Reply
47. 

    Black girl with long hair 16 June 2009 at 2:49 pm Permalink

    @ serenissima… girl that is very very interesting. *sigh i guess i'm just in a bit of shock cuz i'm hearing nothing from the naturals in relationship with black dudes who love their hair. are we so rare???

    i will agree that, in certain areas, it's non-black people who perhaps don't know or give a flying fuck about the whole 'good hair/bad hair' thing, and thus embrace natural hair.

    but (and i HATE to put my love life on front street) i've been on dates with plenty bi-racial and black dudes — with these here napps in my head — and had no issue. as a matter of fact they loved it! after i did my big chop and was rocking a teeny, teeny fro, i was approached by this bi-racial dude who nearly pissed his pants cuz he loved my hair so much. i've had NO issue with black/bi-racial men. NONE whatsoever.

    perhaps i've been blessed/lucky.

    but i will admit, sadly, that there are many black/bi-racial dudes who don't have this attitude.

    and if we're talking about the demographic make-up of natural women. i have noticed that, despite the 'african american women not getting married' crisis, a very high number of naturals seem to be married or dating and in very happy relationships with black, white, asian, hispanic men.

    perhaps it's easier for natural women to find good men, i don't know.

    okay… this is going to be a retrospective for next week. we are going to get to the bottom of this. y'all be ready to dish on your love lives….

    Reply
48. 

    fatty 16 June 2009 at 4:21 pm Permalink

    without having read any of the comments b4 me i just wanted to add that i live in Atlanta & i just recently did my BC & while i'm not sure if we are a mojority- i see ALOT of naturals in my daily experiences
    [gotta update my blogger pic!]

    Reply
49. 

    serenissima 16 June 2009 at 4:27 pm Permalink

    Sorry if I offended anyone, I'm just saying how it's been in my experience… I went to majority White, hippie liberal arts school, and I honestly feel that environment helped my state of mind for going natural. I can't form my theories off anybody else experiences, only my own, and I definitely felt a sting when I visited HBCU's in curly hair and sneakers *shrugs* maybe that's just me.

    And sorry for my mangled first post, I'm commenting from my phone smh. We should def discuss the movie 'Something New' with Sanaa Lathan, in next weeks retrospective.

    Sounds like a great topic for next week's retrospective!

    Reply
50. 

    serenissima 16 June 2009 at 4:32 pm Permalink

    PLS spelman is in Atlanta, not New York. Damn phone lol

    Reply

Leave a Reply