Who is saying Black Women Can't Grow Hair?

[jamaraa]

I think AA women can potentially grow hair, it's just that a lot of the common hair practices aren't letting it happen. Let's say 75% (rough figure here, it's probably a lot higher) of AA women are doing some crazy non healthy things to their hair. Extremely tight braiding, not keeping the scalp clean, relaxing, hot combing, dumping all sorts of heavy greases on it, and including women who intentionally cut their hair short for styling purposes; and someone on the outside looking in sees 75% of the women either bald, wearing a wig or a weave, or have hair no longer than an inch long. Of course they're going to think that the majority of AA women can't grow hair. And of course they'll be surprised and awed to see an AA woman with MBL length or longer. That's not racism or ignorance, that's noticing a very common practice. It's how the human brain works, you notice a frequency in behavior or practice and your brain categorizes it so that it makes sense.

I don't understand why it makes people so angry. Just grow your hair, and stop worrying about what the next person says.

That's what I try to figure out...why does this bug people so much when it's pretty obviously true? Ok, I DO have an idea but it's not PC.

I mean, I'm amazed that folks regularly say it takes them HOURS to detangle their hair? Why?! How is hair getting this tangled to spend 3-4 hours on this even if your hair is WL+ and super thick? This is just a small example, but I can't see how something so extreme this can be helpful for retaining growth.