Do you embrace the word "nappy?"

[SelahOco]

KrisNew on Youtube posted a video that sparked a flurry of interesting debate about the use of the word "nappy."

Kris said in a previous video that her "hair is not nappy. It's thick, not nappy." Another Youtuber, IamKamilah, called her out saying that she seemed to be rejecting her naturalness if you will.

Kris responds to this admonishment with a video discussing the origins and connotations of the word and why she chooses not to use it. The video is worth a look simply because she articulated and defended her position with restraint and patience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx6U6oIy5yw

It turns out that Iamkamilah misunderstood, Kris, but the discussion about the word nappy was worthwhile nonetheless.

Do you find the word nappy offensive, or do you use it and embrace it based on your own logic and interpretation of the term?

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Do I embrace the word "nappy"?

No, but it embraces me...24 weeks post texlax transitioner.

But seriously, it's just a descriptive word to me. No different than kinky or coily or any other word people use to describe hair.

 

[Duff]

no, for me personally, I do not embrace it. it has a negative connotation to it and I personally reject it. I never apply it to myself or anyone else. also I dont use the 'n' word either as I look at it the same way. if someone uses that word towards themselves or even someone else, most of the time it is not a positive statement or outlook.

 

[Soliel185]

I really don't feel one way or another about the word to be honest. I can understand how some might reject that word based on how it is commonly used, but how you describe YOUR hair shouldn't get my panties in a bunch and vice versa.

It's not a word that I use, personally. But I don't have issue with people that do. Even if they use it negatively b/c their ignorant opinion does not effect my view of myself or my hair. They can continue their eye-rolling and teeth sucking in peace.

 

[SelahOco]

I don't feel one way or the other about it either - largely because I see women on this board embrace it. I don't often use it - but sometimes I will use it when I'm making a point about how much I love my hair.

Outside of this board though - I know I would become tense if a non-black person used the term because it often is used in a negative way when they do.

But even if I heard a white woman say "I love your beautiful, nappy hair..." I honestly would feel a little weird about it.

 

[isawstars]

I really enjoyed that video. I have the same opinion as her. And yes, I do get offended by it. I've even had my white housemate call my hair nappy when I did not flat iron my hair. That really bothered me but I just shrugged it off.

 

[Maracujá]

I embrace it.

 

[CoilyFields]

Really depends on the context. Some people embrace it and i usually understand and don't mind it. But IRL most people use it negatively and in those cases I try to ask them "whats wrong with those tight curls we call napps?" or pair it with a positive like "Yes you're right, just look at all of that beautiful nappy hair"

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

I don't necessarily embrace it, but I don't see anything wrong with using it. The truth of the matter is that it can be used as an insult. I can guarantee that if i went to work and described someone's hair as nappy, there would be a throwdown. Which is why I never use it to describe anyone's hair but my own.

The word is what you make it.

 

[1QTPie]

I embrace it. My hair is nappy and happy.

 

[FluffyRed]

I embrace it

eta - i was on my phone earlier and just now looked at part of the video - up to 4 minutes.

using this logic, we can dissect every single word we use every day, to the point that no word means what it means. Nap=texture. I like the word. I would not put too much stock in dictionary.com over a printed dictionary. I don't know how they choose to rank definitions.

The only people I ever heard use the term in a pejorative way are little kids in the hood, teasing each other. Just repeating the self-hatred they were taught. BTW, they also think the word "black" is an insult as well "african," so there you go.

I'm a black, nappy-haired person of african descent, and proud of it.

 

[Stacy TheLady]

I love it.. in the caribbean its not meant to sound badly. As a child, when your mum is upset with you, she would say somthing like " Bring yuh pickie head or nappy head here".

LMAO.. we, in the Caribbean have grown accustomed to this term and it does not offend us at all. I love my nappy head self.

However, the context of use is important. If someone says it to me in a derogatory way i MAY feel offended. But then again, why be offended by the truth?

 

[NikStarrr]

I embrace it. It only has a negative connotation if YOU yourself feel it does. It's a descriptive word like "tangled". IMO.

 

[Nappy_in_the_City]

Love it!!!!!! Nappy in the city!

 

[ceebee3]

Yes I embrace it. I like the word and I love how it describes my hair. It was never offensive to me and I have no problem with others using it to describe my hair.

 

[candiel]

I don't embrace it because people who use it usually are using it in a negative context. I love my hair and see nothing bad or negative about it

 

[GodivaChocolate]

I don't use it and I definitely don't use it with my daughters. My mother would not let us use that word she thought it was negative and ugly and I somewhat agree, but if that is how you wish to describe you hair then that's your preference and I can respect that.

 

[jetbeauty09]

It depends...if I use it, its okay. If someone that I don't know uses it, I might think twice about my response. Thats just me.

 

[classychic1908]

I love it.. in the caribbean its not meant to sound badly. As a child, when your mum is upset with you, she would say somthing like " Bring yuh pickie head or nappy head here".

LMAO.. we, in the Caribbean have grown accustomed to this term and it does not offend us at all. I love my nappy head self.

However, the context of use is important. If someone says it to me in a derogatory way i MAY feel offended. But then again, why be offended by the truth?

I hadn't heard that in a while and it made me smile... but all in all I don't embrace nappy, because even while I heard it as a child and a grown woman from people who love me... I knew that it wasn't considered a positive thing to be nappy, or pickie headed, or black ( as in yo black self, or you so black, ect.)

Nappy might be descriptive of tight curls and some people are able to embrace it and love it... but I can't embrace it. I don't get offended by naturals that call themselves nappy, but I do get offended by others that use the word in a negative way.

 

[Sha76]

Usually when you hear it on the street it is used negetive way. I cannot embrace it when used like that.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

Yea I saw her video. I didn't see what the big issue was with Kris's video. Kris was going by the text book definition of nappy where as the other girl was going by the Natural Hair World definition of nappy. They were not on the same page. lol But I am glad they figured it out!

I only embrace the word nappy on the hair boards and other natural hair blogs. I think we see it in a different perspective than the "outsiders" (reg folks who know nothing about the hair world). I don’t use the word nappy IRL to describe my hair or other naturals hair.

 

[Hairsofab]

I don't find it offensive.

 

[chebaby]

i do not embrace that word. it is very negative and i wont use it. for one i thing nappy and coily are two different things but thats a different thread. to me nappy does not describe texture, it describes a lack of care for the hair. unkempt hair is nappy, not highly textured hair.....

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

When its used on the hair boards its usually just another term for highly textured hair and used in a positive light. But IRL most of the time it is a derogatory term for highly textured hair.

I try to stay away from words that have an ugly negative connotation or derivation on the whole so I try to stick to coily or kinky I use "nappy" rarely and the other "N" word.....never.

 

[madamdot]

No. I grew up learning the word "nappy" means a cloth baby diaper. So I automatically smell pee when I hear it.

I love my curlies though

 

[joytimes10]

No, I don't like it! My mother never used it. I've always associated it with negative connotations. But, to each his own, shrugs.

 

[mstar]

I embrace it. It's been a liberating experience for me to use the word in a positive light.

I should add that I only use it to refer to myself, and only in private, with family or close friends. But even if someone were to attempt to throw the term 'nappy-headed' at me as a slur, it's nice to know that I could just look at them and smile. The word no longer has the power to hurt me.

 

[mj11051]

I embrace it. It's been a liberating experience for me to use the word in a positive light.

I should add that I only use it to refer to myself, and only in private, with family or close friends. But even if someone were to attempt to throw the term 'nappy-headed' at me as a slur, it's nice to know that I could just look at them and smile. The word no longer has the power to hurt me.

What she said

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I use the term both ways.

 

[brucebettye]

I embrace it. It's been a liberating experience for me to use the word in a positive light.

I should add that I only use it to refer to myself, and only in private, with family or close friends. But even if someone were to attempt to throw the term 'nappy-headed' at me as a slur, it's nice to know that I could just look at them and smile. The word no longer has the power to hurt me.

I total agree. I like the way you said it.