Is natural hair a middle class phenomenon for 18 to 25 year olds?

[EbonyCPrincess]

I've actually thought something similar, but not equated it to economical class but to the professional women (and college students) vs. HS-grads only. Not that one group is better than the other, but I tend to see nearly ALL naturals at my med & dental schools versus majority relaxed at my church and community. And I am happily relaxed so this isn't a preference at all to me. I actually think it has to do with access to the internet...just my personal theory. That's why I think the "boards/forums" get skewed results in the polls - there are more naturals active online but I still think there are more relaxed women in general.

 

[diadall]

We all have separate definitions of low income.

 

[laurend]

There could have been a "natural" under one of those weaves..

Coilychi
Yes, I understand that but why can't they wear their natural hair to the club. In fact, that probably would have caught some guys attention by being different. Most of the girls in line had long hair weaves.

 

[southerncitygirl]

though there are many people who are natural under their wigs or weave there seems to be an addiction to hair that doesn't grow from our scalp. i don't think there's anything wrong with changing up your look for fun but when fake hair consumes you and becomes attached to your identity, there is a deeper issue going on. unlike the ladies on this board many are not wearing added hair as a protective style. i tire of seeing girls with silky weaves that don't match their hair texture or horrid lace fronts. i also don't understand the concept of taking care of your weave/wig hair but doing nothing to the hair underneath. i am finding with more education and awareness black women are understanding and finding out though various media channels that their only options are not relaxed, straight, weave or wig. forums like this yt and various blogs are helping a great deal but still there's a long way to go. tons of people white, black or other don't embrace their natural hair texture but yet more than half of the world has curly tresses.

@TopShelf i have had many people who do social work with lower income folks tell me horrid stories about hair styles, attitudes, and overall dress of lower income people they come into contact with on a day-to-day basis and it ain't pretty. sure there are exceptions to the rule but more often than not i'm told there are few exceptions. i think we may be inclined to agree here

i like that we are having this conversation and would like it to continue without this thread getting locked or going poof.

sure you could be more educated and love/ be dependent on weaves and wigs but the reality is that most women who can afford these would at least have sense enough to make it look believable more often than not. i also realize that dependent on where you live in the world that the ratio of natural versus relaxed/wigs/weaves would vary.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

Also... When I was a kid and in the "lower class" cast I was natural... When I got older, my mom finished school while raising two small kids on her own and got a new job I guess you would put us in the middle class cast then and that's when I started to relax my hair. Then when I became an adult and joined the army, that's when I started to wear weave and phoney ponies. After I got out the army I went natural by pure accident.


Also, at this moment... If when I get to the states I decide I cant handle being bald, yall might find a pic of me in the club with a phoney elmers glued to the back of my head with a sweat band keeping it in place. Wont look natural at all but I will be swinging it like it is

 

[LuvlyLife]

Onivana

Are you in that age group of 18 - 25? If yes, you stated you are not middled class, do you see a lot of 18 -25 yr olds in your area with natural hair?

Yes I'm in that age group.

 

[TopShelf]

my niece who is 19, has gogreous thick, shoulder length 4 a.b.c hair and she refuses to wear it out. She has worn a weave for the past two plus years. I'm hoping that she is waiting for it to get to a certain length, which is why she is not wearing her own hair out but i know that my sister hates natural hair (because we all have that texture of hair and she always had to comb mine) so that may have something to do with it.

ETA and none of her g/f's wear their own hair out either

 

[BadMamaJama]

So now we're judging black women's class by how they wear their hair?
Natural equals education and relaxed doesn't?
We can tell someone's income by whether or not their hair is natural, weaved or relaxed?
Did you take a poll?
Did you stand out there with a clipboard?
Did you ask where people grew up?
Did you personally check under weaves to see if they were natural?
Did you personally check to see if the hair was pressed?
Did you ask who was in college?
Did you ask who graduated from college?
Did you ever think that maybe natural hair hasn't hit in certain areas yet?


Ugggghhhhh, let me get off before I type something that gets me banned for life.

 

[diadall]

I am not taking any of this personally.

 

[MsSanz92]

Ok I'm pretty positive the OP was saying that this is HER opinion, and what she has experienced. Nothing is definite or the case 100% of the time as far as all women with natural hair are or should be middle class or vice versa so let's stop acting like that's the case....

Anyway, I do agree that natural hair is more prevalent in more educated circles because the reason why most Black women do not or have not worn their natural hair is because they were never properly educated on how to maintain it so it can grow long and healthy. Usually, more EDUCATED people have access or the desire/means to become informed on proper natural hair maintenance. In the same regard, it doesn't mean that natural hair is or should be exclusive to one specific socioeconomic status. I'm all for ANY Black, Latin, Asian, White or whatever woman who has spent the majority of their life ignorant on how to properly maintain their hair in it's natural state to finally learn how to do so.

 

[laurend]

So now we're judging black women's class by how they wear their hair?
Natural equals education and relaxed doesn't?
We can tell someone's income by whether or not their hair is natural, weaved or relaxed?
Did you take a poll?
Did you stand out there with a clipboard?
Did you ask where people grew up?
Did you personally check under weaves to see if they were natural?
Did you personally check to see if the hair was pressed?
Did you ask who was in college?
Did you ask who graduated from college?
Did you ever think that maybe natural hair hasn't hit in certain areas yet?


Ugggghhhhh, let me get off before I type something that gets me banned for life.

BadMamaJama

In Chicago you see naturals all over the place but in certain neighborhoods and certain age groups, it isn't popular. I'm talking about 18 to 25 year olds. I don't care if they are natural underneath, they are not really if they can't let go the weave ever, IMO.

 

[Coilychi]

Coilychi
Yes, I understand that but why can't they wear their natural hair to the club. In fact, that probably would have caught some guys attention by being different. Most of the girls in line had long hair weaves.

Simply put maybe weave girl A or D just wanted a different look? Seriously, sometimes it's purely for varying aesthetic reasons and nothing else.

 

[drmuffin]

How about this? We should just eradicate class systems all together! Then we will have no more of this bourgeoisie vs. the proletariat nonsense. Communism all the way! Just kidding. And I'm not calling anyone bougie; I just taught a few lessons on economic systems and I got excited.

 

[BadMamaJama]

BadMamaJama

In Chicago you see naturals all over the place but in certain neighborhoods and certain age groups, it isn't popular. I'm talking about 18 to 25 year olds. I don't care if they are natural underneath, they are not really if they can't let go the weave ever, IMO.

So the natural who wears her own hair all the time is "better" than the natural who wears weaves? How does the natural who wears her hair pressed fit in? Is she better than the natural who wears weaves but not as good as the natural who wears her own natural hair?

As black women we get judged by too many other things to start judging each other based on how we choose to wear our hair.

 

[RocStar]

BadMamaJama

In Chicago you see naturals all over the place but in certain neighborhoods and certain age groups, it isn't popular. I'm talking about 18 to 25 year olds. I don't care if they are natural underneath, they are not really if they can't let go the weave ever, IMO.

Wow.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

So the natural who wears her own hair all the time is "better" than the natural who wears weaves? How does the natural who wears her hair pressed fit in? Is she better than the natural who wears weaves but not as good as the natural who wears her own natural hair?

As black women we get judged by too many other things to start judging each other based on how we choose to wear our hair.

Ooohh!! Good question!

And naturals who wear their hair in a braid out/twist out/other stretch methods vs wng

Are those with a looser curl patterns concidered as natural as the 4b-z naturals?

Is someone who is relaxed and bald wearing a natural weave any better then a natural girl wearing a straight weave?

I have lots of questions now lol

 

[drmuffin]

 

[andromeda]

Meh I don't think it's unreasonable to question, or assert for that matter, that that there might be a correlation between socioeconomic status and age and something as society-influenced as how one wears their hair. It certainly can't be used as a definitive litmus test but I don't think the op's question was preposterous

 

[firecracker]

diadall I'm sorry but I had to laugh at that dude telling you that you were bamboozled. wthhhhh!!!! hahahaha.

Ya'll need ta simma down up in herre. I got friends and coworkers with afro's under their wigs and weaves so their head is all kinds of lopsided.

I'm low income and I cannot afford a weave, lace front or otherwise. I'm natual.

 

[laurend]

So the natural who wears her own hair all the time is "better" than the natural who wears weaves? How does the natural who wears her hair pressed fit in? Is she better than the natural who wears weaves but not as good as the natural who wears her own natural hair?

As black women we get judged by too many other things to start judging each other based on how we choose to wear our hair.

BadMamaJama
Let me restate that. I'm talking about someone who would never wear their natural hair in public and who is ashamed of it. My husband has a friend who hair is natural but never takes off the weave and now her hairline is receding.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

@BadMamaJama
Let me restate that. I'm talking about someone who would never wear their natural hair in public and who is ashamed of it. My husband has a friend who hair is natural but never takes off the weave and now her hairline is receding.

See, again I dont know if its so much about shame either. As stated my bestie would not be caught dead in public w/o her weaves or LF. But she also posts pix of her natural hair on her FB and Twitter when ever she gets her hair re-braided. Her hair is taken care of, her hair line is fine as well. But dont ask her to walk outside natural unless you plan on sitting their and pressing her hair for her.

 

[MissMasala5]

For naturals who protective style under weaves and wigs, why is it that the Asian straight hair is the hair of choice? What's wrong with wearing fake hair that looks more natural?

 

[diadall]

For naturals who protective style under weaves and wigs, why is it that the Asian straight hair is the hair of choice? What's wrong with wearing fake hair that looks more natural?

This reminds me of Chris Rock trying to sell African hair in Good Hair.

 

[aquajoyice]

I don't think it's a "class" thing. The natural hair movement is still fairly new and let's remember straight hair has been it for quite some time. Mainstream society isn't 100% on board but we're getting there. With haircare education flooding the internet all it takes is for one creamy crack addict to see a gorgeous natural head to make her want to give it a try.

 

[curlicarib]

I'm in the boonies of northern Nevada/California. Not too many black women in the area, but EVERYONE I see is weaved up. And not good weaves either. It breaks my heart every time I see it.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

For naturals who protective style under weaves and wigs, why is it that the Asian straight hair is the hair of choice? What's wrong with wearing fake hair that looks more natural?

That... I can not answer. I my self was guilty of owning a kool-aid red silky straight pony with my black hair slicked back into the tightest bun in the land.

But once I got more into my natural hair and texture I did make a movement toward phonies that could actually pass for my hair.

I miss that red pony some times.... I had good times with that pony

 

[diadall]

That... I can not answer. I my self was guilty of owning a kool-aid red silky straight pony with my black hair slicked back into the tightest bun in the land.

But once I got more into my natural hair and texture I did make a movement toward phonies that could actually pass for my hair.

I miss that red pony some times.... I had good times with that pony

Memories...like the corners of my mind. Misty water-colored memories of the way we were...

 

[Raspberry]

I've actually thought something similar, but not equated it to economical class but to the professional women (and college students) vs. HS-grads only. Not that one group is better than the other, but I tend to see nearly ALL naturals at my med & dental schools versus majority relaxed at my church and community. And I am happily relaxed so this isn't a preference at all to me. I actually think it has to do with access to the internet...just my personal theory. That's why I think the "boards/forums" get skewed results in the polls - there are more naturals active online but I still think there are more relaxed women in general.

I agree with all of this. I remember being on NP back in 2003 when I was natural and a disproportionate number of women on there had post-grad degrees and a lot of debate threads read like thesis papers . Obviously most black women don't have masters/Ph.ds but the majority of black women who had constant internet access back then and were interested in the political/social ramifications of natural hair skewed towards those of higher SES or at least the more educated regardless of income.

Natural hair awareness has trickled down and become more mainstream but it's appeal to the college campus arena is just a reflection of its roots.

 

[Raspberry]

I'm in the boonies of northern Nevada/California. Not too many black women in the area, but EVERYONE I see is weaved up. And not good weaves either. It breaks my heart every time I see it.

curlicarib Yess, seeing bad weaves makes me sad. I want to run up on these women and tell them it doesn't have to be that way and you don't have to be rich or have Indian in your family to have hair you can feel good about .

The thing that continually hits me about some black women and hair is the sense I get that their self-esteem is suffering because of the lack of control over their hair health and their belief in its inherent badness and ability to be cute. Thus the haterade at black women with long/healthy hair and the willingness to spend money on weaves they can't afford. There's a difference between a weave hair style being preference vs. a psychological necessity and honestly, I want all black women to feel good about themselves and not fall into feeling inferior by default compared to other races of women.

 

[RegaLady]

I agree but I wonder how many would wear their natural hair to the club?

I wear my natural hair to the club and proudly. It is funny because once upon a time, I would refuse to go without a wig or some tracks added

Sure there are exceptions but I think its no secret hairstyles and class, education (however), consiousness, correlate, whether we want to admit it or not.