Hello Sistas, this is my first post in the hair section!
White women joining the natural hair movement? I say NEVER. I don't care how curly their hair is - NEVER! Their struggle is not our struggle. If they do things to their hair, it's to fit in. They are not verbally abused because of their hair, as far as I know. They don't have their own family members calling them names or asking them when they'll 'fix' their hair because they decided not to flat-iron or wear it in a bun that day. They haven't been so conditioned to scorn their own God-given hair, that from as young as 5, they've had it straightened so it can look 'good'.
Do they know what chemical burns are about? They don't have to struggle and search high and low for women in mainstream magazines or films that look like them or have similar hair. 15 years ago, the only 'black' woman I knew of with natural hair was Mel B. from the Spice Girls. Even then, her hair looked nothing like mine.
In short, white women don't have to live with the legacy that Slavery and Colonialism have left to Negroes. To me, the natural hair movement isn't just about hair, it's also about taking steps to undo the damage that slavery and colonialism have done to black women (and where hair is concerned, men to a lesser degree) ALL over the world. We've been taught for generations to hate
all our physical attributes, from our skin colour, to our hair texture, to our bodies, even our eye colour!
Then one day, when we finally learn to start loving ourselves as God made us, white folks - the descendants of those who have dished out the most wickedness to us as a group, some of whom are still sitting idly by while we're being marginalised, or worse, are actively oppressing us - want to come in and take what we have worked so hard for. No. Thank. You.
Before I found this forum, I was natural but had no clue how to take care of my hair. It wasn't Vogue, or Cosmopolitan, or even Ebony or Essence or Hype Hair that gave me tips. All the black magazines I saw only catered to relaxed hair or weaves - even braids weren't that popular. It was this forum and the natural hair movement taking place on line that pointed me in the right direction. Now white folks want a piece of the pie? Like, don't you have enough already? The whole world is YOURS!!! Please, take a stadium's worth of seats!
I think history has shown us that when whites come into a 'black zone', it isn't long before they push the blacks out or subjugate them. I hate to sound so militant, but the truth is, blacks and whites are not on the same level playing field yet. If we were, this little interview wouldn't be an issue. But check the evidence - the only time you see any tv show with a majority black cast is when it's about crime or prison, but white people are always represented in a positive light. Now black women want to gather in a positive way, and celebrate the uniqueness of our hair, and comfort and encourage one another in this hair struggle, and white folks want to muscle in on our turf. How is that fair?
Slight aside: Some years ago, I saw a L'oreal advert for foundation. Their idea of 'dark' skin?
Noemie Lenoir. Really???
This is why I'm doubly happy to see Mahogany Curls get that money. She looks like a great number of black women the world over. It's a step in the right direction. God willing, in the near future we'll have women with type 4 hair fronting campaigns. Hey, we've already got Lupita doing Lancome, so it's coming.
Sorry this post is so long. I have a problem keeping it brief, lol.