Naturals - why straighten?

[changedname]

I truely believe that everyone should be free to do what they like with their hair, but this weekend I met a natural who really disagrees with naturals that straighten their hair. I'm relaxed so I disagreed with her opinions on black women with straight hair period, but SHE felt that women who are natural but straighten/press their natural hair still have the 'mindset' that women who chemically straighten their hair do and that you cannot claim to embrace your true hair texture if you use heat to change it. Again, I REPEAT THAT THIS IS NOT MY OPINION, but I was wondering if naturals come across this and what your opinions are.

 

[glamazon386]

That's not true. People go natural for different reasons. Sometimes people just want a change of scenery. Just because you are natural doesn't mean you can never wear your hair straight again.

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

I straighten because I don't want breakage. If I wear wash n go's or twist for to long I get breakage. So to try and retain length I straighten.

 

[melissa-bee]

I'm transitioning at the moment and when i'm fully natural i'll still wear my hair straight, because i can and i will want to switch up my style.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I don't listen to people like this. I can do what I want with my head......

 

[pookaloo83]

Ignant......

 

[Amerie123]

I mean, at the end of the day, it's about wanting to have a variety of looks. You can cut it short, grow it long, wear it kinky, straighten it, bun it, curl it, etc. I don't think there is necesarilly a mindset that comes with it. BTW, she's worrying about the wrong thing.

Just curious... does she feel the same about naturals who color?

ETA: Who died and said that you have to wear your hair EXACTLY HOW you were born with it? I mean geez. People kill me with this "mindset" crap. If you feel you want to change your hair up, it's yours to do.

 

[discodumpling]

Because I can!

 

[shinyblackhair]

Well, personally if I wanted to wear my hair straight 75-100% of the time I would just be relaxed. However, if I prefer to be kinky curly 75-100-% and not wear it straight that often, than I'd forget the relaxer and be natural. But I understand that some want the straight look without having to resort to chemicals.

Neither (IMO) is right or wrong. However, wearing afro textured hair straight is fighting against nature whether you're relaxed or natural. I guess the thing to determine is the least damaging way of wearing it straight, if that is what you prefer...

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I went natural for a myriad of reasons one of them was for the versatility of styling. I like going from sleek straight hair, to a fro, to a straw set to, twists to a braid out etc. I live in New York and here its really fun to change up your look regularly and reinvent yourself in that way.

You can only really determine what works best for you.

I met this one girl at my university who felt the same way about being natural, she didnt believe in straightening her hair, she thought it was silly to want to grow your hair long, she also disagreed with any black people dating in her words "outside our race" she was quite a character. Then I was like really? What about the sista's that will only date light skinned black men? By your definition they're sticking to their own race. Are they above the women that happen to fall in love with a white man? She started studdering a backtracking at that point

Anyway I think its best if we all go naturl the way that works best for us. I think eventually I will shy away from heat but right now I'm enjoyng the heck outta my MBL hair and I'll swang it till the cows come home

 

[sharifeh]

I don't think it's worth it to deal with a person like that. Just nod and keep it moving. The same goes for someone on the other extreme that tells someone they "need a relaxer."
meh.....

 

[Amerie123]

I don't think it's worth it to deal with a person like that. Just nod and keep it moving. The same goes for someone on the other extreme that tells someone they "need a relaxer."
meh.....

 

[Dani.Nicole]

People don't just transition to be natural as a choice. People sometimes transition because their hair cannot take the relaxer which forces them to eliminate it altogether. How else can they straighten their hair if they can't use a permanent straightener? I find Natural Nazis rather annoying...don't worry about my hair. Worry about yours and keep it moving.

 

[shocol]

I straighten because 1) I like straight hair 2) Single strand knots were killing my progress and 3) I'm lazy about styling my hair. While I can appreciate my hair texture, what I really appreciate is not using relaxers anymore.

 

[Lola Laughs]

That's not true. People go natural for different reasons. Sometimes people just want a change of scenery. Just because you are natural doesn't mean you can never wear your hair straight again.

So true. Going natural doesn't have to be about making a big socio-political statement--if it is, that's fine too. I went natural because I was tired of the tears that welled in my eyes from intense burning when the relaxer had only been on for 5 mins.

Versatility and all of the other perks of natural hair was just icing on the cake for me.

 

[Eclass215]

I never wore my hair in the same style all the time when I was relaxed and I don't wear it in the same style now as a natural. It's called options/versalitlity/personal choice. She can have her opinion and do whatever she wants with HER hair - but that's as far as that goes. Im my case, it has nothing to do with a 'mindset'.

 

[TCatt86]

I straighten my hair to switch up looks, the same reason why I wear wigs and dye my hair, I just like switching up styles, the poor people at work can't keep up with me. Being natural doesn't mean one has to stick to strictly natural styles and those that straighten their hair don't hair their hair texture, but damn can't a woman change it up every now and then, homegirl was trying to project her insecurities on your, she needs to have a seat.

 

[twnz&1mo]

One Word.......VERSATILITY! I just love flat ironing my hair, then washing it and it curls right back up. This is my first year being 100% natural and I just wanted to see what my own 'untouched' hair looked like and I love it.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I went natural for a myriad of reasons one of them was for the versatility of styling. I like going from sleek straight hair, to a fro, to a straw set to, twists to a braid out etc. I live in New York and here its really fun to change up your look regularly and reinvent yourself in that way.

You can only really determine what works best for you.

I met this one girl at my university who felt the same way about being natural, she didnt believe in straightening her hair, she thought it was silly to want to grow your hair long, she also disagreed with any black people dating in her words "outside our race" she was quite a character. Then I was like really? What about the sista's that will only date light skinned black men? By your definition they're sticking to their own race. Are they above the women that happen to fall in love with a white man? She started studdering a backtracking at that point

Anyway I think its best if we all go naturl the way that works best for us. I think eventually I will shy away from heat but right now I'm enjoyng the heck outta my MBL hair and I'll swang it till the cows come home

I so agree with you.... Do you know how many white girls straighten their hair DAILY??? and color thier hair all the time????? SHHHHH

Look - no one is saying - they "ain't stickin' to their race"... and they are not manufacturing 500.00 flat irons for BLACK FOLKS.

 

[jamaica68]

I tend to walk away from people with that mindset. I don't feel the need to explain how I choose to wear my natural hair!!!

 

[jazii]

I recently went natural but I absolutely love straight hair and will probably wear my hair straight 50% of the time (when it gets longer). AHH, the beauty of versatility!

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

I so agree with you.... Do you know how many white girls straighten their hair DAILY??? and color thier hair all the time????? SHHHHH

Look - no one is saying - they "ain't stickin' to their race"... and they are not manufacturing 500.00 flat irons for BLACK FOLKS.

Look I like to wear my hair straight occasionally (maybe twice a year for a week or two). I also don't care what other people do with their hair and I appreciate some straight hair swang. However, I must disagree with your argument. Straight hair IS natural to white people. Most black people (99% maybe?) do not have naturally straight hair.

 

[B_Phlyy]

Look I like to wear my hair straight occasionally (maybe twice a year for a week or two). I also don't care what other people do with their hair and I appreciate some straight hair swang. However, I must disagree with your argument. Straight hair IS natural to white people. Most black people (99% maybe?) do not have naturally straight hair.

But not all white people have naturally straight hair and most wavy and curly haired white people DO straighten their hair on a much more frequent basis than black people do.

Anyway, I occasionally straighten my hair, mostly because I can and because I want to. I always tell people who have something to say about "if you spent as much time worrying about your hair as you did, your might look like something". They usually be quiet then.

 

[Triniwegian]

She is the one with a screwed up mindset.
I went natural because I wanted long hair (thin strands and perms don't work for me) and I wanted diversity.

Just because I wear it straight doesn't mean I don't love my natural hair, it's still natural...only starightened.

 

[EccentricRed]

Why is there always some mindset when folks talk about natural hair. There are plenty of reasons why women wear their hair straight.

1. I live in an area with lake effect snow and very cold temperatures, and I am a daily co-washer. I'm also sickly (not seriously, but I catch colds and flu's like Larry Fitzgerald catches footballs) and it is just safer for me to avoid being outside with wet hair.
2. Can a sistah change it up sometimes? The fun of natural hair is the versitility!

This sounds like that "Blackness" thing coming out again...I have a Pan-African Studies degree, and I get this question pretty frequently, about Black hair concept. There isn't always a mindset with every natural. I was "fighting the power" at my college getting a relaxer every 6 weeks! Just because a sistah gets relaxers or wears her hair straight does not mean she isn't in tune with her Blackness or natural texture. Some women just prefer their hair straight. And just because a sistah stops getting relaxers does not mean she is in touch with some type of "mindset!"

 

[I Am So Blessed]

I truely believe that everyone should be free to do what they like with their hair, but this weekend I met a natural who really disagrees with naturals that straighten their hair. I'm relaxed so I disagreed with her opinions on black women with straight hair period, but SHE felt that women who are natural but straighten/press their natural hair still have the 'mindset' that women who chemically straighten their hair do and that you cannot claim to embrace your true hair texture if you use heat to change it. Again, I REPEAT THAT THIS IS NOT MY OPINION, but I was wondering if naturals come across this and what your opinions are
.

. im a natural and i straighten, but when i do i make sure my hair is only 40% straight. its still kinky at the roots and i never straighten my ends, i leave them curly and big. i do this because i want my hair to look extra kinky but stretched a little bit to show length. so my hair looks something like this (3inches of kinky roots, rest of the lenght is puffy/straightened/and ends are about 3inches of kinky. so its kinky/kinda straight/kinky again. dont know if yall understand what i mean.

oh and on the ends i curl them around bobypins, comes out spiraly

 

[MsButterfli]

that has got to be the most NIGnorant crap I've heard lol. I love being natural for versatility it allows me, i had locs for 10yrs but now that i took my hair down I love my hair even more now

 

[KatKronicles]

Why straight you ask ?
Because I can. And not have to chemicaly alter my hair to do so.
Now if your going the direction of love thyself, I do. Im not envious of nan white girl strand of hair. My hair is special, and our hair is the only hair that can boast, bone straight, crinkle curls, body waves, to kinky coils back to bone straight in less than 24 hours.

 

[Britt4209]

...that's dumb..let people do what they want to with THEIR own hair

 

[I Am So Blessed]

Why is there always some mindset when folks talk about natural hair. There are plenty of reasons why women wear their hair straight.

same questions that i ask. mindset? how do you know somesones mindset unless they tell you? she just asumed that all naturals went natural for the same reason?