I don't know about the "black women relax their hair to be white" thing, but I do know that every race has done something to emulate another. I also don't understand why some black women hold other black women to higher standards. That's being kind of racist to me, because no race is above another.
Black women shouldn't relax their hair to emulate white people, but white people can emulate blacks by tanning, getting lip injections and butt implants and that doesn't bother you. Is that because you're not white? Shouldn't everyone embrace their natural beauty, not just black women?
The only race I know that really does not emulate any other race (by hair, skin or any other beauty practices) are the Native Americans. When I see that part of my family, they are very closely tied to their roots.
Tell me what other race (East Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian, White, Latino or Black) that does nothing that comes from another culture......I bet you can't.
I agree, especially with the bolded.
My ex-boss is a proud Jewish woman who uses the Japanese thio straightener...she has very curly/kinky hair. Jews have a complicated history, too, one of enslavement and genocide, but her community does not crucify her...no one is looking down at her or insisting that she's "ashamed" of her Jewish heritage. She actually looks better with the straight hair, as do many women, and I don't think black women should be under any special obligation to stick to what we were born with...that's not fair.
Black women are the
only ones who are made to apologize for their preferences. Everyone else is allowed to color, straighten, curly perm, flat iron, etc. to their hearts' content, but WE are always made to feel 'less than,' no matter what we choose. And the sad part is that we're doing it to ourselves. I really hate the divisions we foster amongst ourselves, I hate the group-think, I hate the pressure. I think many naturals need to realize that they're not fooling anyone with the "I love myself" rhetoric. When you truly love yourself, you don't really care what other people are doing. I see too many naturals who concern themselves with other people's business far too much, so its obvious to me that the scars run deep, and they try to cover it up by judging others 24/7.
Modern women do many things that don't make sense, given the historical context. Most women still take their husband's last name, even though there is no real reason for them to do so, even though that practice used to mean that you were your husband's property. I wouldn't dare suggest that these women are taking their husbands' names because they still believe that men are better than women! Most do it because everyone else is doing it, because they want to fit in. While I don't agree with the practice and will not be following it myself, I don't see the need to go around harassing others for their choices, and trying to insist that something "deep" is going on there.
I personally feel that something is wrong when most black women wouldn't be caught dead wearing their natural hair. It's a sad holdover from our history of enslavement and prejudice, and we've internalized many of the negative messages. I get it. But each woman needs to come to that decision on her own, and I don't see the point of looking down on others because they're not as "enlightened" as those of us who wear our hair natural. It's counter-productive.