Why are white people so derned interesting?

[Neith]

I'm sorry to make yet another race thread, but eh... twas what poppped into my head.

This is a spinoff of more than one recent thread...

Why is it that sometimes we say "White people do this too!" or "Did you know that white people do this?"

Concerning hair stuff.

Why is it so shocking?

Why do some people act as if one group has hair and the other group has some sort of fine, alien, hair like substance growing from the scalp?

I'm not sure who is the alien and who is the human but it sure does seem like we are so surprised that we sometimes do the same things to our hair.

I mean, it's logical to me that some white women and other non black women are also hair obsessed... and just like any other women, use a wide variety of products and techniques and they also have a wide variety of hair textures.

Sorta... like us!

I mean, look at us. Most of us have kinky hair, type 3's and 4's and we have vastly different regimens. Diversity isn't just for brown people.

I dunno, I just find it to be funny. What is it? Does it make you feel better to know that white women also do their hair? :/ What are your thoughts on it?

 

[Christina Dior]

idk it gets annoying somtimes tho

 

[Chameleonchick]

Yeah this is true. I know a lot of women of other races that are obsessed with hair and ask me for advice for their 1-2b hair.

 

[Tarae]

I guess I can kinda see why it's so shocking to some. I remember a thread that asked if white people have it easier than us, and a lot of people answered yes. I was a pretty long thread and a lot of ladies stated that it is easier for yt women to grow hair longer (stating a bunch of different reasons). And look at a lot of the posts where people are mad at strangers, even family members, for second guessing our own hair, doing a weave check or claiming the person has a certain length or type because they're "mixed". The same people that do weave checks on us probably won't weave check a white girl, because sadly, it's not expected (or the norm) for us to have long hair. So I guess seeing that they have (or choose) to do the "extra" is shocking.

I don't know if it makes anyone feel better. I would hope not. I doesn't make me feel better. I really couldn't care less. lol, you're right about the alien thing though. A few of my Asian friends are really shocked when it comes to "our" hair. I never discuss it with them but I answer their questions as simply as I could. I had one friend ask why my hair wasn't curly when I got out the pool. She understood the part about the relaxer but when I told her even if I were natural it wouldn't curl like she was expected, she looked like something was wrong with me. Another friend didn't understand why my natural hair wouldn't look like our waitress who was a natural 3b/c. But they love when I'm wearing braid/twist outs. I guess aliens are 3b/c. I don't know what I am, with this 4b/z hair

 

[Sarahh.]

Very true.
I'm white and I use many of the same techniques and products as anyone else on this site.
I have the same goals for my hair, and my hair needs the same things as every one else (moisture etc).
Don't forget that white people can even have type 3 and 4 hair too!

 

[CurlyMoo]

Very true.
I'm white and I use many of the same techniques and products as anyone else on this site.
I have the same goals for my hair, and my hair needs the same things as every one else (moisture etc).
Don't forget that white people can even have type 3 and 4 hair too!

Yes, I've discovered that many woman with long hair tend to have the same regimen regardless of texture or race. I'm thinking that's a bandwagon we should all join to have similar successes. Hair is hair, made of protein.

I also agree with the White people having type 3/4 hair as well, let's take the Irish for instance. I have seen some very thick red type 4 hair and it's because many years ago the Moors lived in Ireland and many Irish are decendants of those Africans some even say that they were there first. Many Europeans in fact in the English and Italian monarchy can trace their ancestry back to Ethiopia and Northern Black African Moors who ruled Spain, Southeren France, Italy and Portugal. The concept of race is very interesting because with research there is rarely pure anything. And let us not forget that many fair skinned Black Americans during and after slavery passed as White and there are generations of White decendants who have traced their some of their ancestry back to a Black American Slave. Just as many Black people myself included can trace some of my ancestry back to Scandinavia.

 

[MonPetite]

I think the mysticism involved with 'Black Hair' and all the ends and outs that make girls at JCP Penny's Salons eyes glaze over when you walk in and the "Black Stylist" isn't in are more due to ignorance on our part of how to take care of our hair in comparison to OVERWHELMING knowledge on how to maintain "white" or 2b and up hair types.

This ignorance stems, yes, as broken record as it sounds, from the HUNDREDS of years we spent without a comb being reduced to near inhuman creatures for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Unfortunately society rewards us for staying in this quagmire and seeking "easy" options like weave (mixed with a little misunderstanding and self hate for good measure). I'm not "knocking" weaves, BTW. Just their mis/overuse in the place of solid hair care. They're a great option for special techniques, and growth...but often they become crutches...not options.

Thus, to us, in this land of "Doo-gro", Black protein gel, weaves, Marcel irons, and Luster's Pink Lotion (I'm not knocking these, in moderation they are perfectly fine, but if we didn't abuse them often out of sheer misinformation, LHCF would not exist) seeing someone who can just wash their hair , shake it out and it dries relatively straight, shiny, with swing and bounce is certainly something to take notice of.

Thus it is "darned interesting".

I agree hair is hair.

I don't think I have any "black" products in the 200+ products I have reviewed. I'm sure there are a few...there has to be...five or so maybe? Products for "white" hair do just as well -often times better, do to less cheap ingredients- than "black" products.

There ARE key differences in taking care of our hair in comparison to "white" hair...but there are differences between "Asian" hair and "white" hair. "Indian" hair and "white" hair and variations WITHIN those categories.

Which makes sense as we are ALL different.

Unfortunately we are the only race stigmatized by our rather unique hair type. It was used as "evidence" of our being supposedly sub-human. Let me say race is nothing but a political construct developed by Europeans...but that's another forum. The only "race" that exists is the HUMAN one we all belong to.

Still, this is another lasting scar that makes those with hair opposite ours "darned interesting". It's a complex topic...but one worth acknowledging and then digesting through KNOWLEDGE to find, not necessarily a "common ground" but a realization with no label of "good or bad".

IE "our" hair is harder, "theirs" is what-have-you.

A simple recognition of similarities, differences, and what is ultimately necessary no matter what you use or "whose" techniques you use:

A REGIMEN THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

 

[Neith]

I think the mysticism involved with 'Black Hair' and all the ends and outs that make girls at JCP Penny's Salons eyes glaze over when you walk in and the "Black Stylist" isn't in are more due to ignorance on our part of how to take care of our hair in comparison to OVERWHELMING knowledge on how to maintain "white" or 2b and up hair types.

This ignorance stems, yes, as broken record as it sounds, from the HUNDREDS of years we spent without a comb being reduced to near inhuman creatures for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Unfortunately society rewards us for staying in this quagmire and seeking "easy" options like weave (mixed with a little misunderstanding and self hate for good measure). I'm not "knocking" weaves, BTW. Just their mis/overuse in the place of solid hair care. They're a great option for special techniques, and growth...but often they become crutches...not options.

Thus, to us, in this land of "Doo-gro", Black protein gel, weaves, Marcel irons, and Luster's Pink Lotion (I'm not knocking these, in moderation they are perfectly fine, but if we didn't abuse them often out of sheer misinformation, LHCF would not exist) seeing someone who can just wash their hair , shake it out and it dries relatively straight, shiny, with swing and bounce is certainly something to take notice of.

Thus it is "darned interesting".

I agree hair is hair.

I don't think I have any "black" products in the 200+ products I have reviewed. I'm sure there are a few...there has to be...five or so maybe? Products for "white" hair do just as well -often times better, do to less cheap ingredients- than "black" products.

There ARE key differences in taking care of our hair in comparison to "white" hair...but there are differences between "Asian" hair and "white" hair. "Indian" hair and "white" hair and variations WITHIN those categories.

Which makes sense as we are ALL different.

Unfortunately we are the only race stigmatized by our rather unique hair type. It was used as "evidence" of our being supposedly sub-human. Let me say race is nothing but a political construct developed by Europeans...but that's another forum. The only "race" that exits is the HUMAN one we all belong to.

Still, this is another lasting scar that makes those with hair opposite ours "darned interesting". It's a complex topic...but one worth acknowledging and then digesting through KNOWLEDGE to find, not necessarily a "common ground" but a realization with no label of "good or bad".

IE "our" hair is harder, "theirs" is what-have-you.

A simple recognition of similarities, differences, and what is ultimately necessary no matter what you use or "whose" techniques you use:

A REGIMEN THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

Great post

I agree. I feel as if it's the mentality that is implied through being so shocked about a white woman doing something "out of the norm" to take care of her hair. As if white people's hair is so easy and perfect that you are shocked that any of them would ever have to even think of doing certain things to it... but it's not a big shock that we have to do it. Hair is hair.

I would think that here where the average age is well into adulthood (I think) and we're all bombarded with all this knowledge about our hair, that a lot of those old scars would pretty much be healed.

 

[JustKiya]

Dang, LittleGoldLamb put it down and summed it up - all I can say is, yes, exactly.

 

[Chrissmiss]

I think black women sometimes compare themselves to white women when it comes to things such as hair as some sort of justification. For example "Well white woman wear weaves too!" The truth is the majority of white women and black women who wear weaves where it for vastily diffrent reasons. We do not need justification for what we do from white woman or any other black woman for that matter. Do you.

 

[lovenharmony]

Great post

I agree. I feel as if it's the mentality that is implied through being so shocked about a white woman doing something "out of the norm" to take care of her hair. As if white people's hair is so easy and perfect that you are shocked that any of them would ever have to even think of doing certain things to it... but it's not a big shock that we have to do it. Hair is hair.

I would think that here where the average age is well into adulthood (I think) and we're all bombarded with all this knowledge about our hair, that a lot of those old scars would pretty much be healed.

I agree Neith, however take into consideration that there are some here that still have not dispelled the myths of there not being "good" and "bad" hair. Unfortunately the stigma of African, kinky textured hair is that it's rough, hard, difficult to manage, cannot grow long and (dare I say) not "pretty". This has been embedded in the minds of not only our own race, but every race around the world! I can understand why some may find it "interesting" to discover that White people cover their hair in a silk bonnet or use satin pillowcases at night, use monistat or MT on their scalp to help it grow at an accelerated rate, use protein treatments and deep condition 2 - 3 times a week like most women here do to maintain a healthy head of 3 and 4 type hair. It's even more shocking to those that have encountered White people on a regular basis that do nothing but wash and brush their hair and they have smooth, shiny, silky hair going all the way down their butt! If that was the case I'd say why do all the extra stuff too?

 

[Lexib]

I think black women sometimes compare themselves to white women when it comes to things such as hair as some sort of justification. For example "Well white woman wear weaves too!" The truth is the majority of white women and black women who wear weaves where it for vastily diffrent reasons. We do not need justification for what we do from white woman or any other black woman for that matter. Do you.

Excellent point.

 

[Eisani]

...they're not.

 

[growinmyhair]

I'm sorry to make yet another race thread, but eh... twas what poppped into my head.

This is a spinoff of more than one recent thread...

Why is it that sometimes we say "White people do this too!" or "Did you know that white people do this?"

Concerning hair stuff.

Why is it so shocking?

Why do some people act as if one group has hair and the other group has some sort of fine, alien, hair like substance growing from the scalp?

I'm not sure who is the alien and who is the human but it sure does seem like we are so surprised that we sometimes do the same things to our hair.

I mean, it's logical to me that some white women and other non black women are also hair obsessed... and just like any other women, use a wide variety of products and techniques and they also have a wide variety of hair textures.

Sorta... like us!

I mean, look at us. Most of us have kinky hair, type 3's and 4's and we have vastly different regimens. Diversity isn't just for brown people.

I dunno, I just find it to be funny. What is it? Does it make you feel better to know that white women also do their hair? :/ What are your thoughts on it?

I agree with you, its almost like if white women are doing it its ok.

 

[Kurly K]

i hate when people find out i wash my hair daily when its curly and their response is " What do u think ur white or something?" like y do i have to b white to wash my hair daily

 

[Inches411]

yeah i had to stop talking to my mom about my hair cause she was telling me im washing it to much.. i dont have taht type of hair..i dont have white ppl hair and im like geeze ur ignorant lol. im like shoot i just want my hair to be clean.. when i was younger she said she would only wash it once a month.... fortunately i always kept a nice set of hair on my head but still.....ugh...