Other Races Appreciate Our Hair? + Natural Hair and Professionalism

[RegaLady]

I have a theory...LOL

So, people are asserting that some cultures seem to be very accepting and actually like our hair on us.

I think this may be because they are so used to seeing their own with straight hair, when they see it on black women its no big whoop.

And, i suspect i'll get hell for this statement, but...

Im thinking that when they see black women with straight hair, it doesnt look any better than the straight hair on a white woman's head (likely looks worse bc it isnt naturally like that).

so...kinky hair is something fresh, new, and different...and because it is what naturally grows out of our heads, it looks good by default.


...im obviously rambling, LOL, stream of consciousness...

ITA! This is why Dh DOES NOT like me with straight long hair. He thinks it just doesn't suit my Africaness features. He thinks most black women don't look good with straight hair. He is black and he LOVES kinky hair.
This reminds me when I went the beauty supply and buy some weave. I asked the Asian worker which one should I do since I couldn't decide. He told me to wear it short like the way it was(my natural hair). He said too many women where that look(longstraight, and not real) and it looks okay. This is coming from a many who sells it. It depends on the style and the individual. I have been natural and to be honest I didn't get alot of compliments. I have been relaxer straight and have had longer straight hair(real and fake), and I haven't received much compliments. So it depends.

 

[Duchesse]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

my new all time favorite post.

I've gotten appreciation from all different races/ethnicities/genders with every style of hair that I've had. But the most diverse positive response has been with my own natural hair when it was a twa.

 

[Muffinz05]

I believe that other races do appreciate our hair much more than ours because most of the time I receive compliments by caucasian men and women about my hair. Whenever I'm around my own race, I get the weird look or the ask me the question that I hate the most, "when are you going to perm that hair." I'm not saying that everyone asks me that question but its sort of sad that someone outside of my race appreciates my natural hair more than you do.

 

[VettaVetta]

I don't think (let me remind everyone first off this is my opinion) that our hair texture is not appreciated from other cultures at all. If there was (or could) ever be a law in the work place to have your hair did up in a certain style that would suit the company that you work for do you think our hair would be the norm? If our hair was so appreciated by other cultures why is color such a big issue?

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

I don't know if everyone is neccesarily down for the cause as far as natural hair.

I remember a glamour article written a couple of years ago, written by a white woman, on unprofessional hairstyles or inappropriate hairstyles to get ahead at work, and an afro and dreadlocs where two of the unacceptable styles. I remember it caused a big uproar. I think a lot of white people don't like braids, locs, twists but they would not say it to your face for fear of being called racist.

I haven't found that to be true. I often get complimented on how beautiful my braids look by white women, and told how they wish they could wear the style. I think that because I have natural blonde hair and similar skin color, they look at the style on me and can kinda get a "glimps" of how they would look if they wore it. They ask tons of questions, and my white co-workers LOVE when I wear braid styles. What you might feel is dislike I think is very often ENVY. They envy the natural body of our hair, they envy (as do I)your skin color that they tan for, they envy our lusciously full lips that they get injections to acheive, they envy how slowly we age...Not hate, ENVY, ya'll. So don't believe the hype!

 

[Eisani]

My non-black/hispanic coworkers always seem to be let down when I straighten my hair. I'll get "Oh, you straightened. It looks nice, but I love your big curly hair!" My white coworker I swap product tips/advice was walking by with someone last week and was just like "God, I LOVE her hair!" She's a curly red head too

 

[Casarela]

I remember when I bc'ed I was working on the trading floor and all my collegues were like WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT WE GOT HALLE BERRY BABY. They complimented me so much it was insane . It felt good especially within the 24 hours that I chopped my hair when I walked in I was a bit insecure but DEEP DOWN INSIDE. Within my collegues there were french canadians, italians( they were the ones flipping a bit too much for me), and others were europeans.

On the other hand, the response from black men was totally different especially my friends. They were like WHY O WHY AGAIN WHY WHY!!!! Black female friends were asking me if I was nuts. :s

 

[ccd]

I have had compliments from all races whether I wear it straight , wavy, ripple -y, curly, bunned, braided, braidouts etc. I think it depends on how and what u do to your hair. As long as I can do what I want with this head of hair, I'm happy and that's all that matters to me. You can't please everybody might as well please yourself.

 

[ccd]

I haven't found that to be true. I often get complimented on how beautiful my braids look by white women, and and told how they wish they could wear the style. I think that because I have natural blonde hair and similar skin color, they look at the style on me and can kinda get a "glimps" of how they would look if they wore it. They ask tons of questions, and my white co-workers LOVE when I wear braid styles. What you might feel is dislike I think is very often ENVY. They envy the natural body of our hair, they envy (as do I)your skin color that they tan for, they envy our lusciously full lips that they get injections to acheive, they envy how slowly we age...Not hate, ENVY, ya'll. So don't believe the hype!

great post!!

 

[IntelligenceisBeautiful]

Natural hair is a hindrance in the workplace only if you think it is. I get complimented on my hair all the time by people of all races. At work I make sure my ENTIRE look screams professionalism - makeup, clothes, nails, shoes, and hair. My coworkers always ask how I manage to look so "pull together" all the time, and yes I work in Corporate America. I know natural hair is still a big "no no" in certain fields, but as more Black Women are learning how to take care of, style, and rock their natural hair with confidence, the rest of the world can't help but follow suit.

 

[Isis77]

I got a lot of compliments when I wore my hair curly this past summer. I even had an older white female co-worker tell me that she loved how my hair had "those little cute spirals" and that she wished her hair could do that!

ITA that natural styles can look super professional. I had a professor who rocked some dreads and you can not tell me she didn't look put together every single day for class!!!!

I just can't wait until I'm 100% natural with a head of huge, curly hair b/c while going natural seems to be gaining in popularity, it's still a rare occurance and I kinda like the attention

 

[ebonylocs]

I really don't care. If they can wear their hair "natural" then so can I. And that's the end of that.

Sorry if that sounds rude, but that's where I am at this point in time.

I am relaxed now, but I have been natural, work in a top international law firm, and no one gives a roach's foot about my hair.

If it's neat and professional, and they have an issue, maybe a discrimination law suit would be a nice reminder of what century we're living in.

 

[Belle Creole]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

Korean men:

Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran men:

Chinese men:

Japanese men:

German men:

American Caucasian Men:

Peruvian Men:

Spanish Men:

African men: erplexed

Black American men:/

Jamaican men:

Samoan men:

Nigerian men: erplexed/

Black American women:

Nigerian women:

Japanese women:

Chinese women: /

Korean women: /

Jamaican women:

German women: erplexed

Spanish women:

Mexican women:

American Caucasian women:

Black women:

So the Spanish men were'nt havin it huh? LOLOLOL

 

[Belle Creole]

With some white folks, I don't think the "I love your hair!" is always sincere but rather a form of reaction formation. I think they would probably literally kill themselves if they woke up with natural 4a/b hair. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

OMG!!! I've thought that very same thought a thousand times!! ....just roll over and die!!!

 

[trj1922]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

Korean men:

Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran men:

Chinese men:

Japanese men:

German men:

American Caucasian Men:

Peruvian Men:

Spanish Men:

African men: erplexed

Black American men:/

Jamaican men:

Samoan men:

Nigerian men: erplexed/

Black American women:

Nigerian women:

Japanese women:

Chinese women: /

Korean women: /

Jamaican women:

German women: erplexed

Spanish women:

Mexican women:

American Caucasian women:

Black women:

Seriously though, even in conservative settings, I have never gotten flack off of non-Blacks for my hair and I've been natural for about 15 years. Maybe it's because my hair is super thin, not the kinkiest and I wear it up, they don't feel threatened. The "issues" are all with the Black folks.

I would say that I have also experienced that men of other races, especially white ones, tend to like natural hair. My feel for it is that if they like Black women, they want a BLACK woman. They actually revel in the things that make you different from them and they don't want you to mess with those things. That's part of the charm for them.

 

[ALWAYZL8]

In my six months as a natural I have not had any problem. I get at least two compliments every day from all races. The only person that was upset was my Grandmother and that was because I cut off the length.

 

[skatergurljubulee]

I've been natural for as long as I have been in the professional workplace, and the only people I have ever heard even mild snark from over my hair were my black coworkers. I've had dreads that were a month past reallllly needing to be re-tightened, and I would still get compliments from the nonblacks, while black folks were struggling to look me in the eye, and not at my head. *shrug*

I've always believed we have more issues with our natural hair than others do, and I've always suspected that the others who do have issues have picked it up from us.

ITA. I'm a relaxed head (at most I'll start texlaxing), but this makes sense to me. I really do think other people pick up on it. It only makes sense that they'd pick up on our attitudes.

 

[skatergurljubulee]

I haven't found that to be true. I often get complimented on how beautiful my braids look by white women, and told how they wish they could wear the style. I think that because I have natural blonde hair and similar skin color, they look at the style on me and can kinda get a "glimps" of how they would look if they wore it. They ask tons of questions, and my white co-workers LOVE when I wear braid styles. What you might feel is dislike I think is very often ENVY. They envy the natural body of our hair, they envy (as do I)your skin color that they tan for, they envy our lusciously full lips that they get injections to acheive, they envy how slowly we age...Not hate, ENVY, ya'll. So don't believe the hype!

Preach it!! LOL I'm not the type to think all whites are racist. NOT THAT ANYONE SAID THAT! I mean... all the plastic surgery to look black ( I'm sorry, but butt injections, tanning, lip injections, CHEEK injections... they tryin' to be us. No other race -except latinos/hispanics come close to us). We age very well, and we look good well into old age. DH (white) said after my personality (he said he prayed for a woman that didn't agree with everything that fell out of his mouth- he got more than he prayed for), he fell in love with me b/c of my looks. Loves my skin and hair and all that jazz. He thinks our culture and race is so diverse and beautiful. I can't blame them for being envious. I would be too!

 

[brg240]

well my hair is natually pretty wavy/straight so I usually only get compliments from black women. :/

But when I braided and kept it wavy almost a whole semester I got so many complemints. Especially from a Korean friend of mine, she loved it so much.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/me/PictureorVideo009-1.jpg <-- how it usually was

Also, I know it's pretty popular as of recently in certain subcultures in japan. I've seen it quite a few ads.
And from a wigshop in japan
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/me/LA20-4.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/23jfnep.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/ztdbo6.jpg

I would say that I have also experienced that men of other races, especially white ones, tend to like natural hair. My feel for it is that if they like Black women, they want a BLACK woman. They actually revel in the things that make you different from them and they don't want you to mess with those things. That's part of the charm for them.

I think your right, I was talking to my brother about that (who is obviously not white) but he was like. If he wanted to date a white girl he'd date a white girl :/ (not implying that girls with relaxed or straight hair are white, because that would include me D:, but it makes sense)
_________
EDIT: forgot to say, I loved my prof who rocked her natural hair (actually 2, both bio too) their hair is so amazing and I'd spend the class staring. It was beautiful

 

[Rei]

well my hair is natually pretty wavy/straight so I usually only get compliments from black women. :/

But when I braided and kept it wavy almost a whole semester I got so many complemints. Especially from a Korean friend of mine, she loved it so much.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/me/PictureorVideo009-1.jpg <-- how it usually was

Also, I know it's pretty popular as of recently in certain subcultures in japan. I've seen it quite a few ads.
And from a wigshop in japan
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/me/LA20-4.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/23jfnep.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/sanriochica333/ztdbo6.jpg

*cough cough* about those last two ads...in the lolita subculture, poofy curly hair has always been a plus especially recently. But with straight bangs a lot of the time. a recepie for heat damage

*goes back into lurker mode*

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

Korean men:

Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran men:

Chinese men:

Japanese men:

German men:

American Caucasian Men:

Peruvian Men:

Spanish Men:

African men: erplexed

Black American men:/

Jamaican men:

Samoan men:

Nigerian men: erplexed/

Black American women:

Nigerian women:

Japanese women:

Chinese women: /

Korean women: /

Jamaican women:

German women: erplexed

Spanish women:

Mexican women:

American Caucasian women:

Black women:

bwahahahahahahahaha

 

[brg240]

*cough cough* about those last two ads...in the lolita subculture, poofy curly hair has always been a plus especially recently. But with straight bangs a lot of the time. a recepie for heat damage

*goes back into lurker mode*

Yeah, I know poofy hair has always been great but I'd never seen so many girls trying to rock that look until earlier this year.

I'd imagine so, I barely ever straighten my hair (I think once or twice this year) as much out of laziness than care of my hair XD;;

I do wonder if the girls that do stuff like that with their hair (that don't use wigs) how damaging making it so curly/afroish is. :/

 

[Muse]

Seriously though, even in conservative settings, I have never gotten flack off of non-Blacks for my hair and I've been natural for about 15 years. Maybe it's because my hair is super thin, not the kinkiest and I wear it up, they don't feel threatened. The "issues" are all with the Black folks.

I would say that I have also experienced that men of other races, especially white ones, tend to like natural hair. My feel for it is that if they like Black women, they want a BLACK woman. They actually revel in the things that make you different from them and they don't want you to mess with those things. That's part of the charm for them.

I have only dated white guys and I find the bolded to be so true. A lot of the guys I've dated crossed over because they were looking for something different than the average white girl, tired of the same old. One guy I was with I would constantly try to keep my hair straight because he had long straight hair and I assumed that's what he wanted me to have. One day he asked me why I didn't wear cornrows or an afro, he honestly wanted to see me rock those styles. The novelty wears off of having something(or someone) unique when we try to look like them. My current bf loves me whether I straighten or wear it natural but when I'm natural I know it's more exciting for him because he has something that none of his friends have, an exotic(he thinks natural hair is this) woman and he loves it!

Yeah, I know poofy hair has always been great but I'd never seen so many girls trying to rock that look until earlier this year.

I'd imagine so, I barely ever straighten my hair (I think once or twice this year) as much out of laziness than care of my hair XD;;

I do wonder if the girls that do stuff like that with their hair (that don't use wigs) how damaging making it so curly/afroish is. :/

I do know one thing, asian hair can take a licking and keep on ticking. They have some strong hair, I doubt they would see the damaging effects as quickly as other races. They are said to have the strongest hair, then whites, then blacks. I went to an answer board before reading about hair a bit more and a white guy asked why is it that asians can use all of these crazy hair dies and do all sorts of things to their hair for cosplay and still have a head full of hair. I wondered the same thing but after researching types of hair I see why

 

[jerseygurl]

I don't know about other non-black cultures but I do know that most Japanese people love black women and their hair. When I visited in 2005, I was surprised at the fact that one of my cousins friends had a curly perm. She looked so pretty too. I'll try and look for her picture and put it up for a bit.

 

[mahogany_horizons]

THIS IS A VERY interesting thread. I have nothing to add, but I thought it was really interesting.

 

[Cassandra1975]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

ROTFLMBO!!!
LGL has broken it down so it can forever and consistently be broke!

 

[Choklatekiss79]

This is really interesting. I eat Japanese for lunch a few times a week. Every time I go to this particular restaurant, the waitresses refer to my hair as "good." "Your hair is very good," they say. Mind you I am mostly 4a and have never had my hair referred to as being "good" a day in my life. lol Whether it's in a wng, twists, twist out, shrunken fro or big fluffy fro. I always get compliments (from people of other races).

 

[Carolina18]

Natural hair is a hindrance in the workplace only if you think it is. I get complimented on my hair all the time by people of all races. At work I make sure my ENTIRE look screams professionalism - makeup, clothes, nails, shoes, and hair. My coworkers always ask how I manage to look so "pull together" all the time, and yes I work in Corporate America. I know natural hair is still a big "no no" in certain fields, but as more Black Women are learning how to take care of, style, and rock their natural hair with confidence, the rest of the world can't help but follow suit.

Well put. I have tended to find that other races are more in awe, or appreciative of my hair. All I tend to hear from people of colour is 'why don't you relax your hair', or 'why do you never wear your hair down' all the time, as if I'm walking around with some unkempt monstrosity on my head, yet they wonder why it's as long as it is. Could it be because I'm not killing it with heat, grease, or wearing it down all the time?

 

[Blessed2bless]

In my experience having lived in various parts of the US and having traveled over seas, my hair texture has elicited the following from the following groups:

Korean men:

Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran men:

Chinese men:

Japanese men:

German men:

American Caucasian Men:

Peruvian Men:

Spanish Men:

African men: erplexed

Black American men:/

Jamaican men:

Samoan men:

Nigerian men: erplexed/

Black American women:

Nigerian women:

Japanese women:

Chinese women: /

Korean women: /

Jamaican women:

German women: erplexed

Spanish women:

Mexican women:

American Caucasian women:

Black women:

This is the TRUTH!

 

[pisceschica]

So I'm actually in class and one of the Asian students starts complimenting me on my hair. She was really impressed with the style. Mind you, I'm in kinkies, they're old, I have about an inch of new growth all around the edges and any regular Black person would suggest I get my fronts redone. Nonetheless she says styles like these are super expensive in her native country and the total hair and twisting process would run equivalent of $300-$400 American dollars. She continues that it's an extremely popular style within some major subcultures of Asians.

She says the Asians really like African American hair because of its texture and that Asians pretty much don't like their hair because it's generally too straight an textureless. She says their hair cant hold a curl.

Additionally, at work, (I'm the only Black person), my boss and coworkers tend to compliment my natural hair and styles and one said they thought African Americans looked nicer with their natural hair and she's not the only caucasian who I've heard say that.

I'm a graduate student here at Texas and I've noticed that the caucasian guys approach Black girls with natural hair more often than those who are not. I've heard grown Black men say that some women need to 'perm that ish'. I've been told by mentors that the black women at law firms usually perm or that natural hair in a professional setting is a hindrance. Perhaps the idea that some of us hold that other races don't like our hair is shattering. What do you guys think?

I can't tell you how many blacks told me I need to perm my nappy hair when I was natural

Its really sad that some people of the same race can't appreciate the versatility of our hair. .

I remember going through personals on craigslist and seeing a handful of black men saying they dont' want a SBF with "natural hair" and yes the natural was in quotations. I know all black men aren't this way but it seems like most are.