Southernbella.
Well-Known Member
perhaps the reason for the heated discussion lies in what the term "natural" represents within the Black community. while most women on the boards are either natural b/c they have always been that way, or because they had issues with relaxers, or because they just wanted to see their natural texture or try something new, IMO it is very possible that there is a sub-conscious concept that because natural Black hair has been demonized within American culture and abroad for so long, for a Black woman to have beautiful, healthy and thriving, 100% natural hair, it stands as a testament to the true beauty that encompasses being Black.
now i'm not saying that all naturals are as such for political reasons (a few women are, but from what i have seen, the majority of women who go natural from relaxed did so for many other reasons completely devoid of political and of course there are those who just never got a relaxer in the first place)
all that i am saying is that i believe "the big deal" is that a woman, who believes within her heart that she is natural, should not be told that she isn't b/c again, i think that taps into and threatens that woman's sub-conscious ideas of Black beauty within a largely white society.
people are going to get heated about issues they strongly believe in. (obviously )
all in luv!
This is a good point. Maybe I won't care 5 years from now, but I'm newly nappy. It took a LOT for me to get to this point. I had darn-near waist length relaxed hair, and now I have a fro. I'll be *&%$! if someone is going to tell me I can't be natural if I dye my hair black (which I have done) or use poo with chemicals in it.
Trust me...compared to where I was, I'm natural!I don't say that to say natural is better, I say that to say it was a heck of a journey from there to here. That means something to me.