What Misconceptions Have You Had About....

[kblc06]

Black OR Mixed raced individual's hair?
-Do you feel that one group has it easier or harder or is it equally bad on both ends?
-How do you empathize with either group?

I'll start first: I honestly feel that either group has it equally bad due to the stereotypes associated with each. One hand you have the world telling you "Why does your hair looks so nappy or chewed up-your mixed therefore you should have good hair" (and for someone who is mixed, this could introduce ill conceived notions about what they are supposed be/look like).
But then if you do have long or "good hair", people generally tend to dismiss you because "it's supposed to be that way"

For many "100%" (or any other variation of predominately black lineage), if you happen to have long or loosely curled hair, you're seen as some type of anomaly who must be unaware of the "good lineage" influencing your genes. This sentiment has actually been expressed in numerous threads and has also happened to me. I find it absolutely preposterous that someone will argue me down about MY m0%*%^!*-&$# parentage .

And as expressed in MissDivine's thread, so many women, before they came to LHCF, did not believe their hair could grow and again "it was supposed to be that way" for them. It encourages them to see that there are others like them who have these problems and have overcome them.

The same is true with women of mixed descent.
Both of these misconceptions are potentially hurtful and I would like to hear from individuals on both sides of the fence .

Feel free to discuss anything you believed before you had the opportunity to learn otherwise and your own personal experiences.


NOTE: After numerous threads, I thought maybe if both groups were introduced, we could generate a POSITIVE discussion amongst us If you are NOT someone who will contribute to this thread in a POSITIVE MANNER, please feel free to remove yourself. Thank you

 

[SleepyJean]

I think it retains, maybe even grows faster. It grows faster than mine at least.

I think it generally retains better than others, maybe I'm wrong. I'll never truly understand.

BTW...I wasn't trying to be offensive in the other thread. I don't think I said anything too bad. I was enlightened by the comments, though, so it wasn't all bad for me.

 

[kblc06]

Bump........

 

[lisana]

no drama..but I wonder if this and some of the other recent threads should be in the OT forum...this forum is really about hair care tips and products. but anyway, I used to think that those who had hair type other than 4b could grow long hair without much effort on their part, now I know better.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I used to think that biracial's person's hair grew faster and they always had a looser curl pattern. I later found out in high school that this was not true...

 

[wannabelong]

no drama..but I wonder if this and some of the other recent threads should be in the OT forum...this forum is really about hair care tips and products. but anyway, I used to think that those who had hair type other than 4b could grow long hair without much effort on their part, now I know better.

I thought that too.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

I used to think that biracial's person's hair grew faster and they always had a looser curl pattern. I later found out in high school that this was not true...

It's not true....trust me.

 

[JustKiya]

It's funny - because I first read about black women growing long hair on a forum that was MOSTLY white women trying to grow long hair, my beliefs about who could/couldn't grow long hair were dismissed out of the box.

I learned that 100% white women have issues growing hair, and one would think that the deck was stacked in their favor, being the majority and never having been forcebly ripped from their history & their motherknowledge of how to take care of their hair.

Honestly? Before I actually tried to start growing my hair long - I didn't really think about 'long' hair and who could/could not grow it.... I knew all about the whole good hair/bad hair thing, and I knew that my hair was 'bad' hair , but I honestly didn't care, because I was mostly happy with my hair - 'difficult' as it was. And if I wasn't happy, I would chop it all off, or get braids, or whatever, ya know? It's just hair.

So, then coming to a place where it's all about black women growing long hair, I've mostly abadoned those thoughts that your 'genes' or 'heritage' has a danngone thing to do with what KIND or how LONG your hair grows. I mean, dang, there was a white woman on NP - NAPPTURALITY!!! - for heavens sake, because she had some NAPPY hair.

I like to think that I've shed most of my preset beliefs about people based on the color of their skin. I find it's harder - much harder - than it seems.

 

[Neith]

I feel that a head of hair must be looked at differently person to person.

There are people with type 1 hair that can't grow it out. There are people with type 4 hair that grows like weeds.

I don't like to make broad assumptions about millions of people. People are not so simple, everyone is different.

You can take two biracial people of the same make up, and they can be very different. Race doesn't make a derned difference imo.

I've known this for a long time. My mom is half white and she has type 4b hair. Most people just assume she is a "regular" black woman. Racial mixing is funny, unpredictable stuff.

 

[tinkat]

I feel that a head of hair must be looked at differently person to person.

There are people with type 1 hair that can't grow it out. There are people with type 4 hair that grows like weeds.

I don't like to make broad assumptions about millions of people. People are not so simple, everyone is different. You can take two biracial people of the same make up, and they can be very different. Race doesn't make a derned difference imo.

I've known this for a long time. My mom is half white and she has type 4b hair. Most people just assume she is a "regular" black woman. Racial mixing is funny, unpredictable stuff.

I agree with this.

 

[PanamasOwn]

Black OR Mixed raced individual's hair?
-Do you feel that one group has it easier or harder or is it equally bad on both ends?
-How do you empathize with either group?

I'll start first: I honestly feel that either group has it equally bad due to the stereotypes associated with each. One hand you have the world telling you "Why does your hair looks so nappy or chewed up-your mixed therefore you should have good hair" (and for someone who is mixed, this could introduce ill conceived notions about what they are supposed be/look like).
But then if you do have long or "good hair", people generally tend to dismiss you because "it's supposed to be that way"

For many "100%" (or any other variation of predominately black lineage), if you happen to have long or loosely curled hair, you're seen as some type of anomaly who must be unaware of the "good lineage" influencing your genes. This sentiment has actually been expressed in numerous threads and has also happened to me. I find it absolutely preposterous that someone will argue me down about MY m0%*%^!*-&$# parentage .

And as expressed in MissDivine's thread, so many women, before they came to LHCF, did not believe their hair could grow and again "it was supposed to be that way" for them. It encourages them to see that there are others like them who have these problems and have overcome them.

The same is true with women of mixed descent.
Both of these misconceptions are potentially hurtful and I would like to hear from individuals on both sides of the fence .

Feel free to discuss anything you believed before you had the opportunity to learn otherwise and your own personal experiences.


NOTE: After numerous threads, I thought maybe if both groups were introduced, we could generate a POSITIVE discussion amongst us If you are NOT someone who will contribute to this thread in a POSITIVE MANNER, please feel free to remove yourself. Thank you

KBLC...you put so eloquently...what I was trying to discuss yesterday....even though I am still slightly heated about the whole thing...I am glad to see that the topic is actually being brought up and into the light...

 

[kblc06]

KBLC...you put so eloquently...what I was trying to discuss yesterday....even though I am still slightly heated about the whole thing...I am glad to see that the topic is actually being brought up and into the light...

Your very welcome-but I would have you know that there were quite a few people who were actually interested in what people had to say in your thread. Don't let anyone discourage from stating your opinion and your justifications for them

 

[wannabelong]

Your very welcome-but I would have you know that there were quite a few people who were actually interested in what people had to say in your thread. Don't let anyone discourage from stating your opinion and your justifications for them

Yes, I was one of them. I'm not mixed but I wanted to know what trials and tribulations they had to deal with. It's sad her thead had to get locked...the other one didn't.

 

[Vshanell]

Black OR Mixed raced individual's hair?
-Do you feel that one group has it easier or harder or is it equally bad on both ends?
-How do you empathize with either group?

I'll start first: I honestly feel that either group has it equally bad due to the stereotypes associated with each. One hand you have the world telling you "Why does your hair looks so nappy or chewed up-your mixed therefore you should have good hair" (and for someone who is mixed, this could introduce ill conceived notions about what they are supposed be/look like).
But then if you do have long or "good hair", people generally tend to dismiss you because "it's supposed to be that way"

For many "100%" (or any other variation of predominately black lineage), if you happen to have long or loosely curled hair, you're seen as some type of anomaly who must be unaware of the "good lineage" influencing your genes. This sentiment has actually been expressed in numerous threads and has also happened to me. I find it absolutely preposterous that someone will argue me down about MY m0%*%^!*-&$# parentage .And as expressed in MissDivine's thread, so many women, before they came to LHCF, did not believe their hair could grow and again "it was supposed to be that way" for them. It encourages them to see that there are others like them who have these problems and have overcome them.

The same is true with women of mixed descent.
Both of these misconceptions are potentially hurtful and I would like to hear from individuals on both sides of the fence .

Feel free to discuss anything you believed before you had the opportunity to learn otherwise and your own personal experiences.


NOTE: After numerous threads, I thought maybe if both groups were introduced, we could generate a POSITIVE discussion amongst us If you are NOT someone who will contribute to this thread in a POSITIVE MANNER, please feel free to remove yourself. Thank you

I totally feel you on this!!

 

[kblc06]

Bump Bump...........

 

[qchelle]

Just bumpin all your old threads up huh? oh ard, I see you

I never knew any white or mixed people growing up so I never had experience with their hair. The first time I actually met, friended, and had a conversation with a white peson was when I went to college (Which was like 2 years ago)

Growing up, I knew plenty of black girls with long hair. Some of my friends had long hair, some were light skinned, some had curly hair (mostly the dark skinned peeps). Oh, and nobody asked the light skinned people if they were mixed. Probably because none of us had ever seen a real live white person before. It was kind of like, they only existed on TV Is that weird?

And when I got to college and actually met mixed people...I was confused The black people would ask them (the mixed people) if they were mixed!! And I'd be sitting there like...why are they asking them that? They just light skinned...duh! But they (some...the mixed ppl) were mixed! I was shocked! I was like ohhh ok then cool.

Anyway, I digress

The only debunked myth about growing hair/mixed/white/etc for me was that I couldn't have long hair. I've always known it was possible for black people (dark AND light) to have long hair. I just knew it wasn't possible for me. But it was a non-issue for me, because I never cared one way or the other. Until I came to this board My mother just never took care of my hair that's all. My friend's (when we were little) stayed in braids and when they relaxed their hair, it didn't all break off lol

That's the only difference for me. Actual hair care.

 

[BostonMaria]

-Do you feel that one group has it easier or harder or is it equally bad on both ends?
As a Dominican woman I never really thought of myself as "mixed race" until I started to frequent the boards. I think that other people ASSUME my hair is easier to manage and just grows like a weed just because I'm Latina. Seems kinda silly to assume something like that. People really shouldn't generalize. Now truth be told, yes my hair is long and it has grown very long in the past 3 years but its only due to me taking good care of it. If you saw a picture of me just 4 years ago (stringy, never went past SL, split ends galore) you sure would think twice before saying my hair just grows that way with no effort.

-How do you empathize with either group?
Yes I do. I have people in my family with hair that ranges from 2A to 4B. The only thing that holds true is that the ones that were taught how to do their own hair are the ones with long, healthy hair no matter the texture or type. I have family members with 4B waist length hair.

We need to teach our daughters how to take care of their own hair. This has nothing to do with mixed and good genes, etc. I teach all my girls how to moisturize, DC, detangle, use Indian oils, etc... All my DD's and stepdaughters have long hair and I know its because of all the hard work I've done.

 

[SleepyJean]

I think it retains, maybe even grows faster. It grows faster than mine at least.

I think it generally retains better than others, maybe I'm wrong. I'll never truly understand.

BTW...I wasn't trying to be offensive in the other thread. I don't think I said anything too bad. I was enlightened by the comments, though, so it wasn't all bad for me.

I was silly.

This WAS a long time ago. Now, I think most people's hair grows fater than mine... Not just multi-racial folks.

 

[e.lauren]

I just figured hair growth had something to do with genes and that I simply had missed that whole thing. My Mom cut her hair off ALL THE TIME and it grew back so quickly, my father's mom is old and her hair still grows like a weed all thick and gray, my older sister (NerdSauce) is ALWAYS cutting her hair and she was perming and her hair always grew crazy fast, my little sister's dreds grew extremely fast... In all this I was like damn, I guess my hair can't grow but then I realized I simply wasn't taking as good care of my hair as I thought.

As far as ethnic make-up goes I thought that people with lighter curl patterns didn't run into trouble styling their hair but I would have known better if I hadn't damaged my very own 3c curls by blow drying ALL THE TIME. It wasnt until my sister convinced me to take a different approached that I realized that my curls weren't dry and crunchy by nature and that while I do have a lighter curl pattern it DOES take a lot of work to take care of and style my hair and that it has nothing to do with the hair and that "trouble" is a very relative concept.

I also shed my misconceptions about relaxers. Its pretty obvious to me now that it is very possible to have healthy, growing hair with a relaxer when hard work and time are invested. Knowing all this, if I liked how straight hair looked on me I would probably relax.

 

[Austro-Afrikana]

Ever since I was young I thought that my hair type couldn't grow long. I thought that only black or mixed girls with curly hair could get it relatively long. But although now I know that type 4 hair can grow I still think that type 3s have it easier. Where type 4s can't grow past NL when they don't look after it properly, most type 3s can get to APL without trying...

I think it's all about hair type. Many 'black' people have type 3 hair and many mixed people have type 4 hair. I am mixed and have type 4 hair, so does my sister, my SO, his sisters...in fact the majority of mixed race people in the UK (that I've seen) have type 4 hair that is short 'like black people'...(I know this is different in the US due to the genetic makeup of African Americans)...

Neither group has it easier when it comes to hair growth as a whole...IMO it depends on hair type; type 3 hair retains a whole lot easier. And most people's hair grows half an inch whether they are white black mixed or asian so being half white or half asian doesn't mean your hair must grow faster...

I hope I didn't go off tangent!!!

 

[newbeginnings2010]

I have a friend who has curly 3c SL hair and she told me that it was from her mom who is half white. One day she mentioned that her dad is puerto rican and black and I told her that must be where her hair came from and how much easier it is to handle than mine. She got upset and told me that she hates when people tell her where her hair came from because no one on her dad's side has curly hair and that her hair is no easier to handle than mine. She said her hair has never been longer than SL. I felt bad because I made a judgement about her hair that bother the ladies on lhcf. I felt worse because it wasn't pre lhcf. I didn't even think when I said it and I apologized. Now we talk about hair and our issues all the time and we learn a lot from each other. She won't frequent here because she says it's overwhelming but I still give her tips from here.

 

[discodumpling]

I don't think they have it easier than I do. I believe that each head has a unique set of issues.

 

[kblc06]

Actually, I don't think this is true at all...and this coming from the perspective of someone with mostly type 3 hair. Type 3 hair is usually extremely finicky and if you have fine hair, the situation becomes much worse. I've seen many type 4 surpass me in terms of length in a relatively short period of time. It may be true for other type 3s but definitely not me. And if I even look at my hair wrong I get SSKs and split ends

Ever since I was young I thought that my hair type couldn't grow long. I thought that only black or mixed girls with curly hair could get it relatively long. But although now I know that type 4 hair can grow I still think that type 3s have it easier. Where type 4s can't grow past NL when they don't look after it properly, most type 3s can get to APL without trying...

I think it's all about hair type. Many 'black' people have type 3 hair and many mixed people have type 4 hair. I am mixed and have type 4 hair, so does my sister, my SO, his sisters...in fact the majority of mixed race people in the UK (that I've seen) have type 4 hair that is short 'like black people'...(I know this is different in the US due to the genetic makeup of African Americans)...

Neither group has it easier when it comes to hair growth as a whole...IMO it depends on hair type; type 3 hair retains a whole lot easier. And most people's hair grows half an inch whether they are white black mixed or asian so being half white or half asian doesn't mean your hair must grow faster...
I hope I didn't go off tangent!!!