CurlyNikki Responds

[girlcherokee]

The more disturbing part is that WE don't feel the right to be hurt and angry at having been enslaved, denigrated, beat up, institutionally held back and down and told we are ugly - we have to act and feel politically correct. I repeat what I said earlier - people are people but we have a right to feel our pain - and we have a right to have space and time to heal it.
I'm not apologizing for saying ouch. OUCH. now go home and leave us to our natural hair community.

 

[CurlyBuu]

I wasn't a huge fan of curlynikki but she was one of the first sites I went to for natural hair advice after my big chop.

I vouched for her when she sold her company and she was feeling the heat from that. Angers me that this is how she wants to go out.

On the plus side though, this debate has really "cleaned house" for me. Watching Taren Guy and Sunkiss jump in and cape for this girl has made me hop off both their fences.

Some said it wasn't a curious thing for them to do because if white women did get welcomed into the movement that they (and other popular light skinned/loose curls gurus) will be the new mouth piece on natural hair.

Just pisses me off that Taren took the opposite side when the texture discrimination video was posted. She said that if kinky hair chicks want to see more dark skinned ladies with right curls, we need to create that. Like that wasn't the goal from the beginning *eyeroll*

Now here we are defending the little space we have and shame on us for not making more room for white women. Miss me with that

 

[koolkittychick]

I just read this thread from beginning to end, and I don't have much to add to it except to say that:

1. I am so glad I never was a fan of Curly Nikki, the person or the site, since I always felt she was more interested on chasing a dollar, even if it meant climbing into Massah's lap to get it.
2. I am saddened to see so many Black women, especially on CN, who seem to feel that the natural hair movement only has legitimacy when White people want to Colombus it. :-\
3. Once again, Felicity gets a pass because too many of us (including Nikki) are more interested in being catty amongst ourselves than spent the time and effort to call her on her trolling BS, like that one smart woman did.

I am just glad we are now taking a stand and not letting this Colombusing happen here, lest we follow in the footsteps of the following examples:

Face of Rock 'n' Roll: Elvis Presley
Face of Rap: Macklemore/Iggy Azealea
Face of Cornrow hairstyle: Bo Derek/Kylie Jenner
Face of Twerking: Miley Cyrus

and now,

Face of Natural Hair Movement: Sarah/Felicity?!?
Bye Felicity, Bye!

 

[Amarilles]

I think the problem with exclusivity is that black Americans end up shutting out black non-Americans for not quite understanding. Black people elsewhere don't always feel that exclusivity is needed because they may already be included in their society...and do not understand the deep-rooted issues in the US. Some black peoples (non-Americans) take little to no reservations with white people, all because of inclusion. For example in France, black people are French and white people are French, the term "African French" does not exist. Inclusion always lessens a divide. I'm a black Hispanic, grew up in the states, lived in Montreal and now in Paris...as per my personal experience with black people in these different places, the black and white divide has struck the US the worst. Our black Americans struggle the most as far as acceptance, our white Americans are the most clueless to that struggle.

And so, I'm torn. I wish we could include white American women's struggles (whatever they may be) but then reading their comments anger me. White Americans really have the most catching up to do, in my opinion.

I've officially unsubscribed from both Nikki and Sarah. Both handled this so poorly, Sarah with her clueless remarks and Nikki with her "6000 clicks. 20 minutes” Twitter BS. Both with their agendas. Such a shame. I'm so disappointed in these two, they could've handled this so much better.

 

[rawsilk]

Haven't read through everything but, y'all know I had to chime in on this one. Yes, it's good to be inclusive and "we are the world," kumbiya (sp), etc. And I certainly am NOT a believer in making any assumptions about anyone based solely on race/appearance -- I have had many white/non-Black people treat me and my family with love, grace, respect and conversely, had just as many Black people act like complete idiots, on the job, at the store, yada yada. That said, I just wanna know: what the he!! happened to Black Pride? Did "they" (whoever "they" is) guilt it out of us?

Back in the 70s (yeah, I'm a lady of a certain age and I still look good, thank-you), I remember as a little girl all of the products, styles, expressions, hand-shakes, dances, foods, shows, music that were uniquely and unapologetically BLACK. Black was beautiful and we were saying it loud and proud. (James sang the song but Smokey wrote a poem all 'bout it -- check it out.) Indeed, some of my earliest memories were of holding my ears and the scent of UltraSheen Cream Satin Press (still love that smell) as we watched Don Cornelius and alllllll those fros bobin' up and down on Sooooooooul Train every other Saturday AM. My family was one of the first to integrate into our corner of the burbs (to my great dismay) and I cherished and extolled anything Afro-Sheen related and any/all things red-black-and-green with a fist silhouette or a fro or that smelled like incense and the record store.

Even as the only Black girl in my day-camp troop, when I handed my matching lucite brush and comb to the White camp counselor after a day in the pool and waited for her to make my hair pretty as she had done for the little White campers, I didn't get mad when she threw up her hands in exasperation and said (so all could hear), "I don't know what to do with this." It was the "this" that got me. Referring to my beautiful, thick, tightly coiled hair that did not like the chlorine she said "this" with such disgust and disdain -- I remember the look on the other girls' faces as I got up, put my little brush set back in my bag and went home with my hair still looking a mess. (That and the second grade teacher who told me that the White Barbie was "just betterrrr" (you know the tone) than the Black one because of the hair left an indelible impression -- not about me and my hair mind you (fortunately home gave me enough pride to combat that) but about others and the way that others view our hair. This ish is highly personally to Black Women y'all -- recognize.

We were all too happy to pump our fist and embrace all that was and is uniquely "ours." Now ... this did NOT mean that we didn't invite others in to share/witness. (Don't we always?) Quite the contrary. But the difference between then and now is that we didn't make any apologies for wanting to call it our own. If you ask me, that's what made it so attractive to everyone else.

I remember the first hints of this Black guilt 'ish in high school when the group of us Black kids who were college bound enjoyed sitting together in the lunch room. We would go back to our AP classes where we were the "onlies" and the distinguished clubs where we were the "firsts" but at fifth period, we were convening at the Black lunch table and EN-JOY-ING it and each other's company. Everyone at the table wasn't necessarily college bound but they were positive and we shared useful, low-stress info like ... there was a new "Soul-Scissors" coming to town and the girl at the last booth was the only one who knew how to do a good asymmetrical cut. We also played Uno and talked about Black Colleges that we had visited (without having to explain "why") -- which sororities we wanted to pledge, which frats had the cutest guys, whose homecoming/band was the best, etc. and do you know what? Some of the folks who weren't college bound, got sort of interested because they felt comfortable and un-judged asking/sharing ... at the Black lunch table during 5th period. We would go back to our classes/friends/interests of different backgrounds and know that the next day, we would again convene to, e.g., compare lyrics from the latest rap song hand-scribbled in pencil on a loose-leaf piece of paper. (They didn't play rap on the radio back then y'all so it was strictly underground and sort of insular.)

At some point right before the end of my junior year, some of the "enlightened" (mentally, not skin color) started passing along "concerns" from the majority students that they didn't understand why we didn't want to sit with them and they wondered what they could do to be more "all-inclusive."

In hindsight, the answer should have probably been "leave us be; we don't have a problem with you all, we just need a little US time." If that had been our response on a larger scale, our Black business communities would not have been completely decimated by integration and Blacks wouldn't be topping the unemployment rates - over and above anybody. And I know that this is a touchy subject, you have to ask, if we had continued to embrace our "us-ness," would there really be some high schools now a days where you literally never see a Black boy with a Black girlfriend? Love who you want but the phenom has GOT to give you pause.

So I say all this to say, that OU-R hair (and I have enough education/credentials to be able to pronounce "our" with two syllables when I feel like it) is OU-R thing. True, some of it looks like other peoples' and if, like the lady in Walgreens with an adopted Ethiopian baby, you ask me about Bronner Brothers grease versus Sufur8, I will gladly share that information. But please (please) know that you are stepping on hallowed ground -- OU-R hair is our Crowning Glory and I don't care if it plasters our forehead in the rain because of late-night or cross-town tipping or stands up like steel freakin' wool in the face of homemade lye, it is OU-R's!!!!! And after all of the ish that we have endured (yup, I'm talkin' bout rejection from some of our own) because of it, we have earned the right to include or exclude whomever we want in the discussion.

Look-a-here: we are and have been defining this ish as we have defined culture since the beginning of time. We gave birth to civilization so, please (please), give us our props, a "cold glass of water" (in memory of Sister Maya) and just step back. We have survived because we have places of respite and refuge where we can do "US" -- in the church, at the lunch table, and now, on the hair boards. (Wasn't it enough that we nurtured and actually nursed future slave masters when common sense and a bit of hemlock might have suggested otherwise?) Dang.

Aren't other cultures proud of their special sauces, chicken dishes, music, beauty regimes? No matter how long they have been here, they always refer to the special thing/ritual from "their country." True they sometimes share info, but so do we. The difference is that everyone always expects us to give up our "us-ness." I ain't doing it. How 'bout that? I don't care how curly kinky nappy your hair is, if you haven't shared my cultural experience, I still want the right/ability to converse with those who do -- without guilt or apology. And guess what, when you start to water down the "us-ness," you loose me.

Now, with hand on hip, neck going, finger waging and 40 plus years of building/embracing/enhancing/supporting stuff and watching others step in and claim it as their own I say, "leave it alone." You are welcomed to be sure; but know that in the context of discussing Black Hair (no matter the curve, kink or lack thereof) you are a guest.

 

[koolkittychick]

rawsilk, PREACH!!!!! *stands and slow claps*

 

[girlcherokee]

rawsilk. Stands with excitement and claps! You said it! No apologies.

 

[havilland]

After what rawsilk said. This thread can officially be silenced. She said it all. And then some.

Pass the plate please....the ushers will be coming around for your donations.

The Church is ready for the benediction!

AMEN AMEN AMEN.

 

[rawsilk]

LOL -- y'all are silly. Thank you for positive comments -- felt good to let that out and exhale.

After what rawsilk said. This thread can officially be silenced. She said it all. And then some.

Pass the plate please....the ushers will be coming around for your donations.

The Church is ready for the benediction!

AMEN AMEN AMEN.

 

[cocosweet]

rawsilk,

 

[cami88]

If it comes out that white folks own Nappturality I will be #deadandburied.

Sent from my galaxy s4 using LHCF

 

[havilland]

If it comes out that white folks own Nappturality I will be #deadandburied. Sent from my galaxy s4 using LHCF

Nah. Turns out nappturality knew what they were doing all along. I used to be turned off by how you had to be "referred" by someone and how you couldn't even mention straight hair on their site. Turns out they knew what was up all along.

And don't get it twisted. There is a long hair care site for WW that we can't join either. You have to know a secret code in order to add your profile. THEY know what's up too.

I really can't say anymore on this topic. This whole thing has me feeling some kind of way.....rawsilk covered it best. She came with the big momma knowledge. We need to respect and learn.

 

[KidneyBean86]

Haven't read through everything but, y'all know I had to chime in on this one. Yes, it's good to be inclusive and "we are the world," kumbiya (sp), etc. And I certainly am NOT a believer in making any assumptions about anyone based solely on race/appearance -- I have had many white/non-Black people treat me and my family with love, grace, respect and conversely, had just as many Black people act like complete idiots, on the job, at the store, yada yada. That said, I just wanna know: what the he!! happened to Black Pride? Did "they" (whoever "they" is) guilt it out of us?

Back in the 70s (yeah, I'm a lady of a certain age and I still look good, thank-you), I remember as a little girl all of the products, styles, expressions, hand-shakes, dances, foods, shows, music that were uniquely and unapologetically BLACK. Black was beautiful and we were saying it loud and proud. (James sang the song but Smokey wrote a poem all 'bout it -- check it out.) Indeed, some of my earliest memories were of holding my ears and the scent of UltraSheen Cream Satin Press (still love that smell) as we watched Don Cornelius and alllllll those fros bobin' up and down on Sooooooooul Train every other Saturday AM. My family was one of the first to integrate into our corner of the burbs (to my great dismay) and I cherished and extolled anything Afro-Sheen related and any/all things red-black-and-green with a fist silhouette or a fro or that smelled like incense and the record store.

Even as the only Black girl in my day-camp troop, when I handed my matching lucite brush and comb to the White camp counselor after a day in the pool and waited for her to make my hair pretty as she had done for the little White campers, I didn't get mad when she threw up her hands in exasperation and said (so all could hear), "I don't know what to do with this." It was the "this" that got me. Referring to my beautiful, thick, tightly coiled hair that did not like the chlorine she said "this" with such disgust and disdain -- I remember the look on the other girls' faces as I got up, put my little brush set back in my bag and went home with my hair still looking a mess. (That and the second grade teacher who told me that the White Barbie was "just betterrrr" (you know the tone) than the Black one because of the hair left an indelible impression -- not about me and my hair mind you (fortunately home gave me enough pride to combat that) but about others and the way that others view our hair. This ish is highly personally to Black Women y'all -- recognize.

We were all too happy to pump our fist and embrace all that was and is uniquely "ours." Now ... this did NOT mean that we didn't invite others in to share/witness. (Don't we always?) Quite the contrary. But the difference between then and now is that we didn't make any apologies for wanting to call it our own. If you ask me, that's what made it so attractive to everyone else.

I remember the first hints of this Black guilt 'ish in high school when the group of us Black kids who were college bound enjoyed sitting together in the lunch room. We would go back to our AP classes where we were the "onlies" and the distinguished clubs where we were the "firsts" but at fifth period, we were convening at the Black lunch table and EN-JOY-ING it and each other's company. Everyone at the table wasn't necessarily college bound but they were positive and we shared useful, low-stress info like ... there was a new "Soul-Scissors" coming to town and the girl at the last booth was the only one who knew how to do a good asymmetrical cut. We also played Uno and talked about Black Colleges that we had visited (without having to explain "why") -- which sororities we wanted to pledge, which frats had the cutest guys, whose homecoming/band was the best, etc. and do you know what? Some of the folks who weren't college bound, got sort of interested because they felt comfortable and un-judged asking/sharing ... at the Black lunch table during 5th period. We would go back to our classes/friends/interests of different backgrounds and know that the next day, we would again convene to, e.g., compare lyrics from the latest rap song hand-scribbled in pencil on a loose-leaf piece of paper. (They didn't play rap on the radio back then y'all so it was strictly underground and sort of insular.)

At some point right before the end of my junior year, some of the "enlightened" (mentally, not skin color) started passing along "concerns" from the majority students that they didn't understand why we didn't want to sit with them and they wondered what they could do to be more "all-inclusive."

In hindsight, the answer should have probably been "leave us be; we don't have a problem with you all, we just need a little US time." If that had been our response on a larger scale, our Black business communities would not have been completely decimated by integration and Blacks wouldn't be topping the unemployment rates - over and above anybody. And I know that this is a touchy subject, you have to ask, if we had continued to embrace our "us-ness," would there really be some high schools now a days where you literally never see a Black boy with a Black girlfriend? Love who you want but the phenom has GOT to give you pause.

So I say all this to say, that OU-R hair (and I have enough education/credentials to be able to pronounce "our" with two syllables when I feel like it) is OU-R thing. True, some of it looks like other peoples' and if, like the lady in Walgreens with an adopted Ethiopian baby, you ask me about Bronner Brothers grease versus Sufur8, I will gladly share that information. But please (please) know that you are stepping on hallowed ground -- OU-R hair is our Crowning Glory and I don't care if it plasters our forehead in the rain because of late-night or cross-town tipping or stands up like steel freakin' wool in the face of homemade lye, it is OU-R's!!!!! And after all of the ish that we have endured (yup, I'm talkin' bout rejection from some of our own) because of it, we have earned the right to include or exclude whomever we want in the discussion.

Look-a-here: we are and have been defining this ish as we have defined culture since the beginning of time. We gave birth to civilization so, please (please), give us our props, a "cold glass of water" (in memory of Sister Maya) and just step back. We have survived because we have places of respite and refuge where we can do "US" -- in the church, at the lunch table, and now, on the hair boards. (Wasn't it enough that we nurtured and actually nursed future slave masters when common sense and a bit of hemlock might have suggested otherwise?) Dang.

Aren't other cultures proud of their special sauces, chicken dishes, music, beauty regimes? No matter how long they have been here, they always refer to the special thing/ritual from "their country." True they sometimes share info, but so do we. The difference is that everyone always expects us to give up our "us-ness." I ain't doing it. How 'bout that? I don't care how curly kinky nappy your hair is, if you haven't shared my cultural experience, I still want the right/ability to converse with those who do -- without guilt or apology. And guess what, when you start to water down the "us-ness," you loose me.

Now, with hand on hip, neck going, finger waging and 40 plus years of building/embracing/enhancing/supporting stuff and watching others step in and claim it as their own I say, "leave it alone." You are welcomed to be sure; but know that in the context of discussing Black Hair (no matter the curve, kink or lack thereof) you are a guest.

Let the church say AMEN! This post said it all.

 

[curlytwirly06]

You just SHUT IT DOWN! Do You mind if I share your response on other boards? Obviously stating it is not my reply and giving you props for your words.

 

[sunnieb]

rawsilk - Girrrllll you betta shut yo mouth with all that sense outta this NONsense!

You took me back to the 70s too! My momma made hair miracles using grease, a bowl of water and a goody brush. It was OK to be black and proud of it. White folk left us alone with our stuff and we were fine.

 

[Froreal3]

I think the problem with exclusivity is that black Americans end up shutting out black non-Americans for not quite understanding. Black people elsewhere don't always feel that exclusivity is needed because they may already be included in their society...and do not understand the deep-rooted issues in the US.

Amarilles I feel what you're saying. However, I believe that what we have experienced with natural hair transcends national borders and reaches black women/people across the diaspora. I want to clarify that this is not about American blacks vs. blacks of other nationalities.

 

[Froreal3]

Haven't read through everything but, y'all know I had to chime in on this one. Yes, it's good to be inclusive and "we are the world," kumbiya (sp), etc. And I certainly am NOT a believer in making any assumptions about anyone based solely on race/appearance -- I have had many white/non-Black people treat me and my family with love, grace, respect and conversely, had just as many Black people act like complete idiots, on the job, at the store, yada yada. That said, I just wanna know: what the he!! happened to Black Pride? Did "they" (whoever "they" is) guilt it out of us?

Back in the 70s (yeah, I'm a lady of a certain age and I still look good, thank-you), I remember as a little girl all of the products, styles, expressions, hand-shakes, dances, foods, shows, music that were uniquely and unapologetically BLACK. Black was beautiful and we were saying it loud and proud. (James sang the song but Smokey wrote a poem all 'bout it -- check it out.) Indeed, some of my earliest memories were of holding my ears and the scent of UltraSheen Cream Satin Press (still love that smell) as we watched Don Cornelius and alllllll those fros bobin' up and down on Sooooooooul Train every other Saturday AM. My family was one of the first to integrate into our corner of the burbs (to my great dismay) and I cherished and extolled anything Afro-Sheen related and any/all things red-black-and-green with a fist silhouette or a fro or that smelled like incense and the record store.

Even as the only Black girl in my day-camp troop, when I handed my matching lucite brush and comb to the White camp counselor after a day in the pool and waited for her to make my hair pretty as she had done for the little White campers, I didn't get mad when she threw up her hands in exasperation and said (so all could hear), "I don't know what to do with this." It was the "this" that got me. Referring to my beautiful, thick, tightly coiled hair that did not like the chlorine she said "this" with such disgust and disdain -- I remember the look on the other girls' faces as I got up, put my little brush set back in my bag and went home with my hair still looking a mess. (That and the second grade teacher who told me that the White Barbie was "just betterrrr" (you know the tone) than the Black one because of the hair left an indelible impression -- not about me and my hair mind you (fortunately home gave me enough pride to combat that) but about others and the way that others view our hair. This ish is highly personally to Black Women y'all -- recognize.

We were all too happy to pump our fist and embrace all that was and is uniquely "ours." Now ... this did NOT mean that we didn't invite others in to share/witness. (Don't we always?) Quite the contrary. But the difference between then and now is that we didn't make any apologies for wanting to call it our own. If you ask me, that's what made it so attractive to everyone else.

I remember the first hints of this Black guilt 'ish in high school when the group of us Black kids who were college bound enjoyed sitting together in the lunch room. We would go back to our AP classes where we were the "onlies" and the distinguished clubs where we were the "firsts" but at fifth period, we were convening at the Black lunch table and EN-JOY-ING it and each other's company. Everyone at the table wasn't necessarily college bound but they were positive and we shared useful, low-stress info like ... there was a new "Soul-Scissors" coming to town and the girl at the last booth was the only one who knew how to do a good asymmetrical cut. We also played Uno and talked about Black Colleges that we had visited (without having to explain "why") -- which sororities we wanted to pledge, which frats had the cutest guys, whose homecoming/band was the best, etc. and do you know what? Some of the folks who weren't college bound, got sort of interested because they felt comfortable and un-judged asking/sharing ... at the Black lunch table during 5th period. We would go back to our classes/friends/interests of different backgrounds and know that the next day, we would again convene to, e.g., compare lyrics from the latest rap song hand-scribbled in pencil on a loose-leaf piece of paper. (They didn't play rap on the radio back then y'all so it was strictly underground and sort of insular.)

At some point right before the end of my junior year, some of the "enlightened" (mentally, not skin color) started passing along "concerns" from the majority students that they didn't understand why we didn't want to sit with them and they wondered what they could do to be more "all-inclusive."

In hindsight, the answer should have probably been "leave us be; we don't have a problem with you all, we just need a little US time." If that had been our response on a larger scale, our Black business communities would not have been completely decimated by integration and Blacks wouldn't be topping the unemployment rates - over and above anybody. And I know that this is a touchy subject, you have to ask, if we had continued to embrace our "us-ness," would there really be some high schools now a days where you literally never see a Black boy with a Black girlfriend? Love who you want but the phenom has GOT to give you pause.

So I say all this to say, that OU-R hair (and I have enough education/credentials to be able to pronounce "our" with two syllables when I feel like it) is OU-R thing. True, some of it looks like other peoples' and if, like the lady in Walgreens with an adopted Ethiopian baby, you ask me about Bronner Brothers grease versus Sufur8, I will gladly share that information. But please (please) know that you are stepping on hallowed ground -- OU-R hair is our Crowning Glory and I don't care if it plasters our forehead in the rain because of late-night or cross-town tipping or stands up like steel freakin' wool in the face of homemade lye, it is OU-R's!!!!! And after all of the ish that we have endured (yup, I'm talkin' bout rejection from some of our own) because of it, we have earned the right to include or exclude whomever we want in the discussion.

Look-a-here: we are and have been defining this ish as we have defined culture since the beginning of time. We gave birth to civilization so, please (please), give us our props, a "cold glass of water" (in memory of Sister Maya) and just step back. We have survived because we have places of respite and refuge where we can do "US" -- in the church, at the lunch table, and now, on the hair boards. (Wasn't it enough that we nurtured and actually nursed future slave masters when common sense and a bit of hemlock might have suggested otherwise?) Dang.

Aren't other cultures proud of their special sauces, chicken dishes, music, beauty regimes? No matter how long they have been here, they always refer to the special thing/ritual from "their country." True they sometimes share info, but so do we. The difference is that everyone always expects us to give up our "us-ness." I ain't doing it. How 'bout that? I don't care how curly kinky nappy your hair is, if you haven't shared my cultural experience, I still want the right/ability to converse with those who do -- without guilt or apology. And guess what, when you start to water down the "us-ness," you loose me.

Now, with hand on hip, neck going, finger waging and 40 plus years of building/embracing/enhancing/supporting stuff and watching others step in and claim it as their own I say, "leave it alone." You are welcomed to be sure; but know that in the context of discussing Black Hair (no matter the curve, kink or lack thereof) you are a guest.

That lunch room thing was real for me too! They even wrote a book about it.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Wow what a mess.

I didn't read the article about the the white girl but those tweets someone posted up thread says a lot.

I don't know how to properly word what I want to say, so I'll just be quiet. I'm happy to see such a passionate response though.

 

[Divine.]

I was at the store today and I couldn't help but gush over the cashier's natural hair from the line. When it was my turn to check out, she exclaimed "I love your hair!" I responded in kind, then she said "It must be a natural hair thing. There's always a connection when we get together!"

Her saying that is really at the heart of what the natural hair community is all about. Immediately identifying with women who have undergone the same obstacles to embracing not only their hair, but the skin they're in too. How many times have you met a fellow natural at the store and within a few seconds, you guys are engaging in great conversation? There's something about that immediate connection that others will never be able to fully understand.

 

[Ogoma]

Which Paris is this one? Because it ain't the one in France. Just had a chat with a black guy that just moved from Paris and a white friend of mine that have lived in Paris for a long time. If black people want any chance of a career in finance, they need to move to London because they have barely a chance. They were recounting the deep institutional racism that works to keep black and brown people as second class citizens and how they use not collecting stats on race to cover up the extent of the racism.

How anyone can claim there are no issues with racism in France with all the recent race related issues going on over there is mind-boggling. Do you guys know this is not 1889. You can't lie to me.

I think the problem with exclusivity is that black Americans end up shutting out black non-Americans for not quite understanding. Black people elsewhere don't always feel that exclusivity is needed because they may already be included in their society...and do not understand the deep-rooted issues in the US. Some black peoples (non-Americans) take little to no reservations with white people, all because of inclusion. For example in France, black people are French and white people are French, the term "African French" does not exist. Inclusion always lessens a divide. I'm a black Hispanic, grew up in the states, lived in Montreal and now in Paris...as per my personal experience with black people in these different places, the black and white divide has struck the US the worst. Our black Americans struggle the most as far as acceptance, our white Americans are the most clueless to that struggle.

And so, I'm torn. I wish we could include white American women's struggles (whatever they may be) but then reading their comments anger me. White Americans really have the most catching up to do, in my opinion.

I've officially unsubscribed from both Nikki and Sarah. Both handled this so poorly, Sarah with her clueless remarks and Nikki with her "6000 clicks. 20 minutes” Twitter BS. Both with their agendas. Such a shame. I'm so disappointed in these two, they could've handled this so much better.

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

Nah. Turns out nappturality knew what they were doing all along. I used to be turned off by how you had to be "referred" by someone and how you couldn't even mention straight hair on their site. Turns out they knew what was up all along.

And don't get it twisted. There is a long hair care site for WW that we can't join either. You have to know a secret code in order to add your profile. THEY know what's up too.

I really can't say anymore on this topic. This whole thing has me feeling some kind of way.....rawsilk covered it best. She came with the big momma knowledge. We need to respect and learn.

Really? I so did not know that. Wow.

 

[CocoGlow]

rawsilk

Your response should be featured & widely publicized all over social media .... what a great writer! I felt like I was right there during 5th period with you at the lunch table LOL ... you articulated what needs to be said so well .... and it was not offensive, just real and from the heart!

A lot of you ladies have explained it so well

 

[DoDo]

If it comes out that white folks own Nappturality I will be #deadandburied.

Sent from my galaxy s4 using LHCF

They will have to pry that site from Deecoily's cold dead hands.

Deecoily = #Neverscared

 

[havilland]

Really? I so did not know that. Wow.

Yep. I wish I could remember the name. I found it early in my journey. SMH

 

[marta9227]

And don't get it twisted. There is a long hair care site for WW that we can't join either. You have to know a secret code in order to add your profile. THEY know what's up too.

This is so true which is why I'm so perplexed. They have their own sites, we have ours. Reason being we have different hair with different hair needs! Why the girl wanted to be on the site and why they had her on makes no sense- unless everyone comes clean and admits the whole thing was a publicity stunt.

 

[CocoGlow]

At this point I feel as if there is nothing left to debate....

If a person can honestly read all the backlash and still not understand .... and still want to assert their agenda, then they are willfully ignoring the feelings of the majority within this movement which is extremely disrespectful!

You don't have to "get it" ... you don't have to agree .... but you are not going to bully or guilt trip your way into this.

I mean the audacity!!

I could never bogart my way into some other movement that has nothing to do with me ... and even if I did out of ignorance & then got told about myself by those within it, I would have the humility to recognize my mistake, try to understand where they are coming from and gracefully make my exit ... but then again, I don't have issues with entitlement and inserting myself into other people's affairs ....

 

[Amarilles]

Which Paris is this one? Because it ain't the one in France. Just had a chat with a black guy that just moved from Paris and a white friend of mine that have lived in Paris for a long time. If black people want any chance of a career in finance, they need to move to London because they have barely a chance. They were recounting the deep institutional racism that works to keep black and brown people as second class citizens and how they use not collecting stats on race to cover up the extent of the racism.

How anyone can claim there are no issues with racism in France with all the recent race related issues going on over there is mind-boggling. Do you guys know this is not 1889. You can't lie to me.

Ogoma erplexed do not get confused, because I did not say that racism was a non issue. I said the divide is less. In Paris (uh, the one in France?) I have personally seen black and white older ladies being the best of friends. I've ran across many "odd" racial pairings that I've noted and remembered...because I just never saw friendship pairings like those at home.

The Minister of Justice has been compared to monkey by those of the right, which sparked an outcry and outrage, but it happened and does happen. She's a black woman that always wears her hair in cornrows. And is not fashionable, and doesn't have a particularly desirable shape. And she's accepted by most as is, despite her hair and style not conforming to the European standards of beauty.

At no point did I imply or say that there was zero racism? Your friends should've also mentioned that those who are of the right (and far right) have issues with everyone that is not French "de souche" meaning pure, or native born. It really is not about being black per se (maybe moreso about being Arab as they are usually at the receiving end of all injustices). It's about not being 100% French.

Sorry for the off topic

 

[Saludable84]

rawsilk - Girrrllll you betta shut yo mouth with all that sense outta this NONsense! You took me back to the 70s too! My momma made hair miracles using grease, a bowl of water and a goody brush. It was OK to be black and proud of it. White folk left us alone with our stuff and we were fine.

Back then we weren't to be feared, just oppressed. Today not so much. We were shunned, so we took ourselves back and now people wanna hang out with the cool kids.

I said it once, I'll say it again: Black is the new cool!

 

[DoDo]

Back then we weren't to be feared, just oppressed. Today not so much. We were shunned, so we took ourselves back and now people wanna hang out with the cool kids.

I said it once, I'll say it again: Black is the new cool!

:reddancer:

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

I was on naturally curly and this WW said that curlynikki was never for black woman, just dominated by them. She said black women are narrow minded to think WW could not understand the struggle. She said she understood because she had in fact seen Roots.

Thats when I left. Also Sarah keeps popping in and out of the forums directing people to her site if they are interested in the 411. She is cashing in on this.