do u get flak about wearing your hair natural, curly, kinky @ school/work?

[newbiemom]

Yeah this uppity older blk woman at my job always ask me, when am I going to comb my hair, she has also said to me, that if I couldn't afford a relaxer she would buy me one for x-mas. Other then that it's cool.

The first thing that came to my mind was You should have told her she is " too bright and feisty,out of order"

 

[Prudent1]

From the majority of ppl no. In my case, the only comments I get are from black men here at work who ask me why don't I wear my hair straight more often!? The family is cool b/c they know what's up. As for the random ppl who may offer to relax my hair for me- I laugh at that mess. Most of the times the ppl giving advice are the epitome of "tore up from the floor up" around their heads! I wouldn't be taking advice from them anyway.

 

[discodumpling]

I'm too grown for that ish...I don't think anyone wants an HR issue....

 

[Vinyl]

Nope, I get a lot of positive comments on my hair. People love the curliness of it. I hope that never changes!

When I was younger I did get a lot of disparaging comments, like, "Your hair is so long and pretty, it would be even more pretty if you relaxed it!"

 

[bahamababe242]

everyone was so used to seeing my relaxed hair, and most had no idea that i was transitioning so when i revealed my shrunken 4 inch, 4b afro, my family, coworkers and friends were all horrified now that its a bit longer ive started getting a few compliments, my boss and coworkers sing "Imma soul man.....!" when I walk into the room sometimes, make fists and shout, "fight the power!"
my friends think its natural because Im trying to save money in this recession (im very frugal)

 

[kooskoos]

The people at work LOVE my hair...the only other Black lady here is relaxed, but she seems to like it too! I think they like that it's always different--they even go to my hair blog on their lunch breaks (they're very sweet and supportive, lol). Today I wore it straight for the first time since I started, and they asked when my curls are coming back

 

[MonPetite]

I have in class, from white and black students. You'd think in college where people walk around with purple streaks in their hair, no one would bat an eye. Sigh.

 

[makeupgirl]

actually I haven't worn my natural hair out yet at work but I've seen a lot of women in the office and this is a fotune 500 co. going natural so I'm sure I will get some looks and some off the wall comments but in the end it's my hair and what God gave me so I wouldn't pay attention to any remarks.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

People usually like my hair, I don't too much wear the fro to work anymore, but I have no problem doing so.

If someone did have a problem with it, it would remain theirs...not mine. My hair is perfectly acceptable in any work environment. It's clean and well groomed.

 

[melodies815]

Surprisingly, my stepfather told me once this summer that my hair is not professional. He also said he understood the "stage" I was going through and had been through it himself.

It was ignorant, but I also think it's something that older blacks feel sometimes quite strongly.

I let him know that I went through my "black power" stage in uni and that I made the decision to go natural for health (my own and my hair's) and to accept how God made me. He just erplexed at me.

Everyone else....compliments or silence.

cj

 

[amwcah]

Yeah this uppity older blk woman at my job always ask me, when am I going to comb my hair, she has also said to me, that if I couldn't afford a relaxer she would buy me one for x-mas. Other then that it's cool.

Wow, how rude! What does her hair look like?

 

[producjunki]

I'm only one woman with one opinion so just listen, I feel as far as people giving others flak about natural hairstyles, it's usually other black people. Where I work, everytime my hair isn't freshly curled by the Dominicans, I get a comment by one of my Black coworkers like "When are you going to get your hair done again?" or "You need to do something with all that hair". Now I do notice I get more complements from whites and other people of different races (including blacks) when my hair is pressed and curled, but the only people that really say anything from what I've known is black people.

It seems like WE critique ourselves the most, like there's something to prove to somebody else, when there really shouldn't be, and I'm not trying to sound prejudice or racist against our own, but it's true.

 

[afrodeutsche]

What kind of industries do you guys work in? Education, finance, healthcare etc...

 

[R4L]

One of my Sorors told me that if I wore my hair straight more, I would be married by now......

I told her I wasn't marrying anyone who didn't appreciate my fro.

 

[LadyLeoSmile]

I don't get any negative comments, and actually I have gotten more compliments since I've begun my transition than before. The other black ladies here love it, but the YT's even more so. I just wish they would keep their hands to themselves, and have told them as much many times.

 

[CoilyFields]

Surprisingly, my stepfather told me once this summer that my hair is not professional. He also said he understood the "stage" I was going through and had been through it himself.

It was ignorant, but I also think it's something that older blacks feel sometimes quite strongly.

I let him know that I went through my "black power" stage in uni and that I made the decision to go natural for health (my own and my hair's) and to accept how God made me. He just erplexed at me.

Everyone else....compliments or silence.

cj

I think its because they remember the very real and often blatant discrimination they experienced in their day concerning their natural features. They usually had to conform just to prove they were good enough for the job etc. Sometimes I just view it as them trying to protect us...cuz lets face it, some of the ones that were in their age group grwoing up with these sentiments are the presidents and managers of companies nowadays. Not everyone has changed their views...

 

[chebaby]

this guy at my job is quick to tell me when he does like my hair as if i care lol. one time i had a cute puff and he walks up to me and says "i like your hair today. i really didnt like it yesterday. no i didnt like it but its cute today". again, as if i care lol.
there is a beautiful natural woman at my job with apl hair when flat ieoned and she always tells me how cute my hair looks. i really like that because i just think her hair is fabulous.

 

[Firstborn2]

The first thing that came to my mind was You should have told her she is " too bright and feisty,out of order"

Girl, I don't give ppl like her my energy, she's not worth me getting into a verbal confrontation with and possibly losing my job over, she's irrelevant in my life.

Wow, how rude! What does her hair look like?

Do you really want to knowHer hair is over processed, relaxed and dyed. Ear length and thin, on top of that, the edges on both sides above her ears are gone. The End

 

[zazzi]

No flak at all. I got alot of compliments -- some sincere, some not so much. One of my bosses I felt genuinely liked it, and the other I'm not sure. I work for two brothers, and one of them's wife has told me a couple times that she likes it, and their mom gushes over it every so often. I don't do much with it -- modified shingling with the very front brushed back a little, or a short diagonal part with the front brushed down to the sides and pinned.

 

[apemay1969]

I work in an alternative high school and these students have opinions, let me tell you. The staff knows not to say anything - my principal has dredlocks - but the students - WOW!

I did wear my hair in a slicked back bunny tail yesterday and my co-worker said that she liked it that way. She said I had a pretty face and I look good with it pulled back. She asked if I was mixed with something. I said that her hair could wave up and shine too if she used the same amount of gel that I use and tied her hair like she has the mumps like I do. Y'all, my hair was Jermaine Jackson shiny. She laughed.

I did a chelate, protein dc and then moisturize dc that I rinsed out this morning. I pulled it back with a claw and left the front out a little. My hair is soft, smooth, strong and perfumy yet all I've been getting is - Are you having a bad hair day?

When I wear a wig or weave, the black IT guy flirts. When I wear a power 'fro, the high school boys and YT teachers flirt. When I wear a slick back bunny tail, the rainbow women flirt. It's all entertaining to me. That's why I love our hair.

 

[Lynnerie]

None at all and if someone did have an issue with my hair I know they don't have enough guts to tell me to my face. I wear wash n go's 95% of the time.

 

[Jeech]

Yesterday I came into class with my cornrows (done with extensions) and this white guy was like wow, your hair looks great. Everyone in school was complementing me on my cornrows...

A classmate from Germany was like, how long did that take to fix? Can I touch it?

It's all in good fun and I just love wearing my hair like this, regardless of what anyone says.

 

[IrisDaVirus]

On the rare occasions I do work, I don't get much flack on my natural hair. In fact I get a lot of raves about it along with many of my co-workers telling me to never go back to chemicals.

One of my stadium managers asked me to come back for a full season so she could stare in amazement at my hair . But I don't have the heart to tell her I may not be able to because of two major surgeries I'll need to have next year .