dont you get tired of explaining our hair to ppl

[AfroKink]

I do get tired of explaining my hair to people, so I stopped.


I was wearing my hair in a twist out. A white friend of mine asked how I got my hair like that. Like they don't do the twist-then untwist to get a curly/crimpy look. I looked her straight in the eyes, smiled and said "I sprinkled magic pixie dust on it, and just poof! it goes like this," and I changed the topic.

Or when I put in twist extensions and people ask me how my hair grew so fast, I say "it's because I'm special," then I smile and change the subject.

Lys

 

[Whimsy]

not really. i usually ask them questions back and act just as ignorant, just so they can see what it's like. i'm such a bad person...

LOL

why is it so limp?
why doesn't it curl?
do u wash it everyday?
why does it just hang there?
why is it so yellow?
what do u put in it?
why do u put that in it?
does it hurt when I pull it?

 

[Whimsy]

I do get tired of explaining my hair to people, so I stopped.


I was wearing my hair in a twist out. A white friend of mine asked how I got my hair like that. Like they don't do the twist-then untwist to get a curly/crimpy look. I looked her straight in the eyes, smiled and said "I sprinkled magic pixie dust on it, and just poof! it goes like this," and I changed the topic.

Or when I put in twist extensions and people ask me how my hair grew so fast, I say "it's because I'm special," then I smile and change the subject.

Lys

You are SO bad!! hahahahhaa love it.

 

[_belle]

lol, or "why does your hair look like the fur of a wet dog?"

lookin like that is the least of the issues. . . ask them why they wash it everyday and it STILL stinks, and why they are always shedding and not cleanin up after themselves. lol

 

[_belle]

LOL

why is it so limp?
why doesn't it curl?
do u wash it everyday?
why does it just hang there?
why is it so yellow?
what do u put in it?
why do u put that in it?
does it hurt when I pull it?

why do you pay so much to get it colored/highlighted/trimmed/cut. . . and it still looks the same?
why do you think u have good hair but it doesn't do anything?
why are you only styles a messy bun, a ponytail, and then down (for the club look)?
why it is LONG but so gosh darn stringy? yeah your pony is to your hindparts but it is like 7 strands. . . POO!

 

[nappity]

As long as people ask out of sincerity- I'll respond. It doesn't bother me cause i truly believe in each one teach one. I asked alot of questions to naturals when i first became fully natural. I feel that with their help and input I have very healthy lush hair.
I also don't share my regimen unless its asked of me- that way I don't have to explain why I tie my hair up and why its in a bun.
What sickens me though- is when people post craziness on the board about curses on the children of Ham and why cant we have the ease with our hair that other races do and good hair vs. bad hair that annoys me to my core. I am so over those questions and statements.

 

[Whimsy]

why do you pay so much to get it colored/highlighted/trimmed/cut. . . and it still looks the same?
why do you think u have good hair but it doesn't do anything?
why are you only styles a messy bun, a ponytail, and then down (for the club look)?
why it is LONG but so gosh darn stringy? yeah your pony is to your hindparts but it is like 7 strands. . . POO!

HINDPARTS!!!!!!

 

[JustKiya]

I LOVE explaining my hair to other people - love it! It's simple, free, and educational - and once you explain it to someone, that someone can then correct another's misconceptions, and so forth and so on - I figure with each person I'm explaining my hair to, I'm actually explaining my hair to their whole family, friends, etc.

I mean, seriously, if we don't answer the questions, and act like it's some big deal, how will those 'others' ever learn the TRUTH about AA hair? If we don't bother, and instead respond with sarcasm or rudeness, it's just going to continue the cycle of people 'believing' utter untruths about our hair.

If you aren't willing to explain your hair, don't be suprised when people continue to make ignorant assumptions about it either.

 

[tadeja]

I generally don't mind the questions and comments, it's usually my co-workers and they're just curious. I would much rather they ask, then assume something silly.

My favorites:
When I would get extensions. "Wow I didn't know your hair was so long.", "Can you wash it?"
When I removed the extensions. "My, you cut your hair."
When I was locked "How long did it take to get your hair braided?"
When I was cornrowed "Wow, can I touch it?" (That one will get you the look of death, even on my friendliest days.)

So long as they're sincere, I don't mind the questions.

 

[Barbara]

African American hair is NOT to fragile to be washed everyday after all we have seen countless women on these boards with long beautiful hair doing just this everyday. If one more person tells me not to wash my hair everyday or as frequently....evil: and the sad truth is it is mostly my own people that have given me the most ignorant comments. .

I know a woman who comes into the salon in the afternoon to get her hair done; then she will wash it later on that night. My stylist says: It’s in very good condition, though, plus she washes it several times a week.” Why she does this? I don’t know, but her hair isn't long at all.

 

[Miss*Tress]

As long as people ask out of sincerity- I'll respond. It doesn't bother me cause i truly believe in each one teach one. I asked alot of questions to naturals when i first became fully natural. I feel that with their help and input I have very healthy lush hair.
I also don't share my regimen unless its asked of me- that way I don't have to explain why I tie my hair up and why its in a bun.
What sickens me though- is when people post craziness on the board about curses on the children of Ham and why cant we have the ease with our hair that other races do and good hair vs. bad hair that annoys me to my core. I am so over those questions and statements.

Those posts upset me to no end.

 

[jasmin]

not really. i usually ask them questions back and act just as ignorant, just so they can see what it's like. i'm such a bad person...

I would go that route. People are annoying with the things they ask people and I've given up on trying to school people.

 

[bravenewgirl87]

I get tired of explaining hair to people, in general. Nothing makes me more mad than a non-black person with a head of hideous hair. I have to sit in class and look at this asian girl's head. I just want to chop about 8-inches of damage off. Some white girls, I want to shampoo, clarify and deep condition their hair until it looks like a star. I don't know why people bother to take baths, get dressed up and wear makeup... while their heads looke like who did it an ran.

It only seems as if our hair is so hard to understand and to work with, when it comes to us. But, the reality is that hair, no matter what texture, is a tricky tricky thing that very few people get right. Do you know how many non-blacks spend money on miracle shine-aids, straightening balms, volumizers and etc., instead of just taking care of it as we do?

Your hair should like like this, period:

ALWAYS!!!

 

[PanamasOwn]

I get tired of explaining hair to people, in general. Nothing makes me more mad than a non-black person with a head of hideous hair. I have to sit in class and look at this asian girl's head. I just want to chop about 8-inches of damage off. Some white girls, I want to shampoo, clarify and deep condition their hair until it looks like a star. I don't know why people bother to take baths, get dressed up and wear makeup... while their heads looke like who did it an ran.

It only seems as if our hair is so hard to understand and to work with, when it comes to us. But, the reality is that hair, no matter what texture, is a tricky tricky thing that very few people get right. Do you know how many non-blacks spend money on miracle shine-aids, straightening balms, volumizers and etc., instead of just taking care of it as we do?

Your hair should like like this, period:

ALWAYS!!!

Well tell me how the hell to get my hair like that!!!!!!!!

Cuz I cant do that...

 

[BklynHeart]

Ugh, I was JUST going through this with a co-worker last week! First, when I had braids she said 'ooh, is that ALL your hair?'. Explained it to her. Then, when I had on a half-wig until I re-braided she said 'oh, so is that a clip-on or a weave?'. And she said it in a tone that she knows about Black hair and if its straight it must be fake. So now I have on an asymetrical bob for the winter. I can tell she was itching to ask me about it for 2 weeks and I've been avoiding her. She caught me last week and asked 'so is THAT your hair?'. I told her 'yeah, it is, just like you claim that your J-Lo booty is real".

 

[bravenewgirl87]

Well tell me how the hell to get my hair like that!!!!!!!!

Cuz I cant do that...

For the record:

I'm talking about it's shine, bounce, cleanliness, moisture, softness and health. (not referring to you, but I know someone is going to say something slick about her texture being a white girls).


you know who is superb for this kind of style: Santia and Tetbelle.
Basic rundown:

Get the strongest DC you can find for moisture and strength
Use a good leave-in
Blow your hair out first
Keep rewetting to get the hair super straight.
Less producrs on your hair
Use serums or oils that don't leave your hair sticky.

 

[Spongie Bloom]

this is what my sisters co worker (white man in his 40's) said to her (she has shoulder length natural hair and wears it in two strand twists)

Man : how do you do your hair like that?
Sis well i twist my hair strands round each other
Man: why does it look like that? erplexed
Sis : like how??
Man: like the texture, its quite different
Sis : cause its natural african hair
Man: err you are saying african women all have hair like that
Sis : err yes!
Man: but um....Beyonce's hair doesnt look like that erplexed
Sis: ....Nevermind

 

[JustKiya]

this is what my sisters co worker (white man in his 40's) said to her (she has shoulder length natural hair and wears it in two strand twists)

Man : how do you do your hair like that?
Sis well i twist my hair strands round each other
Man: why does it look like that? erplexed
Sis : like how??
Man: like the texture, its quite different
Sis : cause its natural african hair
Man: err you are saying african women all have hair like that
Sis : err yes!
Man: but um....Beyonce's hair doesnt look like that erplexed
Sis: ....Nevermind

*lol* That seemed like a logical extension of that train of thought - she did just tell him that ALL AA women have hair like that.

 

[noemi]

I hate it when people put their nasty hands in my head to feel for tracks. Then they got the audacity to ask what am I doing with it, because it looks so good its "fake!" I'm thinking to myself" are you complimenting me or dissing me?"

What is that about?

 

[AfroKink]

For the record I will explain my hair to children and people who live in remote communities.

Case 1: I worked as a science camp for Native people. A couple of children where there visiting there visiting their aunt. These 3 children live on a reserve far far north and this was their first time in Toronto. While they had a great conception of braids, they couldn't understand why mine were "stuck to my head" (my hair was in cornrows). So I took the time to explain to them and let them play in my hair. I may have been the first black person they had ever talked to.

Case 2: I lived in a rural part of Quebec for a few weeks with a host family. I was the ethnic diversity of the town. I had my hair in braid extensions, mostly out of strategy. I didn't want my washing and styling of my natural hair to peak curiosity. Nevertheless one of the little girls asked me why I don't have elastics at the end of my braids. I didn't mind explaining to her.



If you're an adult, living in the most diverse city in the world, you should have caught a clue by now. If you haven't there are plenty of books in the local libraries; I know because I've check them out. If they are genuinely curious about black people's hair, they'd search the internet and books like how the LHCF ladies have.

Growing up in predominantly white neighborhoods all my life, I've gotten more than my share of questions about my hair. "Why does your hair stick up?" "You put bees wax in it don't you" "You're hair grows fast" "you can't wash it can you" "how did it get so curly" "are you rasta?" "are those dred locs" "can I touch it" "how long did it take to do?" "do you braid it like that every morning" on and on. I'm tired. I've learn to avoid these conversations for the most part.

Lys

 

[Mynne]

I think its rude. If it's someone you don't know. I've said in the past to them : "Wow. That's a rude question. That's really rude to ask someone something like that. Were you raised to think asking rude questions like that is o.k?"

That has usually stopped the person because I questioned their manners. But it is rude. And I don't answer their questions. People don't ask me things like that now, but its probably because I'm older and sort of antisocial (j/k).

But it is rude and you don't have to answer rude questions. You could give them a look like 'wow you're strange to ask something like that' and then go back to waht you were doing or just sound incredulous that you have even met and are talking to someone so ill mannered.

 

[Sugarhoney]

At work I had a white woman with dry, wavy hair say "Your hair is cute! But wow, I don't know how you black women do your hair! How do you comb it? It must be a pain. My Daughter has curly hair and she breaks combs in the morning and it gets so mated. I can't imagine having to do black hair! My hair and my daughter's hair is already bad enough to do." This was when I wore a puff to work for the first time.

I just smiled with a weird look on my face and said,"It is not hard to do at all. I love my hair."

I am a 3c/4a natural, by the way.

 

[bellebebe]

I'm just at awkward length and I'm just starting to get questions.. I can only imagine your end of the deal lol.