Since I talked about natural hair mainstreaming, I will talk about the downside of the natural hair community. There is a certain perception inside and outside of the community on where you stand politically, fashion wise, or otherwise.
There are also stereotypes about your "blackness". Many naturals I know are interracially married, but that doesn't mean the whole natural movement is supportive of such unions. There is a tone of "I love black men!" movement, which there is definitely nothing wrong with, but I know on certain sites, if I proclaimed "I love white men!", I would not be welcomed with open arms. Case and point, I went to one of my many hair boards and a question off topic was about a woman preparing for her wedding. She is engaged to a white guy, but she wants to "jump the broom" as part of the wedding ceremony. I say she is black, it is part of her heritage, she should be able to do it, and it isn't uncommon for people of two different cultures to incorporate some of their traditions into the ceremony. To some it seemed like a slap in the face of our ancestors to jump the broom with a white guy.
There seems to be a strong identification of blackness and strong black love amongst many naturals. I am not against black love, without black love I wouldn't be here, but it would be nice to feel welcome and loved in the natural hair community because, like others I can relate to the struggle of being natural in a culture that embraces long, straight, and silky. I know most naturals have those stories about folks asking when they will get their hair done, or how they look so much better when they decide to straighten their hair. I know we all have stories about learning how to handle our hair in a natural state, or learning why the Pink Oil Lotion and Blue Magic don't work as well and stink to high heaven. We all learned how vastly different our hair can be, and that there is more ways to style our hair outside the afro.
I understand that embracing our hair in a natural state is important, but it shouldn't lead to group think. Our hair is unique and so should our thoughts.
23 comments:
How much of this do you think comes from black culture's exclusiveness (as opposed to inclusiveness). So much of what is viewed as black culture springs from opposition, so when it is being celebrated, or participated in, by one representing that historical opposition, it is seen as an affront.
There is an idea in mainstream thought that when it comes to black or white, loving one must mean hating the other.
I don't understand natural hair Nazi who act like you just have to use all natural products yet they are fat. I am like you should be eating natural foods too
How much of this do you think comes from black culture's exclusiveness (as opposed to inclusiveness).
I don't know if black culture is exclusive, I think it has been excluded, and I think aspects of it have been taken and adopted by other cultures without acknowledgement.
I do think though there has over time been a barometer of blackness applied to folks because we have fallen victim to our own stereotypes, which is why you see people who don't necessarily embrace those stereotypes get rejected. I think at times, it is seen as an affront to openly allow someone of another race to embrace our culture or traditions, because historically our culture and traditions haven't been received with open arms by the mainstream culture.
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Anon:
I think being natural is a process. I went back to being veg a few years back and it had everything to do with me being obsessed with only using natural products in my hair. I mean you have to wonder if certain chemicals make your hair react a certain way, they must do something to the body. I still partake in Nutella and Captain Crunch though. I will not lie, but natural isn't about being fat or skinny, but rather being accepted as is, without fear of limiting your social life or career opportunities.
Okay I was going to make a comment about your post until you mentioned Nutella. That totally distracted me! I love that stuff but I've been "off it" for about a year now.
Whew, I think I'm getting the shakes.
Interestingly enough, most of the natural bloggers that I read have white husbands or date interracial so maybe the tide is turning. But then again, I have a very low tolerance for people who speak negatively about black people, i.e. bad hair, good hair, nice eyes, nappy, etc.
I have noticed that some of the women who do sport naturals, and I am specifically speaking about fros, are more of the "granola" types. I really can't say that for locs for I have seen everyone from porn stars to debutantes sport locks so it's not really the same.
So there is an air of naturalness, organic clothes and food (which I fully support BTW), and minimal dazzle. It's like you are moving into a lifestyle. I long for the day when the fro is just a hairstyle and not a political statement.
I have noticed that some of the women who do sport naturals, and I am specifically speaking about fros, are more of the "granola" types. I really can't say that for locs for I have seen everyone from porn stars to debutantes sport locks so it's not really the same.
That isn't true though, there are many naturals who aren't granola. I happen to be "granola", but I was "granola" when I was rocking perm. I will also say because one is "granola" does not mean they have thrown fashion out the window. I think for me, I avoid wearing "labels". Folks don't need to know how much miscellaneous income I have, and I sure as hell don't need to pay to advertise some company's stuff, unless they are breaking me off a piece of that revenue. That's me though.
I keep it fashionable and granola. I heart Etsy, because I like wearing clothes that not everyone and their mother has because it is mass produced by children in some 3rd world nation.But that is how I roll.
Just because we are natural doesn't mean we all look like hot ass and wear birkenstocks.
I think it is ridiculous to attempt to tell folks how they have to be natural. You cannot put heat in your hair or it is not natural, I have heard that a couple of times. That is CRAZY. I wear my hair in a twa at present and I love it, but if I decide after it gets some length to go and get it flat ironed for a while, that is my choice, and YES it is stil natural to me.
I think in a rush to accept the otherness that we can have, that very few other groups can participate in w/us we create a lot of rules and regs for it to make it exclusive. Our hair also became a big deal because some of us learned to love the very thing that was held out for the longest time to be a hindrance in being truly, authentically beautiful our OWN hair texture with no chemicals added. Right now some are very protective of that new feeling and they are going a bit overboard. We have so little that we can own that is ours alone.
I feel like you do Siddity in regards to the fact that EVERYONE takes from AA culture that which is wonderful: music, art, language, literature, slang etc., but there is a refusal to honestly acknowledge those adoptions. Often and esp. in the past, our culture and traditions are not displayed positively, they are ridiculed, and often misunderstood. Some look at our ability to laugh and try to enjoy life despite our incredible dismal odds over the yrs. for example to mean that we were/are stupid and childish. A lot of AA's have decided, esp after the recent CNN Black in America debacle to just keep their way of life to themselves because when others try to define AA's it is usually with a few very narrow definitions that are rather stereotypical.
Well, when you look at the fact that most black men and women aren't keen on interracial relationships between black women and white men, it makes sense.
If being natural means getting back to black roots, then obviously is doesn't mean dating a white person.
Interestingly enough, the New York Times just printed an article on natural hair: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/fashion/27SKIN.html?_r=2.
@Enigma, co-sign. You are sooo right, especially when you re-iterate Sid's excellent point that so much of "our" stuff gets co-opted by others without celebrating us and our culture. Even now that many white women are making themselves look silly with puffy lips, and butt implants, but for so long our larger lips and butts were looked at with disdain (well except when they wore those crazy bustles in the 18th c and they still didn't credit us with that then).
Geez, this is going to be a long afternoon. I eat organically and don't wear labels either--I refuse to be a walking billboard. I'm not what you would call Flashy in the least but you would also never call me granola either. Maybe one of the reasons could be because I'm allergic to nuts/sesame seeds therefore I can't eat anything that remotely looks like granola but I always strive to eat healthily. Because of my allergy, I typically have to stay away from many health food stores because they put nuts in everything, this includes a lot of "natural" skin and hair products that substitute many oils with almond oil. Back to the main point.
Again, this is what I have seen in NYC. I see more diversity (in people and styles)in locs than I do with fros. That is not to say there isn't diversity in the people who wear fros, I am just commenting on what I have seen on the street, in the train, etc. Granola does not necessarily mean "hot ass" or birkenstock wearers, just closer to nature in dress and style; however, I would never be caught dead in birkenstocks, crocs, or tevas--I don't care how comfortable they are. I love going camping but and canoeing but never in that footwear.
The goal for me is to have more people with Fros not less. Inevitably there will be more diversity in the "fro community," when that happens. And with diversity will come more discussions about what is termed "acceptable/appropriate/Natural." Honestly I can't wait. I find discussions like this fascinating.
Great post! I agree that some black people have fallen victim to stereoptypes - I wear my hair natural and don't really eat granola unless it is coated with chocolate, but I do own a pair of birkenstocks - lol
But I have learned from writing articles that there are some people who just wake up in the morning and search blogs/articles for 'trigger' words so they can go on a tangent of negativity - and for some reason this amuses them.
Yeah that is a new one. I didn't realize people took natural hair that far.
I do however link natural hair with one's comfort with the way they were created and weaves as one being seriously delusional. But that is where it ends. Attaching natural hair to Black Militant culture is going overboard to me. Though I guess they can defend their position.
I feel like I'm being silenced in this area so if you don't want me to participate in this discussion then I won't but I think this is conversation that involves me, my friends, my family and hopefully one day my children. I think we are all after the same goal, we just have different way of getting to that finish line.
My style is what I would consider classic/timeless. For example, I still wear clothes that I bought when I was 19years old, ten plus year ago. I update those items with accessories. That doesn't mean my style is better than those who are trendy, hipster, nature enthusiast, athletic or preppy. It's just different. I do own a set of pearls but I wouldn't wear it with an argyle sweater because then you have a preppy outfit, not me.
"Granola" wasn't meant to offend or degrade anyone. But I must say, if Granola offends but calling someone a Natural Hair Nazi doesn't well, I have a lot to learn.
BTW BlackChick, that article was amazing and certainly appropriate.
Our hair also became a big deal because some of us learned to love the very thing that was held out for the longest time to be a hindrance in being truly, authentically beautiful our OWN hair texture with no chemicals added. Right now some are very protective of that new feeling and they are going a bit overboard. We have so little that we can own that is ours alone.
This is so very true!!!! I feel that many of us come from a place of excitement at discovering that there is nothing wrong with natural hair, because all of our lives, we had been told otherwise.
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Even now that many white women are making themselves look silly with puffy lips, and butt implants, but for so long our larger lips and butts were looked at with disdain (well except when they wore those crazy bustles in the 18th c and they still didn't credit us with that then).
I was told as a child by more than a few white kids I had greasy chicken eating lips. Memories. That and big butts were disgusting. I'm glad my husband disagrees.
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I'm going to go back to the Is Natural Hair Mainstreaming post, because you said something similar there.
One of the issues is that most of the women I see with natural hair, aren't very stylish. Meaning, they are content to wear Old Navy t-shirts and baggy khakis and tevas. They are usually natural to the bone, no makeup, no nail polish and if they have a natural hair style it looks unkempt. Not all, just some of the ones I see. Also those women tend to be older and have a much different set of priorities than I.
When you say this, you aren't saying folks are different, you are saying they look unkempt and aren't stylish. No matter how much you backtrack, that comes off insulting to folks with natural hair.
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Great post! I agree that some black people have fallen victim to stereoptypes - I wear my hair natural and don't really eat granola unless it is coated with chocolate, but I do own a pair of birkenstocks - lol
LOL I am not going to lie in high school birkenstocks were considered cool amongst my set, but it wasn't a matter of natural heads, these were white kids LOL
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I feel like I'm being silenced in this area so if you don't want me to participate in this discussion then I won't but I think this is conversation that involves me, my friends, my family and hopefully one day my children. I think we are all after the same goal, we just have different way of getting to that finish line.
Disagreement in no way means silenced. I was insulted at your stereotypes of people with natural hair, but that is because I wear my hair natural and I sure as hell don't even wear Tevas, birkenstocks, or crocs. I made a post on my other blog about how I hate crocs.
I see many a preppy white suburban mothers rocking crocs and their little kids too. My kids won't wear them, except maybe to the pool. That is like the stereotype that all folks who have perm and weave hate themselves, it isn't fair and it isn't right.
I still think that the best looking white girls have the fewest "White" features.
(Isn't the reverse often said of Black women too?)
If you like to go back to the prior post we can but since I got got such a harsh reaction, I softened my language which should be acknowledged. I also sent in three response posts which were either rejected or are lost in cyberspace either way, there not here.
I probably shouldn't have use the words unkempt, I wasn't thinking. But I do stand by my original sentiment that a lot of naturals that I know, NOT ALL, tend to be more organic in dress and my examples were foot wear as well as, long denim skirts with chuck taylors. Maybe all of those people are also more artistic and work at magazines-I don't know but don't crucify me for it. If you can say a large segment are Natural hair Nazis then I can say a large portion wear long skirts with birkenstocks.
But my primary point was that I wanted a fashionable natural icon, it can only help. I didn't wear make up until I met a woman who was my complexion who wore it. Until then I just thought makeup wasn't for me. It wasn't marketed to me, my mother doesn't wear it neither does my sister; not to mention the fact that they are different complexions. If I never met my friend I probably would never wear make up. My point is some of us need to see the end result. We are not all visionaries.
My best friend is a natural head. She has been that way, off and on, since grade school. She would loathe me to use her as an example but I will. She could wrap a scarf around her head and have it free flowing like Jill Scott (she doesn't do that because her head gets too hot); Fine. She can do some intricate twists and hold it up with clips, but that takes too much time. So how does she wear her hair, in the two cornrow braids that she had in grade school. So what happens, she looks like a kid and thus treated as one. I had this style discussion with her. She says she has no style while I would say her style is very college, t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. This is my point, a lot of women who go natural, NOT ALL, do so because they don't like to do hair or don't like a lot of hair on their heads. They won't play around with they hair for hours to see what works and what doesn't. SINCE WHEN DID OUR HAIR BECOME SUCH A BURDEN??? Why can't you take a day to figure out what goes best with your face and features.
So in the many camps of "I wear my hair natural" the ones that stand out are (and it could be that those are the most vocal) those who are more militant with their hair and style, who you would term, Natural Hair Nazis, and the ones I encounter, who don't like hair PERIOD (any kind of hair), don't like to do hair and went natural precisely for that reason.
I don't want my natural references to be people who go natural because they "just can't be bothered." So for my friend, it's a non issue.
BTW, my references for people who wear Crocs, Tevas, and Birenstocks were white people. As a matter of fact the term Granola and the more derisive term, tree huggers, were created for them. I don't know too many black people who rock any of those styles of dress. One very iconic image I have of a great many people wearing Birenstocks is Woodstock '90s. Not that many black people there. And the AA who I see who do wear them are low and behold, Artists (poets, writers, musicians, and painters). And I do see a great many white middle class mothers rocking crocs with their kids on the Upper West Side. Wearing them doesn't make you poor. However, they are not CHIC or stylish. But hey that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
Hey Siditty that is such a stereotype. I am not natural but, I have a boyfriend who is of another race. What gives. People should be content in whatever style black women choose to wear their hair as. Natural hair is beautiful one day I may transition into that. Having relaxed hair does not make you the devil either. It is all up to you and what makes you happy.
If you like to go back to the prior post we can but since I got got such a harsh reaction, I softened my language which should be acknowledged. I also sent in three response posts which were either rejected or are lost in cyberspace either way, there not here.
They were not rejected, I can say that much.
If you can say a large segment are Natural hair Nazis then I can say a large portion wear long skirts with birkenstocks.
I didn't say a large portion are Natural hair Nazis. Like I would never say most people with perms are full of self hatred, I will say most the people I see with perms have severely damaged hair, but that doesn't mean it is the norm, maybe it means I am around people who don't know how to care for permed hair. I see wispy long see through ends, split ends all over the place and thinning hair quite often.
Fine. She can do some intricate twists and hold it up with clips, but that takes too much time. So how does she wear her hair, in the two cornrow braids that she had in grade school. So what happens, she looks like a kid and thus treated as one
Your friend needs to learn how to do her hair outside of twists and free form. That is what I would learn from that, not that she is limited in style simply because she is natural. I would also say it sounds like she isn't one into "fashion", I personally don't see anything wrong with that, but that sounds to me like her personality, not anything to do with if she is natural or not. Does she dress up more during the times she goes wearing a perm?
SINCE WHEN DID OUR HAIR BECOME SUCH A BURDEN??? Why can't you take a day to figure out what goes best with your face and features.
The problem with this is that it is innocent of racial construct and beauty expectations. You want to pretend that black folks straightening their hair had nothing to do with trying to conform to white beauty standards, so be it, but honestly that is what it is, when we came here, we didn't come packed with hair accessories in tow, and we had to learn how to do our hair, and we mimicked those whose hair texture was completely different, and when Madam CJ Walker created the perm we embraced it all in the name of making our hair more "manageable" instead of learning how to do our own hair, which is completely manageable if you know how to do it, and it isn't always time consuming to deal with natural hair. I spend less time on my hair now than I ever did with a perm. Even now if I decide to flat iron it, it can take up to three hours to do a half decent job, and that is with my modifying my hair to make it semi straight for ease of flat ironing. It used to take around an hour to perm my hair, that is the actual process of perming, it would take another hour for it to dry under the big ass dome dryer. It was way more time consuming than anything I ever do as a natural head.
Being a natural in this day is a burden because you have people who stereotype you, the possibility of losing out on professional jobs because black hair in it's natural state is seen as unprofessional or unkempt no matter how well styled it is, or how much better it looks that the most damaged hair of someone with a perm. If it was just a style choice it would be one thing, but with the stereotypes and possibly missed opportunities because of stereotypes,black hair can be a burden, and unfortunately, the biggest "burden" from my experience comes from other black people.
Siddity,
You rock.
Hey I wear crocs. lol!
great post.
We Black women SHOULD be proud of our hair in it's natural state. What is so wrong with that?
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