Is natural, Afro-American hair bad?

reply to post by somuchhtosay41


Thanks for you valuable input! I do have to wonder however, you said that you were always told that hair this way was beautiful and such, who I have to wonder gave you that impression? Was it elders? School kids? Magazines?

reply to post by Serizawa

I love the Afro on women. The bigger the better.

I've seen many white people copy various hairstyles that black people have. I'm not into hair terms but i think you call it a weave or plats. Where the natural hair is weaved into a rope type thing to form patterns on the head. It looks great too.

I don't really like dreads as they look messy. I believe you don't wash your hair and let it form into clumps.

Like I say, I know nothing about hair.

Christianity is not a religion, it's a realilty. Therefore God's word is the law and truth. God created all the races and saw that they were ALL good, this includes asians, africans, the whole nine yards. People from africa or with coarse hair have their hair created like that for a reason and science proves it correlates with your environment.

reply to post by Jkd Up


Being a woman and having friends that were black/mixed etc, I can tell you why this is. First and foremost the "African" hair is very very dry and brittle, very badly for some of the women, not all, but some cannot even grow their hair without these product(conditioners, grease, etc) because it will break off, and this is really saddening to them because they, like any women of any other race, would like to wear their locks long. I once asked my friend in HS about this, this is why I know. And the rest (straightening etc) is a matter of personal style choice. Some like their hair curly, some like it straight, and some love the braids, some like twists, ponytails, etc, etc. Actually there are other races that can have very dry brittle hair too, some latin americans can have that kind of hair, some native americans and some Italian/sicilians too. My daughter had problems with dry brittle hair(the italian in her lol), and depending on self inflicted damage, whites can have it too. I dyed my hair so much for a long time that it happened to me when I moved down to the south and I had to do a lot to get it healthy again. So I hope this helps.

Originally posted by Jkd Up
... who I have to wonder gave you that impression? Was it elders? School kids? Magazines?

All of the above. Books, school, TV, teachers, parents, white people, black people... It's something that is drilled into black Americans from their youth. And it's been happening since the 50s and probably before. Black people trying to look more like white people because white people are treated better.

I LOVE the fact that some black women are choosing to go natural. I think it shucks off the idea that there's something wrong with being black. I love a good weave, too, but I see no reason for people to go through SO MUCH, just to be accepted...

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

reply to post by Jkd Up


I think its based on the current image of beauty and women trying to follow it.

Originally posted by Jkd Up
There seems to be a lot of conversation about this topic as of late and although, I am not one to be racist or anything like that I love a good debate and many of the times I've seen this debate it has been a good one. One of the reasons I love ATS is that the debates and issues I start in threads are not mine, but yours. All those who read this and respond to it.

Nappy, crinkly, coarse, etc. Have been ways that some have described the Afro-American hair. I am amazed how much the Afro-American community has given to the world. Music, clothing, words and slang, a great many things of what surrounds us today revolves around the Afro-American community. Evidently, hair is not one of the things that have made the cross over into pop culture.

Black women spend so much on hair products to chemically straighten their hair, it has been estimated that they can spend over $20,000 annum and up to 70% of the market in hair care product (Tyra Banks Show). This seems amazing and obscene to me considering that my hair is less than a quarter inch long, bu I also realize I am not the norm or of Afro-American decent.

Those with a close eye will note the statistics were relayed to me by the Tyra Banks show by a friend, however, the same person who brought this subject up on her own show is just as guilty of doing this. I was told that Tyra wore her hair in Corn Rows during the episode. Funny, I have seen Tyra Banks quite a bit and I don't remember too many times she walked around with an Afro or Corn Rows prior to this.

Personal grip aside.

Was this issue created by the beauty community just to sell products or is this something that blacks have done to themselves? Do blacks with their natural hair face issues of discrimination due solely on the type of hair they naturally have? Does the Afro-American's hair pose a negative projection one them? Does their hair somehow make them different than someone who is Indian, Latino or white? What would it take to bring the natural Afro-American hair to the limelight as acceptable? Or is this another way to try and keep those of African American decent under and continued to be procieved as "lessers"?

I would like to ask that everyone be nice here. Please do not post racist comments or things like that. I would hope that this debate can be had without that type of low-life comments.

edit on 15-3-2011 by Jkd Up because: Ooops... 4got a point...

Is asian toenails good?

Thats a fallacious question.

What is your definition of good and what context your you using it?

Originally posted by thehonestone
Christianity is not a religion, it's a realilty. Therefore God's word is the law and truth. God created all the races and saw that they were ALL good, this includes asians, africans, the whole nine yards. People from africa or with coarse hair have their hair created like that for a reason and science proves it correlates with your environment.

I am not sure how this turned into a theological discussion, but the Catholic Church did their share of being racist and exacuting other creeds and religions to include the Moors (aka: Blacks).

We are all human beings, this is true. Wether by devine right or nothing more than we are all the same family of mammals.

reply to post by ldyserenity


Thanks for your valuable input. Star.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


BENEVOLENT HERETIC: Two thumbs and two big toes waaaayyyy up! Star!

Originally posted by ldyserenity
reply to post by Jkd Up

 

Being a woman and having friends that were black/mixed etc, I can tell you why this is. First and foremost the "African" hair is very very dry and brittle, very badly for some of the women, not all, but some cannot even grow their hair without these product(conditioners, grease, etc) because it will break off, and this is really saddening to them because they, like any women of any other race, would like to wear their locks long. I once asked my friend in HS about this, this is why I know. And the rest (straightening etc) is a matter of personal style choice. Some like their hair curly, some like it straight, and some love the braids, some like twists, ponytails, etc, etc. Actually there are other races that can have very dry brittle hair too, some latin americans can have that kind of hair, some native americans and some Italian/sicilians too. My daughter had problems with dry brittle hair(the italian in her lol), and depending on self inflicted damage, whites can have it too. I dyed my hair so much for a long time that it happened to me when I moved down to the south and I had to do a lot to get it healthy again. So I hope this helps.

Actually that isnt true.African American hair is brittle and dry after the constant pulling and tugging and all the chemicals in it. When it is grown naturally and taken care of with natural products, black hair is the complete opposite. The use of grease and constant flat ironing and weaving is what makes it dry and brittle. That is why so many Black women have now been cutting off all their hair and starting over without chemicals, because our hair really isnt dry and brittle when taken care of the right way.

I personally just feel it's fashion..

Look at the 70s when you had a bunch of white guys and gals growing and making big afros. It was the "in" style, so people of whatever race copied it.

Look at today, when white guys get corn rows because they are into the "hip hop thug" image.

It's all about image. There are many different types of image that people try to portray, and that's why some black girls treat their hair to make it look less "black" just like some white guys and girls will try to make their hair look more "black"

Also, if we are talking about African culture, look at actual Africans, very few of them have afros, so I don't see how an afro is a sign of African culture. Even the women in a lot of African tribes either have very short cut hair, or will apply various substances to straighten or control their hair. It's not like whites are influencing African tribeswomen to put product in their hair (product in this case being natural and not some chemical straightener or relaxer)

But people always want to make things into a race issue so believe it's just the whites telling blacks their hair is bad if you want.

Why should it matter? For most people, their hair is a never ending source of chagrin, frustration, and angst. I finally got the hair I wanted at 46 years old. After 5 years, sick of it & cut it. Try Aveda Damage Remedy. It *will* work no matter how you abuse yourself otherwise (if you even do) & when all else fails. All 3 products. (I don't work for them. Just sharing)
The hippies had this right- just let it be what it is & be happy. It's only important to you & (MAYBE) the person you're trying to impress.