What does the world think of us?

I was reading another blog and found a short entry stating that women of color in other countries believe that African-American women have naturally straight/wavy hair. T shook my head and thought no one could believe that. I began to read the comments and woman after woman from abroad supported the blog. I was taken aback then thought about what they said. The mainstream images of women of color that are sent to the world from America are of relaxed women with weaves.The commentary expressed their desire as children to have "American" hair. Their mothers told them Americans just had hair like that. One even said all American women of color had a white person somewhere in their family and that accounted for their hair texture. I read Americans had stronger hair so relaxers left it beautiful long and shiny. I was filled with horror! I lament everyday that little black girls have to endure the "white beauty myth" in America. How do you combat it when the images are all black? How does a young girl abroad not feel less when she actually thinks that is their hair?

American Hair ( a lace front wig )

If I had hair like yours...

I'm sure this topics has been discussed ad nauseaum but I had a recent occurrence. I would characterize my co-workers as open-minded. No one has made any comment about my hair other than to compliment it. They are the backhanded variety like: "Oh, you can do that cause you have that good grade of hair." or " That is cute on you but I couldn't do that with this( fill in the blank with negative adjective) mess". I just accept the compliments and move on

This past week someone came to work in a hat, a knit hat, a snug knit hat, a snug knit hat with a pom-pom on top! Needless to say, jokes ensued. She explained she was having a bad hair day. We suggested she just slick it back (as her hair is short). She said, "My hair is thick. I can't just slick it back between perms." We all sort of nodded because you can't tell a woman about her own hair. She then reached out and playfully ran her fingers though my twists and said, " If I had hair like this I could probably slick it back." I found the whole exchange sad. She's at work looking borderline unprofessional because she believes that straight hair is her only alternative. I thought to myself,you do have hair like mine you're hiding it under that goofy hat!

Why we all had a perm

I was recently sent a link to a video. It made me understand why many of us to hated our hair.
There are many natural hair rules broken while combing the child in the videos hair:
-her hair is bone dry, with a few squirts of detangling spray
-her hair is being styled with a plastic vented brush, she says"I don"t want that brush."
-she is being cursed by the "stylist"
-she is being teased off camera about her behavior and hair texture
-her hair is not sectioned/braided/clipped
-her hair is all out and being brushed hard
-the word demon is used in relation to the experience
-the child is crying and saying she hates the stylist
-another child is told menacingly they are next
-negative references are made to the child's curls

zSHARE video - Nappy Ass Hair.flv