A Simple Thank You.


thank you for jumping into my world. read. share. live mindfully. laugh often. seek balance. choose happiness. love life. -- XOX ♥ msamarse

8.25.2010

Dishing the "Good Hair" Theory



Good hair… what exactly is “good hair”? 


A constant question I ask when I hear someone make this comment. Even though, we all know that good hair means straight, manageable, non-kinky hair. So I guess that means that any other hair type must be bad right? I find myself in debates often about this topic because I can go on for days with my opinion about hair types, natural vs. perms, weave, etc. Now, I’ve only been natural (without any chemicals in my hair) since May of 2008. But, I can say it was one of the best decisions of my life and I will never go back to having a perm.


I DON’T look down on anyone that chooses to perm their hair though. I think each person needs to make the decision based on what is most manageable for them and how they prefer to keep their hair up. What I DO look down on are people that are ignorant about it.


First, my problem is that people even use the terms “good hair”, “bad hair”, “nappy”, etc. altogether. Those are terms that society has deemed acceptable for people to categorize the difference between hair that is straight and hair that is kinky, i.e. white and black people’s hair. Bad has a negative connotation, so why do we automatically associate negativity with hair that is not straight? We grow up being programmed to believe that the lighter and straighter the better. And what exact is “nappy”? Dictionary.com defines it as – “kinky” or “fuzzy” but we all know that the term nappy is more often than not used to describe someone’s hair in an offensive manner -- We all remember when Don Imus said, "That's some nappy-headed hos there." (2007) -- I really don't think that was meant as a compliment.


My second problem is that I don’t understand why people think that they have the right to say deter people from going natural and make comments like “not everyone should go natural”. Last time I checked when I came out of my mother’s womb my hair grew out of my head like this. I wasn’t born with a perm on my hair, so whatever makes anyone think they have the right to judge someone based on that is beyond me. I continuously hear guys make comments about not wanting to talk to a girl with natural hair. Why though? Have we been THAT brainwashed and as I like to call it – “Europeanized” that we no longer embrace our culture and only accept females with long straight hair? Earth to guys, you say you don’t like women who wear makeup, and you want her to be “natural” but yet you shun girls with natural hair? A little backwards if you ask me.

I don’t try to push my opinions on others, because they are just that – opinions. But, I really do want everyone to sit back and think about how they sound when they make ignorant comments like that, you sound DUMB. Embrace your culture people.


Girls that rock perms & weave it up I love you all the same (I rock my 14 inches sometimes too lol) & all my TWA chics continue to do you! xox


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