Sugar
Active Member
It's sad but this thread is an example of of the historical ignorace that is so prevalent in our culture. How is it possible to live in this country and not know the historical basis of beauty standards? How is it possible not to recognize the ways in which history have impacted today? How can you not recognize that the reasons so many black women bleach their skin and straighten their hair has a lot to do with the historical onslaught on our physical makeup? How can we not recognize the preference for light skin, "pretty hair" and light eyes as connected with slavery and colonialsim?
Is it just an accident that so many negative connotations are attached to natural hair?
I do see a small light of hope though. More women are embracing their natural hair, more naturals are being featured in commericials etc. Hopefully, our liitle black girls are taking notice and that it will have a positive effect on their self-esteem. I for one want little black girls to realize that beauty comes in all forms. For once, I want to see a study where little black girls won't overwhemingly show a preference for white dolls. I want them to be influenced by a media that shows them beauty in all forms.
I think its sad that this thread is a reminder of how blacks keep themselves divided...and the divisive method of choice in this case is something a simple as hair styling. Some of you remind me of uber-religious folks who can't stop trying to force their views on everyone else. If you don't believe like they do then you're not saved and are damned to Hell. Only here its...if you prefer straight hair or relax then you're brainwashed and self-hating. We are not monolithic and we aren't going to like or want the same things.
I was never that little Black girl who looked at white girls hair and wanted it or questioned why I didn't have it. We were just different and I was okay with that. I was more likely to try to emulate a Black girl's hair style...because we actually "do" our hair.