Ms_Twana
New Member
Reading this just made me think of my blog entry on myspace. I just thought I would share it with you ladies. Mods, I wasn't sure if this should go in off topic or not. So if it belongs there, feel free to move it. 
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Blacks hair and self image
Current mood:
aggravated
This is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I am newly natural. I joined a hair board and started seeing different perspectives on hair. I have been relaxed most of my life. My mom pressed my hair when I was younger. When she couldn't handle pressing anymore, she got me a relaxer. So, that is what I continued just because. I had never even THOUGHT of letting my relaxer grow out. And when I did start thinking about it, I thought, "Oh, my hair is too nappy for that." I mean, come on. I had a relaxer all of my life. My mom relaxed my hair when I was a young girl. So my hair HAD to be nappy right?? WRONG!!! The fact of the matter was that my mom didn't know how to properly care for my hair. Hell, she's 54 now and she still can't care for her own hair.
So, I decided I would attempt to transition and see what was really under all this relaxed hair. And I was suprised to feel and see lots of coils. Who would have thought my hair could do that. I transitioned for about 5 1/2 months, then I just chopped it all off. And here is where the title of this blog comes in. (I know you were wondering when I was going to get to the point!! LOL)
First of all, when I told people I wanted to go natural, their first response was, "WHY?" Then, once I actually did it, I was "getting back to my roots." What the H#$& does that mean???? Why is it that women who go natural, or people who wear locs are seen as Afrocentric?? I mean, we wear our skin color, our wide noses, our large lips, our wide hips, and our large butts everyday. All of those are good enough to sport and be proud of. So, why is it that our hair is NOT good enough?? When are we as black people going to stop seeing the hair texture that GOD gave us, as "bad" and not good enough?? Or why is it that if you DO go natural, you have to have "good" hair?? Which there is NO such thing. People just have different textures, and different sized curls. (I just changed my opinion on this by the way.)
I mean, to each it's own, definitely. And if you chose to relax your hair, or press it every two weeks. That's your thing. But, my question to you is, what is your REAL reason for doing that?? Is it because it's easier to manage?? I hope not because natural hair is managable too. Is it because that's what society thinks we should do?? I hope not because society also thinks that a 5'3" female should weigh 120 lbs., and I know darn well that's not cute on me. Is it because that's just what you're used to doing?? That's what it was for me. Or is it that you're actually ashamed to show what God gave you because you are worried about what others will say??? And if that's the answer, you already know what my response is going to be to you!!! When straight haired white women get perms, it's because they just want something different. They want a new look. It's not because they don't want people to see their naturally straight hair. And for some reason, we do the opposite.
What I'm saying is, STOP BEING ASHAMED!!!! You're black everyone knows black people don't have STRAIGHT hair. And if you decide to continue to straighten your hair, just make sure it's for the right reasons. When I chose to color my hair, it was because I wanted something different. Not because I was ashamed of my hair color.
Well, I hope that I may have AT LEAST made some people think. I'm not saying I want every black women to go out and let their relaxer grow out. I just want us to stop thinking that European American traits are more appealing. We had tons of other generations of young black girls coming up after us. I just don't want them to have the same feelings as our ancestors that burned their heads with lye because the wanted their hair "straight like the white folks."
And if you haven't already, check out this article and video "A Girl Like Me." It's a real eye opener.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/620000062/post/1250004125.html
1:20 PM - 7 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Current mood:
This is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I am newly natural. I joined a hair board and started seeing different perspectives on hair. I have been relaxed most of my life. My mom pressed my hair when I was younger. When she couldn't handle pressing anymore, she got me a relaxer. So, that is what I continued just because. I had never even THOUGHT of letting my relaxer grow out. And when I did start thinking about it, I thought, "Oh, my hair is too nappy for that." I mean, come on. I had a relaxer all of my life. My mom relaxed my hair when I was a young girl. So my hair HAD to be nappy right?? WRONG!!! The fact of the matter was that my mom didn't know how to properly care for my hair. Hell, she's 54 now and she still can't care for her own hair.
So, I decided I would attempt to transition and see what was really under all this relaxed hair. And I was suprised to feel and see lots of coils. Who would have thought my hair could do that. I transitioned for about 5 1/2 months, then I just chopped it all off. And here is where the title of this blog comes in. (I know you were wondering when I was going to get to the point!! LOL)
First of all, when I told people I wanted to go natural, their first response was, "WHY?" Then, once I actually did it, I was "getting back to my roots." What the H#$& does that mean???? Why is it that women who go natural, or people who wear locs are seen as Afrocentric?? I mean, we wear our skin color, our wide noses, our large lips, our wide hips, and our large butts everyday. All of those are good enough to sport and be proud of. So, why is it that our hair is NOT good enough?? When are we as black people going to stop seeing the hair texture that GOD gave us, as "bad" and not good enough?? Or why is it that if you DO go natural, you have to have "good" hair?? Which there is NO such thing. People just have different textures, and different sized curls. (I just changed my opinion on this by the way.)
I mean, to each it's own, definitely. And if you chose to relax your hair, or press it every two weeks. That's your thing. But, my question to you is, what is your REAL reason for doing that?? Is it because it's easier to manage?? I hope not because natural hair is managable too. Is it because that's what society thinks we should do?? I hope not because society also thinks that a 5'3" female should weigh 120 lbs., and I know darn well that's not cute on me. Is it because that's just what you're used to doing?? That's what it was for me. Or is it that you're actually ashamed to show what God gave you because you are worried about what others will say??? And if that's the answer, you already know what my response is going to be to you!!! When straight haired white women get perms, it's because they just want something different. They want a new look. It's not because they don't want people to see their naturally straight hair. And for some reason, we do the opposite.
What I'm saying is, STOP BEING ASHAMED!!!! You're black everyone knows black people don't have STRAIGHT hair. And if you decide to continue to straighten your hair, just make sure it's for the right reasons. When I chose to color my hair, it was because I wanted something different. Not because I was ashamed of my hair color.
Well, I hope that I may have AT LEAST made some people think. I'm not saying I want every black women to go out and let their relaxer grow out. I just want us to stop thinking that European American traits are more appealing. We had tons of other generations of young black girls coming up after us. I just don't want them to have the same feelings as our ancestors that burned their heads with lye because the wanted their hair "straight like the white folks."
And if you haven't already, check out this article and video "A Girl Like Me." It's a real eye opener.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/620000062/post/1250004125.html
1:20 PM - 7 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
to those with relaxed hair. But seriously, I've been natural for about 11 years and it ain't that serious for me. Healthy Black hair takes effort period. The "nappier than thou" attitude shows up as a defense mechanism because just about everybody around you calling a part of your being undesirable. Straightening one's hair isn't nessarily about self hatred (shoot, I did it last week just because) but a lot of the time it is. Ok, done rambling now.
That's so sad. Take care of what you got.
