Natural Hair and White Men

[peony]

Off topic: Statistically, natural hair is much more common in college educated/ graduate school educated Black women. I don't mean the majority of college educated Black women have natural hair (they don't) I mean that natural haired women are disproportionately highly educated.

 

[Lola Laughs]

Off topic: Statistically, natural hair is much more common in college educated/ graduate school educated Black women. I don't mean the majority of college educated Black women have natural hair (they don't) I mean that natural haired women are disproportionately highly educated.

I always wondered if this is why you see so many AA women with natural hair in commercials. Are they targeting this supposed demographic of "highly eduacted" women in their ads? Sorry for getting off topic too

 

[HauteHippie]

They are most likely intrigued. It is different to them and they evidently like that. Depending on where some of these men grew up, they may not have had the opportunity to see different textures. And I think California is very liberal to begin with. I grew up in South Carolina and I would see white men giving me a second glance all the time, but wouldn't approach me. It just isn't done where I am from that much. But thats changing.

Hey, I'm a Carolina girl, too (Charleston)! At this point in my life white men...and pretty much every other race of men except for black men are the only men who approach me!. I'm looking around, checking my make-up, sniffing my armpits, doing a breath check, twisting around to look at my butt. Did I do something wrong? I don't care anymore, but it used to make me wonder.

 

[misschee]

I think we are underestimating some white men. I think they consciously or subconsciously realize that most black women relax and it is more than just hair for most of us. So when he sees a black woman with natural hair, he sees someone willing to go against the norm and therefore someone who just might be willing to date them (out of your race).

He thought you were cute all along, but now he feels he actually has a chance.

That makes so much sense

 

[nflight]

You've had amazing growth this year! What's your regime? Are you using Mega-Tek?

 

[jamaraa]

I always wondered if this is why you see so many AA women with natural hair in commercials. Are they targeting this supposed demographic of "highly eduacted" women in their ads? Sorry for getting off topic too

Yes, they are. It's about going after a specific demo w/in a larger (middle class, female, mostly unmmaried/no kids...in short, large disposable income) ethnic group. IOW, it's marketing.

 

[jamaraa]

My theory--I think natural hair may signify to non-AA men that you're willing to step out of the norm, and possibly date out of the norm. IDK, I could be totally wrong...

Yes..your theory has serious legs I suspect for some women. (Plenty of evidence for that here and other spots) For some women it's definitely a signal that this is the case.

 

[MsLizziA]

I had the exact same experience. I wore my hair in natural braids ( which alot of white people mistakenly called dreads but whatever ) the ends curled after I wet them and the braids were springy like ringlets would be. So I had people all the time pull one so they could watch it go 'boing!' I did get hit on by black men, but it was more the thoughtful intellectual type, or Africans. Who always wanted to know which island I was from.I got hit on by foreign men, but mostly white guys. I think most black men see natural hair and think "issues". Like I'm going to jump on a soapbox and give a speech everytime we go somewhere or I'll flip out on him if he isn't a vegetarian. My mom would get mad at me when I was little b/c I would go to sleepovers and let all my little white friends mess with my hair. I came back looking like Marge Simpson on a bender.

When I relaxed -- the brothers SWARMED out of the woodwork. They were especially intrigued by it's being real which was semi-alarming. I still get hit on by white guys, and foreign guys....I think foreign guys just really like black women. Go figure - the guys that want us live in another country.

LOL! So true..

 

[HauteHippie]

I've had the same experience, white people give me compliments all the time. Black people only ask me: 'when are you going to relax your hair?'

Ha! Story of my life! I'm kind of over it, though. It's like when the editor-in-chief in the movie, The Women, walks into the department store and all of these skincare people are trying to sell her stuff and she says, "This is my face, get over it," and just keeps on moving. Yeah, I feel like that. This is my hair. It's not a political statement, nor is it an attack on society. It's just not that serious!

And thank God for white people (that's my ignorant statement of the day)! My white guy friend says natural black hair is like crack for white men.
I just cut my hair again and I don't always like it. Sometimes when my [white] roommate comes home, she'll say, "Oh, your hair looks good!" and it's genuine. My own mommy told me I look like a pickaninny! Her [biracial 3-haired] daughter will smile and say, "Your hair is curly like mine!" It's cute. White people always love her hair, meanwhile her [black] dad is eyeing the nearest box of Just for Me! Weird (read sad)!

 

[DirtyJerzeyGirly]

Ha! Story of my life! I'm kind of over it, though. It's like when the editor-in-chief in the movie, The Women, walks into the department store and all of these skincare people are trying to sell her stuff and she says, "This is my face, get over it," and just keeps on moving. Yeah, I feel like that. This is my hair. It's not a political statement, nor is it an attack on society. It's just not that serious!

And thank God for white people (that's my ignorant statement of the day)! My white guy friend says natural black hair is like crack for white men.
I just cut my hair again and I don't always like it. Sometimes when my [white] roommate comes home, she'll say, "Oh, your hair looks good!" and it's genuine. My own mommy told me I look like a pickaninny! Her [biracial 3-haired] daughter will smile and say, "Your hair is curly like mine!" It's cute. White people always love her hair, meanwhile her [black] dad is eyeing the nearest box of Just for Me! Weird (read sad)!

So true. Had a few second looks being done to me as well.

 

[LongTimeComing]

Since my bc my African American friends and family havve kept asking me why I did it. The White people I DON'T even know ( coworkers that I see once a week, folks at the gas station, etc) keep telling me it is beautiful and they love it.

:kanyeshrug:

 

[Solitude]

I think it has something to do with being enamored with something that is unfamiliar to you. I mean should we really be surprised. Our hair in it's natural state is beautiful - seems black folks are more hung up about it than anyone else.

My SO is still intrigued by my hair and the fact that the bottoms of my feet are white - weird. I never really thought about it but the first time he saw the bottoms of my feet he was like - that's so cute. I made a weird face at first.

LOL, he said he'd never really thought about it but it was "different" and he thought it was cute.

Go figure*

ITA with this.

I think black men aren't that impressed with natural hair because they have the same hair growing out of their own heads. Just my opinion.

 

[O-ren]

One of my best friends just saw my hair for the first time since I did the BC. He told me that he "just loves the idea of me having an afro." He loves my natural hair. Once he had his hands in my hair (back when I relaxed) and said he loves the parts that's "nowhere near straight." I got all self-conscious back then because all I thought they were were "nappy roots" but now, of course, I'm in love with my natural hair and so is he.

 

[Thoroughbred]

idk if that's true, but I do know I get hit on by SO MANY hispanic guys when I wear braidouts. It could also be that I don't have many white guys in my neighborhood. Only at the mall.

The Latina dudes are hitting on you because of your hair???? I am sure you have lovely hair, but I would also bet top dollars that you've got nice hips and butt too
.

 

[RosesBlack]

I think other races are attracted to natural Black hair because they don't have the associated cultural baggage that people of color do. For a lot of other people no one ever questions the choices they make with their hair much less shame them about it so it wouldn't occur to them that it might be seen as weird or fetishizing to say, wow you're hair is awesome. For someone who's unaware of the history of hair issues in the Black community this isn't a loaded statement.

I think this is more what it is than serious issues with exoticizing or othering women and people of color. When you don't carry a particular set of cultural baggage, it's not going to occur to you the implications of expressing an appreciation or curiosity about someone.

Naturally there are going to be exceptions to this. People who are well aware of the cultural issues surrounding Black hair who will understand what it might mean to compliment a Black woman on her natural hair and see why the woman might feel weird about it. And there are going to be people who are just gross and creepy but that goes across the board.