“Just taking a moment to rant against natural hair police” ~Solange Knowles
Solange had a lot on her mind last night as she took to Twitter to speak against naturals who have questioned the authenticity of her big chop and criticized her for rocking “undefined” looks all the time. Check it out;
I cut my hair ALL off 4 times in my life all for very different reasons….I only reiterate this because this is nothing new for me.
I’ve never painted myself as a team natural vice president. I don’t know the lingo and I don’t sleep with a satin cap…
However, I did noticed when I picked out my hair, I kept seeing feedback about needing a “twist out”. Connnnfesssioonnn: I HATE twist outs.
I dont want to talk about no damn hair…..no mo.
So what got Solange all fired up? A post on natural hair Tumblr blog Moderne Meid, which was itself summarizing a post from a DIFFERENT natural hair website that attracted some very uncomplimentary comments about Solange’s hair, including that it is not unique, and looks dry and unkempt (aka, not always in a twist out).
I think it’s very unfortunate that Solange is getting flack for DARING to rock her hair with the curls undefined. There are still quite a few women who feel that the only “acceptable” way to wear natural hair is to painstakingly define every ringlet, curl and coil — stretched styles and undefined fros be damned. I love that Solange prefers an undefined look. It fits well with her overall look and attitude, and frankly it’s quite beautiful.
What are your thoughts on all this ladies? How do you feel about women coming at Solange for not having (or attempting to have) curls in her hair?
Solange’s full twitter rant is below (start at the bottom and read up). Click to enlarge the photos:
I like Solange’s overall fashion, music and unique style!
The blog fiascos with most of the negative spamtastic rants however – are mainly TROLLS! These are PROFESSIONALLY PAID TROLLS. I know 5 people paid by corporations to tilt public opinion on any number of subjects through media outlets just like this FOR A LIVING! Their job is to infiltrate, instigate, create doubt, manipulate public opinion and do so through a number of usernames often fake fighting amongst one another to inflate conflict, derail information and drag in well-known users to give the controversy more credence! And it works almost every single time, *see Yahoo comment boards! The savvier corporations fight back by hiring people to undo this damage with ‘positive’ posts etc., etc.
Some plebs sadly believe gloriously matte, loose strands are unattractive – that’s just their inferiority complex showing.
Also, stars should shine bright light years away and leave mere mortals (and PR professionals) to dealing with the silliness of daily life, Lol!
I don’t care about her hair or not being team natural,since she responds to blogs anyway,I have a question for her…….Solange whats your take on the G.Paltrow’s fiasco?can you please ask her to be a bigger person and apologise since she is part of your team for ‘real’.
HOL UP! This the same Solange Knowles that teamed up with Carol’s Daughter to be a spokesperson for their natural hair movement? Hmm… Girl __/ << get comfy!
On 1 hand I feel her, not everyone takes their hair serious, but when you're the spokesperson for a "Natural" line, where do you get off ranting like that? Back pedaling much?
This is why the natural hair community should none place these (unknown) titles upon ANYONE.
Just had to giggle at ‘HOL UP!’
I think it’s a shame that she is one of the few celebrities that are open to rocking their natural hair, and she’s getting slack for her choice of styles/maintenance, etc…i think she looks beautiful with her natural hair…well,you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t!!! Lol
Uh, what’s a twist out??
It’s when you twist your hair and leave it overnight or a few days then unravel it to reveal stretched out texture.
I totally agree with Solange. The amount of negativity that comes from the ‘natural hair police’ is disgusting and shameful. Who gave them the divine halo to dictate to others how they should be wearing their hair? Why do we put so much emphasis on getting a twist or curl definition? our hair in its natural state is beautiful, that is what makes us to be fearfully and wonderfully made. I love the fluffy cotton like afro that I have when i’m not wearing a wig/weave…yes the offensive word ‘weave’. Instead of criticising our fellow sister why cant we celebrate her for embracing the hair that the rest of the world likes to perceive as ‘political’. Let us purge ourselves from this madness. A house divided can never stand.
TO EACH HIS OWN!! If people would focus more on themselves what a better place the world would be. Solonge you are BEAUTIFUL!! ROCK ON!
i think it’s hysterical that we always have to find something/anything to fight about. we all have different hair. we all have our own sense of style. what may work for you may not work for me and vice verse. there is no perfect natural hairstyle that is a one style fits all. my hair doesn’t do twist outs very well. so by the end of the day it looks like a plain old afro. so most times it looks just like hers. it’s called “natural” hair. so it does what it does NATURALLY. that being said let your hair do what it do and let’s stop putting each other down because someone else hair isn’t the way we think it should be.
So many people castrate black women when it comes to how they present themselves, their hair, their afrocentricity or not and all of our expressions of ourselves! Now other black women are trying to define how this is meant to come to be in each of us! Who is anyone to tell you how to be the best expression of ourself! This is sad. You are now officially oppressors oh Natural Hair Police! Anyone else, ROCK IT HOW YOU FEEL IT! :D
@ Nathalie
Girl well said, me and my friends always say as black women we are on everyone’s hit list even our men. Its a shame we can’t be there for each other. I love the fact that black women (including myself) are finally embracing our natural hair and noone has the right to dictate how it should be done!! I totally agree with Solange!!
I think Solange has beautiful hair…I actually want my hair to look like hers. A twist out does not, in fact, look great on me. She does not need to answer to anyone really. If you think that her hair needs some work because she is promoting different hair products, then here’s an idea…DON’T BUY THE PRODUCTS. Those who are paying her should worry about the image she is giving their product. We need to stop fighting about every LITTLE thing and worry about the bigger picture in this world, as previously stated by others. Encourage one another..her hair is her hair. So to that I say “Whatever style works for you Solange!”
I’m laughing sooo hard at people saying Solange NEEDS a twistout…so much freaking nonsence…It goes to show that most people need to see some type of “curl” or “definition” to be comfortable with natural hair.
We still have much work to do.
Also, leave the girl alone…she likes what she likes.
Just had to say how absolutely right you are. They say they like natural hair, but only if it looks nice and shiny and has pretty ringlets; straight up afro is just too black. It kills me.
You are so right! Leave her alone! Let Solange be Solange and everyone else be comfortable doing YOU! I don’t blame her for going off!
I don’t like the look myself but I really don’t think it’s anyone’s business to tell her that she NEEDS a twist-out. Obviously she wasn’t a fan of them cuz she doesn’t wear them. It would be nice if she took care of her hair but at the end of the day it’s HER hair. Solange isn’t obliged to do what makes others happy cuz…well, it’s her life and her hair.
Um that’s thing tho, SHE IS TAKING CARE OF HER HAIR. THATS THE HAIRSTYLE SHE PREFERS…Lord Jesus…
How the heck do you know she doesn’t take care of hair? Please shut up and worry about your own hair. Why are black women so obsessed with hair that isn’t their own. I’m baffled.
Oh my God! This has to be the most ignorant comment I’ve ever heard. Here hair is looks clean, it looks soft, it has sheen, it’s not matted and tangled so how the hell is she not taking care of her hair?! It’s not shaped the way you like it or is it because she didn’t spend hours in the bathroom defining every curl? OMG!
Uhhmmmm Jodi pleas shut up if ur mouth and mind dosnt have anything concrete to add. Who told u she doesn’t take care of her hair???? Grow UP!!!
I agree with jodi and I think you guys that are upset with her opinion is just as ignorant as your claiming her to be. I think it looks a hot ass mess and I’ve seen better undefined well taken care of tresses. You guys don’t know her hair regimine so how you know she don’t just wake up and say fuck it everyday? Black hair hides imperfections way better than any color so again, unless you her stylist… You don’t know. Solonge has always ben very eclectic so whether ppl criticize or not, she gon do her own thing but yeah all you ppl claiming to be defending her are another form of hair police. Remember everyone is untitled to their own opinion ut no1 is entitled to be disrespectful
Thank you for listening
“but yeah all you ppl claiming to be defending her are another form of hair police.”
how exactly?
Solange has actually shared her regimen in an interview not too long ago, which included regular deep conditions, detangling and more including protective styling. Her hair looks nice and healthy and the key word there is HER hair.
Curious to see your hair… just sayin’
i think she has a right. good for her sticking up for herself. btw check out my vids on dry detangling at http://www.acurlcandream.blogspot.com/2012/06/videos-dry-detangling.html
I mean it’s her own hair, let her do what she wants with it, I dunno why people feel the need to stress other people about their own hair. I
Um that’s thing tho, SHE IS TAKING CARE OF HER HAIR. THATS THE HAIRSTYLE SHE PREFERS…Lord Jesus…
A lot of sistas do feel like they can’t go natural if they don’t have some naturally texture or atleast manipulate it to look curly! I do have a curly texture but that’s not my reason for being natural honestly I didn’t know what kind if texture put I love to see. Black women rock all types of natural hair confidently whether there is a curl pattern or not. That in itself is gorgeous and inspirational!
It is her hair, she should rock it in whichever way she pleases.She did not dub herself a natural hair maestro, so people should leave her alone.That been said, Solange always comes off as angry.She is a public figure that walks the red carpet more than we can count.She should learn to ignore such comments.Better still she should not read comments about herself.People just make these comments and move on.I doubt anyone goes to bed thinking about why she does not rock a twist out.
@ Jodi, how does she not take care of her hair??Did she tell you she does not take care of it?Are you with her 24/7 to know she does not take care of it?Just because her hair looks a certain way doesn’t meant she does not take care of it. Damn black females sometimes!Aaargh!
Keep doing you. You look beautiful.
well rocking the fro is the original and truest form of natural, even if you lock it up, twist it, or press it…that’s the way it started!
I totally agree with you on that. Plus, the way she wears her fro is so unique and so HER, it’s not typical which is probably why she rocks it. Frankly, I admire her uniqueness for doing as such and not bending to another’s “standard of natural.” I’m really sorry that others have ruined her view right now of being a natural hair icon, because I LOVE when she talks about her hair journey and I love the fact that she’s unapologetic for looking so fierce.
well she should expect some flack for constantly hawking carol’s daughter “multicultural” (eyeroll) hair line… i myself was wondering how her afro went from 2 inches to 15 inches in 1 day…. i assumed she was wearing a wig … who cares if she wants to wear her hair in a furball??? LOL… her addressing it is ridiculous…
Hey there: So, you obviously DO care, b/c you’re characterizing her hair in such a pejorative way (you’re not exactly agnostic about it). I think her comment was prolly addressed to people like yourself– what do you think?
As i SAID it truly is NOT that serious AND furball is not a derogatory term LOL… AGAIN … it is HAIR !!!! the NAUTRAL coterie are so quick to jump on people who don’t fall in line with their sociometry I feel people are allowed to speak their opinion on the hypocrisy they are subjected to…. NOW that natural haircare is BIG BUSINESS EVERYBODY wants “in” (eye-roll) (again) the ISSUE at hand is if she was TRULY PRESSED about people addressing her hair.. DON’T be a natural hair product spokesperson…. that is what I think… I SHOW her I don’t care by not buying the products she is hawking…
#carryon