Assumptions Made Because You're Natural

[oooop2]

That I'm from an island--nope, married to an islander tho.
That I like reggae--which I do, but they still assume. haha
That I'm Ethio/Eri, especially living here in Atl which has a huge Ethio/Eri community.

What's Eri?

 

[purplepeace79]

Some assume I'm militant (which I am)
Some assume I'm extremely afrocentric (which I am)

 

[Diva_Esq]

That I'm bi-racial (got that relaxed too though). erplexed

That I'm going through a phase.

That I'm going to be crushed and run back to relaxer once I BC.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I get, "Are you AFRICAN??" a lot....Then when I say, no, I'm from the Caribbean. Then they respond, "I knew it...Same thing!!

Technically......... it is the same thing because the Blacks of the islands are really just transplanted africans.....we all are

There I go with my afrocentrism!

 

[purplepeace79]

As for assumptions made:

- When I'm wearing my coils for the world to see, Black men seem to approach me with the utmost respect and manners, it is as if my hair sends a message about the fact that I must be treated like a queen....I dont mind AT ALL.

- I don't get cat-calls I get you look beautiful today sista and pardon me, may I speak to you for a moment?

- If people assume I love Jill Scott, India Arie, Lauryn Hill they're right I love Golden, Brown Skin, Just like water and many more...so thats true.

- If they assume that I'm more cultured in the arts, they're right, the only two genres of music I was exposed to untill I got to junior high was Jazz and Classical

- If they assume that I'm afrocentric, they're right, my mom made it her business that I knew my heritage and knew my history as well as the european history they taught me in school from a very young age.

- If they assume I'm into natural organic things, thats true lmao....but I'm not strict with it.

- I try to smile alot when I rock my fro though because people do assume you're angry lol

Thanks for this. I have NO problem with people assuming things associated with being Black, Afrocentric, or likened to such beautiful women as Jill or India, and such. Why not? there is nothing negative about any of that and I feel NO need to try and disassociate myself from that. I love being Black, I love my nappy hair, and I love the positive energy it evokes. Men approach me WAY better when my hair is natural and out than when I have extensions or when its blown out straight. That's always been the case. And you know what? I prefer being called a Sista and a Queen then "Ma" or "Boo" or any other silly thing.

I love the regal aura my natural hair gives me.

 

[Almaz]

Eritrean was part of Ethiopia

What's Eri?

 

[wild curls raquelle]

I have an attitude
I like neo-soul a la Jill Scott, Erykah Badu
I smoke marijuana
I use incense and candles in my home
I use oils like frankensence and myrrh on my skin
I'm vegan? I just ate some bacon too..
I have a collection of head wraps
I use juices and berries on my hair.
I write poetry (that one is true though)

And according to some members of my family, I don't care about myself anymore.

I think that sums up the list.

 

[TemiLnd]

I get this a lot too. My assumptions:
When I tie a head wrap – I'm trying to be like Erykah Babu. I’m sorry but IM NIGERIAN. It’s part of my culture.
I get approached with "Hey Sista”... like I'm in the 'movement'
It is assumed that I must like black power type music. Emm I quite like a number of white artists and love me some classical.
I get ladies just randomly explaining to me why they couldn’t hack being natural.erplexed Emm, I don’t care if you are a natural haired or relaxed haired lady. Do you!!

 

[Almaz]

I dont get it with the billion dollar home frangance industry I was in Neiman Marcus last week and they had some scented Candles for like $80.00 no thanks. Who is buying this stuff not me

I have an attitude
I like neo-soul a la Jill Scott, Erykah Badu ( nothing wrong with that)
I smoke marijuana (why do people always assume this)
I use incense and candles in my home ( Like white people dont do this too)
I use oils like frankensence and myrrh on my skin
I'm vegan? I just ate some bacon too..
I have a collection of head wraps
I use juices and berries on my hair.
I write poetry (that one is true though)

And according to some members of my family, I don't care about myself anymore.

I think that sums up the list.

 

[KrystalClear]

This is fun!
Sorry in advance if I repeat anything that was said, I didn't read the other posts.

• That I must be "earthy" because I'm natural
• That I'm mixed because my hair curls and doesn't just "napp" up

Those are the biggest things I get.

 

[Southernbella.]

Thanks for this. I have NO problem with people assuming things associated with being Black, Afrocentric, or likened to such beautiful women as Jill or India, and such. Why not? there is nothing negative about any of that and I feel NO need to try and disassociate myself from that. I love being Black, I love my nappy hair, and I love the positive energy it evokes. Men approach me WAY better when my hair is natural and out than when I have extensions or when its blown out straight. That's always been the case. And you know what? I prefer being called a Sista and a Queen then "Ma" or "Boo" or any other silly thing.

I love the regal aura my natural hair gives me.

How come you don't post in the Off Topic forum?

People assume I'm afrocentric (which I am)

That I am "just dealing with" my natural hair, I guess until I make a better decision? I mainly get that from my aunt. "Oh, I see you still dealing with that natural hair. What are you gonna do with it?" Ummmm...rock it for the rest of my life, maybe?

 

[NikStarrr]

What's Eri?

my shortening of Eritrean (from the country Eritrea).

 

[Almaz]

You know this is a trip because a lovely young lady at work for the past 2 years have gone natural and her hair is beautiful thick and healthy her family and friends assume the same thing and now is at APL in braids and they are trying to give her hair advice and she they all have busted broken and weaved up hair and under those weaves is still busted broken hair and the edges are beating Michael Jackson at doing the moon walk I mean they really give Susan Taylor a run for her money and they are still saying

When you gonna get a perm

yeah right. Giving her much Grief that when you all grow your hair out then we can all get perms together. They were like naw you got that growing good hair we don't have that kind of hair. She was like you are my Identical TWIN SISTER FOOL We have the exact same DNA makeup

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thanks for this. I have NO problem with people assuming things associated with being Black, Afrocentric, or likened to such beautiful women as Jill or India, and such. Why not? there is nothing negative about any of that and I feel NO need to try and disassociate myself from that. I love being Black, I love my nappy hair, and I love the positive energy it evokes. Men approach me WAY better when my hair is natural and out than when I have extensions or when its blown out straight. That's always been the case. And you know what? I prefer being called a Sista and a Queen then "Ma" or "Boo" or any other silly thing.

I love the regal aura my natural hair gives me.

How come you don't post in the Off Topic forum?

People assume I'm afrocentric (which I am)

That I am "just dealing with" my natural hair, I guess until I make a better decision? I mainly get that from my aunt. "Oh, I see you still dealing with that natural hair. What are you gonna do with it?" Ummmm...rock it for the rest of my life, maybe?

Word.

Honestly I'll take the assumptions made about me being natural any day of the week, okay so they assume I'm a woman that knows my worth knows my history, is cultured and has a higher consciousness than most....sounds good to me!

Better then the reactions I get when I press my hair....AYO SHAWTAY!!! Whats really good tho? Yo shorty wit the fat a** lemme holla at you for a second....YEA YOU!! Anything goes

I'll take the natural assumptions for $500 Alex.

 

[GaiasDaughter24]

People assume that I bc'd to be more afrocentric/natural. I'm a pretty textured (not entirely crunchy) person. I cloth diaper my daughter, babywear, co-sleep and practice attachment parenting. We keep mopstly natural cleaning (body and household) products in our house. I do yoga,meditate, listen to celtic music and, as a pagan, I teach my daughter to respect the earth.

BUT....

I am EXTREMELY girly. I love shopping, I don't wear natural clothes unless I like them. Neither does my daughter or my husband. I shave, we enjoy television and I wouldn't be able to live without my computer lol Yes, I have India Arie and Jill Scott on my Ipod but so is Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Japanese pop music. I'm not one dementional.

I did NOT bc because I wanted to be afrocentric. I did it because my hair was BEYOND damaged after years of relaxers and glue-in weaves. I also just wanted a change and so far I'm loving it!

Unfortunetly, no one believes me. Oh well.......

 

[Vashti]

A lot of people who see me with my natural hair think I'm west African. Which is fine by me.

I've had a few guys come on to me outright by asking me if I smoke weed. I've heard a lot of come-ons but that was a new one. erplexed

I have to admit though (and I saw this comment in another thread) that people (especially black men) tend to come correct and treat me with respect when my hair is natural.

 

[EMJazzy]

Militant
Unapproachable
Some unnamed tribe of africa

 

[southerncitygirl]

smoking weed
rasta
into reggae or neosoul
bohemian or hippie
do yoga or african dance
wear oils
an artist, songwriter, poetry, take herbs,and are veggie/vegan
so what! I do all all this stuff except the weed/rasta.songwrite and i'm not vegan or veggie(mistake for being this way) but i was this way when i was relaxed...sigh

 

[TaraDyan]

6) That I really care whether or not other people have natural hair. I always get people that come up to me telling me why they can't wear their hair natural as if I'm judging them.

I get ladies just randomly explaining to me why they couldn’t hack being natural.erplexed Emm, I don’t care if you are a natural haired or relaxed haired lady. Do you!!

I get this all the time ... and I do mean alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the time. I don't get it. I'm not handing out pamphlets on the corner trying to persuade women to go natural. I really don't give a flip about what other people do with their hair ... I really don't.

 

[GreenD]

When I wore my wash and go on my TWA a couple months back, some black people thought I had the "militant" look?! LOL, if anything I think my curls made my face look softer......But hey, maybe people will take me more seriously.

 

[PerplexingComplex]

I'm pro-black; however, my because of dislike of BET & urban radio stations I have been called prejudice against blacks by the same people who would call me pro-black.

 

[hair_rehab]

Most people just assume that I'm a teenager. I guess that natural hair gives me a more youthful appearance because I wear twists/twistouts a lot. But hey, I'm not complaining...

 

[Kneechay]

they assume that it means they can touch my hair whenever they want.


people assume I hate relaxed hair on THEM and some feel the need to explain why they're not natural.

asides from that, I don't think that most of the assumptions are detrimental, so i roll with it.

 

[Janet']

1. That it's a phase--when i first started transitioning, i had also just broken it off with my bf of 6 yrs- My friends thought that my going natural was a reaction to that.

2. That I would never wear my hair straight again.

3. That I couldn't transition...Ppl thought that I had to do a BC to be fully natural...

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Some people assume my White Husband doesn't like my natural hair.
They ask, "Umm what did Mike say when you decided to umm do THIS to your hair?"

 

[Diva_Esq]

they assume that it means they can touch my hair whenever they want.


people assume I hate relaxed hair on THEM and some feel the need to explain why they're not natural.

asides from that, I don't think that most of the assumptions are detrimental, so i roll with it.

People find the need to explain themselves to me also, unnecessarily! I'm not recruiting for membership! I find this with being in a sorority too. For some reason, people find it necessary to explain to me why they never pledged! Who cares?

You know this is a trip because a lovely young lady at work for the past 2 years have gone natural and her hair is beautiful thick and healthy her family and friends assume the same thing and now is at APL in braids and they are trying to give her hair advice and she they all have busted broken and weaved up hair and under those weaves is still busted broken hair and the edges are beating Michael Jackson at doing the moon walk I mean they really give Susan Taylor a run for her money and they are still saying

When you gonna get a perm

yeah right. Giving her much Grief that when you all grow your hair out then we can all get perms together. They were like naw you got that growing good hair we don't have that kind of hair. She was like you are my Identical TWIN SISTER FOOL We have the exact same DNA makeup

I get this all the time ... and I do mean alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the time. I don't get it. I'm not handing out pamphlets on the corner trying to persuade women to go natural. I really don't give a flip about what other people do with their hair ... I really don't.

RIGHT!! I don't get commission if you join the natural movement! LOL I'm not selling anything! Like the song says, "You just do you, I'ma do me!"

 

[bablou00]

So your growing dreads? ( A lot)
Happy to be nappy girl ( a random boy I havent seen in years)

Mainly thats it. I just smile and politely say no its just a style I wear my hair in (2strand twist) and Yes I am happy to be nappy

 

[bablou00]

double post

 

[natura87]

People assume that I bc'd to be more afrocentric/natural. I'm a pretty textured (not entirely crunchy) person. I cloth diaper my daughter, babywear, co-sleep and practice attachment parenting. We keep mopstly natural cleaning (body and household) products in our house. I do yoga,meditate, listen to celtic music and, as a pagan, I teach my daughter to respect the earth.

BUT....

I am EXTREMELY girly. I love shopping, I don't wear natural clothes unless I like them. Neither does my daughter or my husband. I shave, we enjoy television and I wouldn't be able to live without my computer lol Yes, I have India Arie and Jill Scott on my Ipod but so is Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Japanese pop music. I'm not one dementional.

I did NOT bc because I wanted to be afrocentric. I did it because my hair was BEYOND damaged after years of relaxers and glue-in weaves. I also just wanted a change and so far I'm loving it!

Unfortunetly, no one believes me. Oh well.......

OMG! Your little girl is too cute! I love the name Phoenix!!!

Most people just assume that I'm a teenager. I guess that natural hair gives me a more youthful appearance because I wear twists/twistouts a lot. But hey, I'm not complaining...

Well people have mistaken me for a middle schooler before I even BC'd...so now it is even worse. On top of that I intend to teach, so I will look the same age as my students!

 

[TemiLnd]

I get this all the time ... and I do mean alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the time. I don't get it. I'm not handing out pamphlets on the corner trying to persuade women to go natural. I really don't give a flip about what other people do with their hair ... I really don't.

TaraD i feel. I'm always left baffled.

Most people just assume that I'm a teenager. I guess that natural hair gives me a more youthful appearance because I wear twists/twistouts a lot. But hey, I'm not complaining...

I forgot this. I already look young, now as a natural ppl assume I'm a teen. not complaining though