My Paper on Hair

BrightEyes

New Member
I thought some of you might enjoy this. It's the edited version so it’s a bit choppy!


Nappy Hair, Straight World: A Deeper Look At Coils and Kinks


“The hotcomb burns, but I don’t care! I don’t want no nappy hair!” –Childhood Rhyme


Is the term “hair is hair” totally accurate? After all, hair is simply a thread-like mass that grows from our heads. Or is it?

It seems as though human hair should be insignificant. It is designed to keep our body heat from escaping through our heads. And yet, humans of all nationalities have used their hair to display social status, create and follow tends, make political statements, and even attract desirable mates. Each continent has it’s own ways of incorporating human hair into their societies. For years, women in Asia, South America, and India let their hair grow quite long. Despite Western influence, many still do so. In the Sikh faith (which is native to India), hair is seen as a gift from God and cutting it is forbidden for both sexes. In ancient Japanese culture, only women of the highest class grew their hair well beyond their waists. A woman that must work in the rice fields or scamper after small children all day would surely be burdened by hair that extended to her knees. Long flowing hair was and still is a sign of fertility and femininity to many human cultures. For years, many cultures only cut a woman’s hair short if she were seriously ill with a constant fever or on the brink of being executed. In the older days of Europe, women wore their hair in fancy arrangements that took a great effort to create and maintain. Some wore wigs that emulated trends that were simply unachievable with their actual hair. Despite the way their hair was arranged, cutting it short in anyway was not an option for most women.

And then there is the continent of Africa. Some people call Africa “the birthplace of hairstyling”. When one looks at beauty rituals and traditions of this massive area, it is easy to see why one may think this. Many artistic artifacts from ancient Egypt depict women grooming and wearing skillfully crafted wigs. In fact, Egyptian women wore wigs so frequently that the majority of them of them shaved their heads. African art and photographs from South, Central, and West Africa often show the large variety of braiding techniques and styling. A female can be seen wearing anything from simple cornrows to wondrously elaborate braided fashions. In some countries, women of royal families often wear styles that they alone are permitted to have. They are easily spotted and identified in a crowded festival because of their unique hairstyles. In one country, an offering from another women to style your hair is an offering of friendship. In this culture, when you assist another in grooming you are telling them that you care and about them and want to make them look nice. The hair grooming process is often stretched out due to the participants taking the opportunity to exchange personal triumphs and sorrows, gossip, or a just a good joke. Although this idea is not necessarily exclusive to Africa, such an ideal can be seen in today’s African-American community.

If you ask the average Black American woman, it can be almost guaranteed that most them will have strong memories of ‘getting their hair done’. Most are willing to tell you about being fussed at for not holding still while their mothers’ parted and braided their hair, trying to run when it was time to touch up a relaxer, or getting their hair ‘pressed’ for a special occasion. In colleges many young Black women rely on each other for help with braiding, chemical processing, hair extensions, and hair maintenance techniques. As a senior at Hampton University put it “I hate being in college sometimes because you’re always poor. Oh, well. At least I can always find someone to do my hair.” In the same respect, many Black men often have more amusing and sometimes even touching stories about going to the barber’s. Men often spend hours laughing, joking, and sharing news in barbershops. One junior at Hampton University admitted to leaving her boyfriend there whenever she gives him a ride. “He says he’s only going to be thirty minutes every time I take him, but I learned. Now I go shopping across the street and stay there until he pages to come and get him.” However the young woman’s boyfriend had something to say about her statement. “You’re talking about me?” asked in mild amusement “I’m not the one who goes MIA every time it’s time to get a touch up.” At that point the young women became slightly irritated and replied, “Well, you don’t want me looking like a bush woman do you? You don’t complain when you’re playing in my hair.” The young man then rolled his eyes and chuckled, and while he shook his head at his girlfriend, he did not contest her last statement. While this whole conversation was somewhat entertaining, the young couple hit on a key points. She truly had the belief that if she did not make regular visits to the salon for chemical processes that she would be unattractive, and while her mate did not agree directly, he did not argue against this point either.

There is a misconception in the Black American community that African textured hair is hard to take care of and will look un-groomed and unattractive if not straightened by heat or chemicals. Some scholars theorize that the reason African-Americans have so much trouble with their natural hair texture is because as slaves, they did not have the time or the tools to maintain their hair as they did when living in Africa. The idea is that over time, Black slaves forgot how to properly groom and maintain their cotton-like hair texture. Because they were subjected to the backbreaking labor of the cotton fields from sun-up to sundown, ritualistic grooming was replaced with attempts to survive on inadequate food scraps and bearing the lash. Most slaves braided their hair, or collected it under a rag worn atop their heads. Another theory is that Blacks were taught to see their hair as ugly and unruly in the ‘breaking process’ masterminded by white slave masters.

The controversy about Madam CJ Walker and her products is still alive today. Some say she capitalized off of Black women’s desire to appear more European. Others say she was only supplying a product that there was a serious demand for. But no matter what side of the debate someone is on, they cannot deny the fact that Madame CJ Walker provided many positive things to the Black community. She was heavily involved in the NAACP and the United Negro College Fund. She often pressured politicians to vote for laws that would increase the rights and privileges of black people. She trained a fleet of women, whom she titled ‘Walker Agents’, and taught them to open and manage hair salons that specialized in the Walker Method of hair care. It was said that women who worked for the Walker Salons made three times more money than the average Black women did at that time. Walker Agents all over the country reported the ability to do things that once seemed to be too far fetch to even dream about. One woman spoke of sending her child to college, while another wrote Madame Walker directly to boast about the new house she was able to buy so that her children did not all have to sleep in one room.

Despite the reason why Blacks feel the need to straighten their, it’s commonly know that there is an issue within the Black community regarding hair texture and length. Recently a worried wife posted on a natural hair website that her husband had been picking fights with her ever since she decided to stop relaxing her hair. She lamented to the other posters about how he was constantly accusing her of being a prime example of one of those a woman who changes after she gets married. She was extremely hurt that he could not except the fact that she was no longer willing to straighten her hair. It seems as though such an issue should be miniscule, but it was actually causing stress within their marriage. In fact, many Black women have admitted having the secret desire to cease using chemicals and wear their hair in its natural state. However many of them seem to be worried about approval from friends, mates, and family members. “I think it’s funny,” said one Hampton senior rolling her eyes towards her tiny, well-shaped afro. “I mean, I’ll be standing in the check out line at Wal-Mart and I’ll turn around and be face to face with a permed sista. And without fail they’ll lean forward and say, all, hush-hush like, ‘I wish I could go natural’. Then they smile and keep putting their stuff on the [conveyer] belt and never say another word. I mean, damn, what’s up the mission impossible mess? They sell sheers here. Get a pair and cut that crap out.” One frequent visitor at Nappyhair.com has had similar experiences. “I hate women tell me that they would stop perming, but their hair won’t look like mine” She says. “It’s funny how people assume what their hair will look like, but have had a perm since the age of 5. How would you know unless you tried?”

In the book “Hair Story”, the author states that the average fee for a female field slave was $1500 dollars while paying $5000 for a mulatto woman was not uncommon. Overtime these mulattos, who very often lived a better life than their kinky haired relatives, formed close knit communities. To outsiders, they seemed to be exclusive to the point that they were called elitist and arrogant. But to the people of that particular group, they were surviving using the only way they knew how. Some say it was this division that created a seemingly permanent rift in the Black community. “I don’t understand how some girls will do anything for straight hair, but then talk horribly or out and out abuse Blacks that have it.” Says Angelina, a child of a Jamaican mother and a biracial father who is half Black, half-Mexican. “My hair has very little curl and no kink whatsoever but it take me 3 hours to wash and dry it. My roommate has a relaxer and it takes her about an hour to wash, wrap, set, and style. I guess the grass is greener on the other side.” But that’s the light end of Angelina’s hair-history. While making a statement for this paper, she spoke of a harrowing ordeal that took place in the second grade. During the art portion of the day, the teacher taught the children in her class how to make snowflakes from tissue paper. While trying their hand at this new skill, a young girl facing Angelina all of the sudden stopped working, a look of shock on her face. At the same time another girl screamed. The 8-year-old Angelina whirled her head around to find about 4 inches of her ponytail on the floor. “The girl behind me cut it,” she said. And a few weeks before that she had taken a handful of my hair, which was incredibly long at the time, and yanked it so hard I almost fell flat on my back. Now I understand that she had some serious complexes, but at the time I couldn’t understand how someone could how some could hate me so much when I barely knew their name. ”

The out and out fear of naturally kinky hair and slight obsession with straightness is obvious in the Black community. There are many reason why Blacks say they alter their hair texture. During the survey for this paper women cited professionalism, personal tastes, blatant conformity, worries about their attractiveness, and even religion, when asked why they straighten their hair. However one young woman came up with an interesting point. In her questioning process she stated that she believed that American culture favors hairstyles that are achieved with straightened hair. She believed that Black women of the present time are through with trying to look white, are looking to fit into a society that says that their full lips, brown skin, full body structures, and kinky hair make them ugly. “We have more competition that we used to.” She says, shaking her head “Asian, White, and Latino women are marrying our men more and more. I hate to say it, but if men love long straight hair then that’s what many women are going to try and get, even if they have to buy it. Who wants to be seen as unattractive?” One male with dreadlocks disagreed. “Why get imitation when you can get the real thing?” he asked with a shrug. One sophomore became exasperated after the questionnaire. “It’s not that deep!” she cried. But is it really a shallow topic? In the early 1990’s, there was a rash of lawsuit started by Blacks against their employers. In these lawsuits the plaintiffs claimed that they were fired because they wore braided or twisted styles.

At one point having a large, picked-out afro was the thing to have. Some people who were not permitted to wear afros on a daily basis by jobs or parents often purchased wigs so that they could be in style at social events. Having such a style was seen as a symbol of Black pride. Nowadays many people wear Afro’s and other natural styles because they like the appearance or they find natural hair to be low-maintenance. After reading books, talking to numerous individuals, and looking at over 15 hair-related websites only one conclusion can be made. Beauty is diverse. There is no single standard. Some might say it is cliché to say that beauty begins inside the individual but there is much truth in that statement. There was one thing that was very consisted in all the people that were interviewed for this paper. Those that wore their hair a certain way simply because they liked it, were the most happy. Those that wore their hair a certain way because they felt they really had no choice were somewhere in the middle. And those that wore their hair a certain way because they felt that was the only way they could look attractive were the most unhappy.

Hair will never be ‘just hair’. It holds a strange, yet visible place in every society. Every culture has standards that women try to fit. In some places women bleach themselves, in others women dye their hair blonde religiously, and in a few countries plastic surgery procedures are given as gifts. A woman has a choice. She can either attempt to fit into these molds or she can specialize at breaking them. If she chooses to fit into the molds it should be because she likes to look that way, not because she thinks that she will be undesirable if she doesn’t conform. This rule is the same for those in the ‘mold breaking’ category. She should be different because the look that suits her just happens to be more unique, not because she feels she is selling herself if she goes with the majority. Beauty is not a set thing. It’s always shifting. And the option to change with it or run from it should lie in the heart of the individual, not in the desires of others.
 

jazzyfunknastee

New Member
Good stuff. Really good stuff! /images/graemlins/clap.gif

O/T- I just now noticed that you have a Lulu avatar. You play FFX much? I'm a Final Fantasy fiend. I currently have games in progress on 7, 8 and 10 but I usually play 10 more often and now I'm in the Calm Lands trying to catch fiends /images/graemlins/grin.gif.
 

patticake

New Member
girl, as more work piled up on my desk i just pushed it aside as i continued to read every word of this! very good job! /images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

BrightEyes

New Member
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
jazzyfunknastee said:
Good stuff. Really good stuff! /images/graemlins/clap.gif

O/T- I just now noticed that you have a Lulu avatar. You play FFX much? I'm a Final Fantasy fiend. I currently have games in progress on 7, 8 and 10 but I usually play 10 more often and now I'm in the Calm Lands trying to catch fiends /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]


I love FFX. Lulu is my girl. I love them all, but Lulu and her tailbone length cornrows and cool nature put her over the top. Catch those fiends!! I love the prizes you get.

To everyone who has commented:

Thanks! I had fun doing this. It taught me a lot about "us".
 

sweetcocoa

Active Member
Great read! I found this very enlightening. It makes you really think about our hair.

P.S. I love your natural hair...especially the natural color. A lot of women pay to have their hair dyed that beautiful shade of red that comes to you naturally.
 

iris

New Member
Excellent and profound BrightEyes
I'm sitting here with a plethora of emotions about your paper, good and bad. We've come along way but I see we still have a long way to go. Thanks for making us ever aware of this issue.
 

ms_kenesha

New Member
Hey Midoria


I'm so late looking at this post, but your paper was on the money!!! For what class did you have to do this paper? I esp. agree that blacks forgot how to maintain their natural hair texture during slavery and we're JUST NOW learning about the wonderful natural things like shea butter, coconut oil, etc.

WTG!!!
 

BrightEyes

New Member
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
ms_kenesha said:
Hey Midoria


I'm so late looking at this post, but your paper was on the money!!! For what class did you have to do this paper? I esp. agree that blacks forgot how to maintain their natural hair texture during slavery and we're JUST NOW learning about the wonderful natural things like shea butter, coconut oil, etc.

WTG!!!


[/ QUOTE ]


Thanks Kenesha and everyone else who commented.

This paper was for African American history.
 

Laela

Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
Woahh.. excellent read; thanks for taking the time to post it! Naturals like you are why I long to be natural again... sigh.. 17 more months to go....

Sankofa,
 

BrightEyes

New Member
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Laela said:
Woahh.. excellent read; thanks for taking the time to post it! Naturals like you are why I long to be natural again... sigh.. 17 more months to go....

Sankofa,


[/ QUOTE ]

Well you have very pretty hair Laela. It looks nice and healthy.

BTW, I like Kathleen Battle. My dad and I used to argue over who was best. Her or L. Price. I said Kathleen was even if she is a diva. Do you like opera or just her?
 

Integrity

Active Member
Hi Bright,

Are there any references for your paper or are you not required to refer to literature at this stage? (preferably published). Just wondering...
 

Honey Vibe

The Good Physician
Brighteyes, thanks for capturing the soul-wrenching involved in the decision to go natural. While there will be negative consequences from family and associates, a lady must decide that it is worth it, because the (de?)values of relaxed hair is more convexing.
 

BrightEyes

New Member
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Pandora said:
Hi Bright,

Are there any references for your paper or are you not required to refer to literature at this stage? (preferably published). Just wondering...

[/ QUOTE ]

Here you go:


Gaskins, Bill (1997). Good and Bad Hair
New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press

Harris, Juliette, Johnson, Pamela. (2001). Tenderheaded: A Comb-Bending Collection of Hair Stories
New York, Pocket Books

Rooks, Noliwe M. (1996). Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture, and African American Women
New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press

Tharps, Lori L., and Byrd, Ayana D. (2001) Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America
St. Martin’s Griffin, New York, N.Y.


www.nappyhair.com

www.endarkenment.com

www.naturallycurly.com


I left out the personal interview ref.'s because they are not published. Everything else, you can find online or at the library.
 

BrightEyes

New Member
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Honey Vibe said:
Brighteyes, thanks for capturing the soul-wrenching involved in the decision to go natural. While there will be negative consequences from family and associates, a lady must decide that it is worth it, because the (de?)values of relaxed hair is more convexing.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes, you are right Honey.

Oh, and I'm totally feeling the Japanese icon you have. Mine is from Final Fantasy (Japanese too).
 
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