Ghetto Hair Styles???

[beans4reezy]

So get this, I am going to be self installing my own kinky twists, so I went on line for a refresher course on how to do these myself. I go to a particular search engine (not naming names) and I begin to type: "kinky twists"...Now, when I type something, the search field is populated with either the rest of the word/phrase or with a concept similiar to what you are searching for.

So then I start to type "kinky twists" and the search engine is prefilled with: "Pictures of Ghetto Hair Styles". I'm like, wait? Pump the brakes- are kinky twists really ghetto??erplexed

I've worn these before, my family wears them, and no, we aren't "ghetto".
What are we or rather THEY considering to be ghetto hair styles?

I was taken aback and I wanted a couple of opinions on this to see if I am being too sensitive about the term "ghetto" in referencing a hairstyle, particularly one embraced by African American women

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

That is quite inappropriate, in my opinion. I don't think kinky twists are "ghetto" in any form or fashion and that it is wrong for the "search engine" to assume such. I would write an email or letter stating how offending and ignorant that statement was.

 

[knt1229]

No I don't think kinky twists are a "ghetto" hairstyle. BUT, unfortuanately, almost anything that is directly related to blacks is considered ghetto amongst ignant folks who don't know any better.

 

[Miamori]

The search engine isn't the issue. It's the people using it.

The search engine went from kinky twists --> ghetto hair styles because people must be doing searches with the two terms together and/or jumping from "ghetto hair" as a search to "kinky twists," etc.

Programmers don't choose which terms become connected. That would be WAY too much work. They simply choose how the terms become associated in the searches (how as opposed to which).

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

The search engine isn't the issue. It's the people using it.

The search engine went from kinky twists --> ghetto hair styles because people must be doing searches with the two terms together and/or jumping from "ghetto hair" as a search to "kinky twists," etc.

Programmers don't choose which terms become connected. That would be WAY too much work. They simply choose how the terms become associated in the searches (how as opposed to which).

good observation; i didn't think about that...

 

[mstar]

Wow, I have kinky twists in my hair right now, and I'm not ghetto.

Kinky twists are probably less likely to be seen in a corporate environment, but I think that's just because they're more of a casual style (at least that's how I think of them). If I still worked in the corporate world, I probably wouldn't be wearing these twists right now. But they're not ghetto by any means.

 

[andromeda]

I think "ghetto" definitely does not apply to kinky twists. As far as the search engine goes, they're really not responsible. The suggested search terms that appear below the search bar are based on an algorithm or the popularity of related search terms to predict what you might be searching for. At least, that's the case for most search engines.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

i wear kinky twist and I is ain't ghetto! *rolls neck* lol

no kinky twist are not ghetto UNTIL you start adding lime green,l emon yellow, hot pink and electric blue in the mix. then it can be ghetto. but regular old one tone/ two tone color twist are not ghetto at all.

 

[JustKiya]

The search engine isn't the issue. It's the people using it.

The search engine went from kinky twists --> ghetto hair styles because people must be doing searches with the two terms together and/or jumping from "ghetto hair" as a search to "kinky twists," etc.

Programmers don't choose which terms become connected. That would be WAY too much work. They simply choose how the terms become associated in the searches (how as opposed to which).

Thank you, again.

Let's not blow this into a huge racist conspiracy by Yahoo or Google - it's what people have been looking for. *sigh*

 

[Lady S]

Not ghetto at all. When I was wearing kinky twists, there was an assumption that I was into neo-soul and only had books that were written by Cornel West.

 

[beans4reezy]

The search engine isn't the issue. It's the people using it.

The search engine went from kinky twists --> ghetto hair styles because people must be doing searches with the two terms together and/or jumping from "ghetto hair" as a search to "kinky twists," etc.

Programmers don't choose which terms become connected. That would be WAY too much work. They simply choose how the terms become associated in the searches (how as opposed to which).

This is a very important distinction you've made. It just bothers me how people label anything associated with Blacks as "ghetto". Clearly, the search engine isn't at fault. This is confirmation that people's minds really need to expand beyond "ghetto" when referencing most things embraced by AA's.

 

[aquajoyice]

So get this, I am going to be self installing my own kinky twists, so I went on line for a refresher course on how to do these myself. I go to a particular search engine (not naming names) and I begin to type: "kinky twists"...Now, when I type something, the search field is populated with either the rest of the word/phrase or with a concept similiar to what you are searching for.

So then I start to type "kinky twists" and the search engine is prefilled with: "Pictures of Ghetto Hair Styles". I'm like, wait? Pump the brakes- are kinky twists really ghetto??erplexed

I've worn these before, my family wears them, and no, we aren't "ghetto".
What are we or rather THEY considering to be ghetto hair styles?

I was taken aback and I wanted a couple of opinions on this to see if I am being too sensitive about the term "ghetto" in referencing a hairstyle, particularly one embraced by African American women

I just typed it in and sure enough it brought up Ghetto Hairstyles... that's crazy! I never thought it to be a ghetto hairstyle? So if you type in crimped hairstyles would it pull up trailor park trash hairstyles... Hmmmmm

 

[doll-baby]

While the style it's self may not be ghetto, in the area that I am from in Chicago (Englewood considered to be the ghetto) more than a few girls wear kinky twists.

 

[jennboo]

Kinky twists are not ghetto. Like another poster stated...they move into that realm when you start mixing colors, imo.

Ghetto hairstyles: Any style that is plastered to the scalp with gel.
Extra shiny wigs
Styles with glitter, bold streaks of color

 

[delitefulmane]

^^^^Yeah now the colorful kinky twists are GHE-TOE!! I rode passed this girl recently with BLUE and RED kinky twists. I was like WHOA!! LOL

 

[Wanderland]

I agree with Doll-Baby. I don't think they inherently a "ghetto style" but in Chicago the faithful wearing of Microbraids with blond and red highlights, switched it up to kinky twist with these same highlights a couple of years ago.

 

[beans4reezy]

While the style it's self may not be ghetto, in the area that I am from in Chicago (Englewood considered to be the ghetto) more than a few girls wear kinky twists.

So, does this mean that kinky twists being considered ghetto is a result of girls in urban areas wearing them? Just trying to understand where the association with this style being ghetto comes from. I really am lost, because I've never considered them ghetto.

 

[doll-baby]

So, does this mean that kinky twists being considered ghetto is a result of girls in urban areas wearing them? Just trying to understand where the association with this style being ghetto comes from. I really am lost, because I've never considered them ghetto.

Mmmm ... could be. I never thought that the association of that hairstyle with the term ghetto would leak on to the internet. I put kinky twists in my little girls hair for picture day and they were adorable.

I don't consider it to be a ghetto style, but girls in the hood do wear them.

Heck some people consider wearing weaves a ghetto style and that never stopped me

 

[blackpearl81]

i wear kinky twist and I is ain't ghetto! *rolls neck* lol

no kinky twist are not ghetto UNTIL you start adding lime green,l emon yellow, hot pink and electric blue in the mix. then it can be ghetto. but regular old one tone/ two tone color twist are not ghetto at all.

 

[LightEyedMami]

i live in chicago too, and yes ALOT of ghetto girls do wear kinky twists, i have worn them and just make sure to wear 1 normal color....and if i see one more girl with black kinky twists with white highlights i think i will scream!!!

 

[beans4reezy]

If I still worked in the corporate world, I probably wouldn't be wearing these twists right now. But they're not ghetto by any means.

I work in a corporate environment and I am going to have some done at the end of this month. More than the hair style, it's how you present yourself while wearing the 'do. I believe that if I carry myself and dress in the same professional manner that I would normally (when not in twists) then my hair should be viewed as an expression of my creativity -- not as a "ghetto" emblem of the 'hood.

 

[mstar]

I work in a corporate environment and I am going to have some done at the end of this month. More than the hair style, it's how you present yourself while wearing the 'do. I believe that if I carry myself and dress in the same professional manner that I would normally (when not in twists) then my hair should be viewed as an expression of my creativity -- not as a "ghetto" emblem of the 'hood.

Yep, I agree.