1) What was good hair to you?
In MY opinion, "good hair" has always meant healthy hair, regardless of length, texture or color. But the wider, social definition of "good hair" can be restricted to specific cultural, racial, texture, etc., groups. The definition of the term, as with all terms, can vary based on any given group of people.
2) Did you have good hair according to your previous beliefs?
According to my definition, I didn't. Length didn't matter. It was chemically and heat damaged pretty bad, and I was pretty self-conscious about it.
3) If not, how did you feel about your hair?
I used it as a security blanket. I wanted to go natural in 2009, but I was afraid of my real texture. I've always thought natural women had beautiful hair, but I was afraid that others wouldn't find me attractive and that I would find myself unattractive as well.
4) How did you feel when you see others with this "good hair"?
How did you feel when you saw women of other races with this hair?
I assume that the first question is referring to black women. I was always happy to see black women with a healthy head of hair. I was indifferent to the hair care practices of other women (regardless of race) when I was younger but when I hit high school, I stepped the game up once I realized that I was in competition (for boys) with other black girls with relaxed lengthy hair. Due to the hardiness of my hair, it survived over-processing and flatirons to make it to MBL. Once I got to that length, in others eyes, I became the dark black girl with all that "good hair". It was a weird label that I wasn't comfortable with because I knew that the only reason I had gained their definition of "good hair" was because of a little "lye". For me, it felt fake.
I agree with kinkycurlygurl, the second half of this question seems a little ambiguous. I've never held negative feelings or adoration of the hair of women from other races. When I saw a non-black woman with "good hair", I was like, "Good for her!" but that's it. Not much thought went into it.
5) Do you feel black men choose women of other races using hair as a factor?
I do feel that there are a minority (how many, I don't know nor do I care) of black men that may use this as just ONE factor for their decision, but I believe that there are other superficial/stereotypical factors that play into their decision as well.
But generally speaking, people fall in love with whomever lies in their preferences. Some people have very few while others have many. I think a very small minority of people actually sit back and say, "Alright, I choose Rebecca over Kim because Rebecca's hair isn't kinky, therefore I won't have to worry about our babies being visited by the Negro Fairy."
Any man that says that they don't date black women only because of hair is full of crap. There are other reasons as well.
1)Now that you've started your journey, what is good hair?
Healthy hair that isn't significantly damaged.
2) Do you have good hair? Why or why not?
Yes because it is healthy and because I believe that it is "good hair".
3) How do you see other women's hair?
Could you be more specific regarding this question? I view it positively or neutrally, depends on the woman. I really don't give the hair of non-black women second thought. Of course, if I see a black women with big, gorgeous kinky hair, my heart may swoon a little.
4) What kind of attention have you been getting from other people...men? Women? All races.
I will say it has been positive. Since high school, I have gotten all types of sweet/strange/funny/annoying/rude/huh? questions from people, regardless of sex or race. Back when I was relaxed and longer than MBL, people asked me if I was mixed or if it was real... Yeah. That's where most of the questions were focused on: length. Nowadays, people ask to touch it. A lot. They ask me if I have a curly perm! Or how do I manage to make my hair look like this (this question makes me a little sad). People bug me more now than when I was relaxed. Of the curious (aka non-insulting) questions and compliments I have received, most of them have come from men of all races. Women have been hit and miss. I've gotten positive, neutral and negative responses from black women, with all of the positive/neutral comments coming from naturals or my mom. Non-black women have given compliments, neutral comments and rudeness (usually subtle) as well. White women have been the only people to literally put their hands in my hair without asking, regardless if I know them or not. But hands down, so far men have given the most positive attention.
Starting hair length and how the journey has changed your view of hair?
So my last relaxer was Feb. 2011 and I was beyond MLB at that point. I cut my hair to about ear length in April 2011. I transitioned for a year and just cut the remaining relaxed ends off a couple of weeks ago. When stretched, I'm neck length.
I have come to realize that I shouldn't hide behind my hair, which is what I did when my hair was long and straight. My hair should contribute to my personality, not define who I am. This is the first time my hair has been short since I was a little kid, so I've had to reinvent my beauty standards for myself. Also, I very much enjoy standing out in a crowd
