Spinny: What's YOUR definition of natural?

[Junebug D]

By some of these definitions, no one here is natural.

 

[lovenharmony]

I've been reading parts of this thread and I've come to the realization that the definition of "natural" hair, primarily in the Black community is all relative. I've read some abstract thoughts concerning what having "natural" hair means to them, and I've read some that I wholeheartedly agree with.

I believe that natural hair within the Black community means different things to many different people. I would like to share MY opinion of what natural hair is to me. In my opinion, natural hair is hair that has not been altered to PERMANENTLY change the texture of the hair that grows from your scalp. This includes curly perms, Japanese thermal straightening, texturizers and relaxers.

Now one aspect of having natural hair in the Black community is that some people of color expect that in order for you to have truly natural hair, not only can you not permanently alter the texture of your hair, you must also fully embrace a naturalist lifestyle. The naturalist embraces the original interpretation of being natural, which means "from nature". This concept excludes the use of ALL man made chemicals that are used to permanently change the texture or color of the hair.

Using the naturalist definition, this also excludes using any synthetic products to maintain and style the hair. No products like hair dyes, bleaches or colors can be used. Henna treaments and the use of yogurt, coconut and lime are a gray area. Many naturalists accept the use of these products since they're organic products. However, some naturalists believe that if your hair has been Henna treated or you use yogurt, coconut and lime to condition your hair that you cannot be considered natural since these products can PERMANENTLY alter the texture and color of your hair. once again, it's all relative.

Another aspect of having natural hair in the Black community is that some people of color believe that in order for you to truly have natural hair, you need to fully embrace the Afrocentric interpretation of it's meaning. This is a totally different concept in regards to the actual definition of natural hair. To be Afrocentric is to live a lifestyle dedicated to the culture (i.e. clothes, foods, music, language, religion, attire, etc.) of the African people.

Being Afrocentric not only includes my original definition of natural hair, if you are of African heritage it includes maintaining the integrity and image of the hair that grows from your scalp. In other words, you hair can not even "look" altered from the typical hair texture of the people of African descent (i.e. no straight hairstyles). Taking that definition, you can only be fully natural if you NEVER alter your natural hair to "look" like it's not highly textured hair of African descent. This includes BKTed , "heat trained", flat ironed or pressed hair.

The last aspect that I'll discuss is the definition of natural hair to most of the people outside of the Black community. From my experience with other races, having natural hair means not WEARING hair that doesn't grow from your scalp. This includes wigs, weaves, and extensions. Some people of the melanin kind that have naturally straight hair have also adapted to this definition rather than the popular definition of natural hair in the Black community since they rarely permanently alter the texture of their hair.

My belief is that whatever definition for natural hair you have, just as long as it makes you happy, then so be it. Understand that everyone's interpretation of "natural" hair is unique. All types of hair has the potential to be beautiful, whether it fits your description of natural or not.

 

[SummerSolstice]

I learned in beauty school that heat breaks the salt and hydrogen bonds in your hair. So even though your disulfide bonds are still in tact, there are bonds that are broken during heat styling. Even the slightest of heat such as sitting under the dryer for a roller wrap or flexi rod set. What does this mean to everyone here, since salt bonds and hydrogen bonds have to do with the chemical composition of the hair. I just remembered that.

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

By some of these definitions, no one here is natural.

Sorry but, urgh, yuck

 

[Solitude]

Goodness, I thought for sure this thread would die by now. Since I was called "presumptuous," I had to come back here and post again on this topic.

Also, I disagree that the debate about what is natural and what isn't will regress the 'movement', I dont think it will affect it at all. People will just go about doing what they would usually do and deem it natural if they want to. Who am I or anyone else to dictate someone else's head of hair?

Now this, I felt is kind of presumptuous, bolded. "Interesting bunch", meaning people who you think shouldn't categorize themselves as natural? For you to feel that way, you're making assumptions:
-why they went natural
-and possibly that they feel they belong to some 'exclusive group'

Not everyone who goes natural does it to be 'conscious'. Some do it because of allergies, cosmetic reasons, etc. Does it make her less natural? Now mindsets for going natural are thrown into the myriads of technicalities?

Like Bint Yusef who said earlier that relaxers didnt work for her hair. Let's say she wanted straight hair though, and resorted to weaves to achieve it. So she braids up her hair and gets a sew in all the time, it makes her 'not' natural? Her own hair texture or state isn't really being altered.

No one's gonna agree, but it would be great if we tried to not assume all naturals are on this high horse about not being relaxed. I think this is the core of why there are so many differing views on this topic.

First, yes these debates do affect who will choose to go natural. Imagine if you were just contemplating going natural and you ran across a few of these threads. That's what happened to me a few years ago when I found a different hair board. I was like, WTH??? If it takes all that to be natural, forget it!!!! I still feel that way.

Second, I could care less how anyone choose to categorize him or herself. My hair is relaxed. It makes zero difference in my real life.

Third, if you wear weaves, yes your hair is still natural underneath, but NO, if you're walking around with a full head of weave, there's nothing "natural" about that. My post was not about women wearing weaves, but about women who wear weaves and preach against relaxers, or "heat training."

You may not have a relaxer in your head, but you're wearing FAKE HAIR. Yes, you can still use the "natural" label to describe the hair that you're HIDING, but if everyone around you knows you have extensions in your hair, what image of black women do you think you're putting out there? How does it differ from a woman who chooses to relax her hair, or heat train her hair, or BKT her hair or whatever? Are you showing how "proud" you are of your real, natural hair while wearing a weave? At least I'm not HIDING my chemically-altered hair.

I think "naturals" who wear weaves should really take a step back from judging others. If you're not one of those people, then this doesn't apply to you.

Fourth, umm I can't help it if you don't want anyone to "bring mindsets" into the discussion. That's how I feel when it's brought up about relaxed heads in every single thread. The mixed up idea is that you can color your hair, spend hundreds of dollars on products trying to grow your hair, get highlights/bleach, and wear all the weaves, braids and wigs you want, but the MINUTE you relax your hair, you have *issues* okayyyyy................. Someone could easily browse LHCF and see how much energy, time, and money we spend in the pursuit of longer hair and come to the conclusion that we ALL have a complex.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Someone could easily browse LHCF and see how much energy, time, and money we spend in the pursuit of longer hair and come to the conclusion that we ALL have a complex.[/QUOTE]<------

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

has anyone on LHCF never.....ever chemically treated their hair??

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

wow... i never knew my going natural had so much meaning!!!!!!

 

[Kneechay]

Goodness, I thought for sure this thread would die by now. Since I was called "presumptuous," I had to come back here and post again on this topic.

First, yes these debates do affect who will choose to go natural. Imagine if you were just contemplating going natural and you ran across a few of these threads. That's what happened to me a few years ago when I found a different hair board. I was like, WTH??? If it takes all that to be natural, forget it!!!! I still feel that way.

Second, I could care less how anyone choose to categorize him or herself. My hair is relaxed. It makes zero difference in my real life.

Third, if you wear weaves, yes your hair is still natural underneath, but NO, if you're walking around with a full head of weave, there's nothing "natural" about that. My post was not about women wearing weaves, but about women who wear weaves and preach against relaxers, or "heat training."

You may not have a relaxer in your head, but you're wearing FAKE HAIR. Yes, you can still use the "natural" label to describe the hair that you're HIDING, but if everyone around you knows you have extensions in your hair, what image of black women do you think you're putting out there? How does it differ from a woman who chooses to relax her hair, or heat train her hair, or BKT her hair or whatever? Are you showing how "proud" you are of your real, natural hair while wearing a weave? At least I'm not HIDING my chemically-altered hair.

I think "naturals" who wear weaves should really take a step back from judging others. If you're not one of those people, then this doesn't apply to you.

Fourth, umm I can't help it if you don't want anyone to "bring mindsets" into the discussion. That's how I feel when it's brought up about relaxed heads in every single thread. The mixed up idea is that you can color your hair, spend hundreds of dollars on products trying to grow your hair, get highlights/bleach, and wear all the weaves, braids and wigs you want, but the MINUTE you relax your hair, you have *issues* okayyyyy................. Someone could easily browse LHCF and see how much energy, time, and money we spend in the pursuit of longer hair and come to the conclusion that we ALL have a complex.

Interesting... I think.

I think if we sit back and stop assuming that all naturals have a superiority complex or all have an anti-straight steez, then perhaps this debate wouldn't be so heated. Not everyone is judging people that are relaxed, calm down. I'm not even gonna go into that because clearly you don't mean me. I don't care about folks relaxing.

Really, I don't.

I also want to know where on the board you've witnessed a natural who is staunch anti-relaxer but is sporting weaves.

I get conflicting messages from your response though; in the bolded you state how you couldn't care less how others categorize themselves but in the next paragraph, in the green, you contradict that by asserting that they are not 'proud' of their own hair by "hiding" their hair while they preach against perms.

The reason I feel it's ridiculous to bring someone's mindset to going natural is because it simply, DOES.NOT.MATTER. If someone wishes to high heaven to be relaxed but is allergic, or someone likes wigs/braids/weaves/non-chemical styles, does not negate the fact that they're actually natural. That's why I do say it's quite presumptuous to exclaim they're 'less natural' or 'less proud'. How can you use an example of some random person to judge all naturals who wear weave?

In essence, you're throwing back that tired assertion you get annoyed that some naturals throw at relaxed heads that it's a self-hatred thing.

Also, if I really wanted to go natural and saw these threads, it wouldn't make me balk at my decision, that's where you and I differ.

Yes my nicca, I wear weaves, not all the time, but I do. They're fun. When I'm not in weaves, I rock natural styles because they're fun too. I didn't do it to preach anti-perm, or the pseudo conscious thing some naturals do, my sista, I did it because I have a goal for the biggest hair ever. My hair is fine, so I went natural to achieve that, and weaves are an easy protective style to retain my length. Point blank.

What if I wore a 4b kinky natural weave? Would you feel the same about weave wearers?
(before anyone asks, I dont use that hair because it costs too much and I'm too cheap to spend 200 on hair alone.)

My point is that the overanalyzing and assumptions of why people do what they do to their hair is what both sides are trying to squelch. I implore you to live up to your assertion that you couldn't care less what people categorize themselves.

 

[notlookingback06]

MY definition of natural hair, is hair in its naturally curly/coily/wavy/kinky state. I honestly believe that any chemical processes that are done to alter one's natural state, is no longer a natural head of hair.

(BTW, I'm on the fence about color treatment being unnatural, as I'm learning more about dyeing the hair with natural/chemical-free products like Henna, etc.).

Just my two-cents....

 

[notlookingback06]

Someone could easily browse LHCF and see how much energy, time, and money we spend in the pursuit of longer hair and come to the conclusion that we ALL have a complex.

<------ [/QUOTE]

I'm with you on this one!

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

MY definition of natural hair, is hair in its naturally curly/coily/wavy/kinky state. I honestly believe that any chemical processes that are done to alter one's natural state, is no longer a natural head of hair.

(BTW, I'm on the fence about color treatment being unnatural, as I'm learning more about dyeing the hair with natural/chemical-free products like Henna, etc.).

Just my two-cents....

I used to be on the fence about color. But, I just see it as another decorative option. But, it shouldn't be considered the same as relaxers, texlexers, and texturizers that change the natural texture.

(I'm still confused as to why texlaxers feel that they have the best of both worlds, though. You are still using relaxers. It's nothing like having natural hair.)

 

[Dragon_Of_Vaeros]

As long as it's not relaxed I consider it natural.

 

[Yoshi3329]

I said "other," I wanted to say relaxers, but many people when they think of relaxers, they think of the chemicals, they never think of the heat trainers. Anything that breaks your S-Bond, in my opinion, is a relaxer. So chemicals relaxers and heat trainers (burnlaxed) are not naturals to me in anyway shape or form.

 

[LisaLisa1908]

I used to be on the fence about color. But, I just see it as another decorative option. But, it shouldn't be considered the same as relaxers, texlexers, and texturizers that change the natural texture.

(I'm still confused as to why texlaxers feel that they have the best of both worlds, though. You are still using relaxers. It's nothing like having natural hair.)

How do you know? That's a pretty sweeping statement. If you're not texlaxing, how can you make that assertion? I'm confused as to why it would matter to you.

I'm texlaxed, and I know many people on the board question it. Well, I like being able to detangle in SECONDS, not minutes/hours, and being able to rock textured AND straight styles with a minimum of fuss. That's what works for me. *shrugs* Bone straight relaxing isn't necessary for me to do what I want with my hair.

My definition of natural is no hair texture changing chemicals.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

^It's a common statement that I've read not only on this site, but others. It's an educated opinion. But, you've pretty much summed up what they've said, too, lol. So, it's a legit statement, right?

 

[Sugar]

To me natural means no chemicals: relaxers, color, BKT, etc. Especially if one says they are going natural to avoid all the chemicals in relaxers. Its contradictory to be okay with other chemicals. I've also heard many who say they went natural because they want to learn how to work with what God gave them. Most of us aren't born with blond or fire engine red hair.

I'm on the fence about heat.

 

[curlydrea]

I believe Natrual in the context of hair means: hair that is its orginal texture. So basically no relaxer. I still consider colored hair natrual, just natrual hair that is colored.

 

[iri9109]

i voted wrong. i put no chemical processes but i just saw relaxer, texturizer. i think if you color you are still natural. as long as you arent using chemicals with the intent of changing the texture of your natural hair, then you are natural. even though color can change the texture sometimes, nobody colors their hair for that specific reason.

 

[Artemis]

If you're talking about hair as a fiber in the general sense, natural hair is that which is unadulterated by any chemical service. That includes chemical straighteners, permanents, and permanent hair color. All of these services alter the internal structure of the hair. Color just is not as invasive as a relaxer, but it still changes the inside.

But in the black community, we are so tactile and visceral with it, "natural" means no relaxer. But technically (and scientifically) permanently colored "natural" hair is not natural, it is color-treated kinky/curly hair.

In the same breath, "heat trained" hair is a euphemism for damaged hair. Damaged hair can be occur on both natural and chemically processed hair and has various characteristics, so it's not even in the same discussion with what is "natural" hair.