Rant: Youtube Guru's long hair makes people question race

[ladyviper]

I love watching Youtube videos. Especially natural hair videos. But everytime I watch a video from a black woman with long hair, I read comments questioning her race. It pi$$es me off that black women's long beautiful hair is being attributed to the fact that the person must be mixed. These comments are being made on Chime's channel. Longhairedontcare2011, Teaundra etc.

They state they are black, They're parents are black, grandparents. But no people still act that they were there at the conception and refuse to accept that they're direct lineage is black. So you can't be black and have long hair? Motivates that we as black women need to show them more that we can have long hair because of us and good hair practices not our heritage.
Ugh I'm sorry guys I'm just annoyed. And they get this bull from white people and Asian peope as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocsnGA6tLr8

Some examples:

Teaundra's From Curly to Straight video:

I think you have a significant amount of native american in your blood. I'm not saying 100% or 80% black women can't grow long healthy looking hair but your hair texture indicates that your blood line is not 100 percent black, and theres nothing wrong with that. But I can see the native in you even in your face and your body shape. Its so obvious. Loved the vid!

Another comment:

I believe you, but the reason other people don't believe that you are 100% black is because that is very uncommon for people who are 100% black to have really good hair that's long and not nappy or dry or brittle. Just wondering, where are you from because people who are 100% black and have normal noses and thin lips and good hair like you have usually come from the northern/eastern part of africa

 

[pearcey]

That's weird. When I first got into 'hair', I remember one of the first posts was about this woman's Nigerian relative. I doubt if she was 'mixed' ,'had limited products and wore braids down her back. Her moisturized hair levels was attributed to the temperatures of her location.

The youtube is the internet. I could be a 500 pound white man disability for all it's worth. I wouldn't take any of it to heart. To really be impressed, attend a natural hair meet up, etc....think about the special effects of tv...don't take your hair envy of others too seriously...

 

[Krullete]

where are you from because people who are 100% black and have normal noses and thin lips and good hair like you have usually come from the northern/eastern part of africa

What matchbox-sized world is this commenter living in?

 

[Valerie]

The sad thing is that a lot of black people have been fooled into thinking, the only people who have long hair were mixed race people. However now a lot of black women are growing their hair to very long lengths. This does not hold water and it is due proper methods of looking after our hair, we are able to retain length. Some people are getting to the stage when they see an African young lady, particularly if she is dark and she has long hair, they are having mental issues.

People don't want to accept good hair techniques, it is about what's in you. I pray more naturals, relaxed, texturised growing their hair to hip and beyond. People will be having heart attacks.

 

[PennyK]

I understand how you feel. It's difficult for us mixed chicks on this site too. People automatically credit my mixed blood as to why my hair is pretty and long. But my hair only got this way because I started to take really good care of it (all because of this site).

People will believe what they want -_-

 

[ladyviper]

PennyK

Exactly. You deserve the credit for your hard work.

I understand how you feel. It's difficult for us mixed chicks on this site too. People automatically credit my mixed blood as to why my hair is pretty and long. But my hair only got this way because I started to take really good care of it (all because of this site).

People will believe what they want -_-

 

[ladyviper]

Valerie

I couldn't said it better myself. Tired of feeling we are some strange zoopet when we have long hair.

The sad thing is that a lot of black people have been fooled into thinking, the only people who have long hair were mixed race people. However now a lot of black women are growing their hair to very long lengths. This does not hold water and it is due proper methods of looking after our hair, we are able to retain length. Some people are getting to the stage when they see an African young lady, particularly if she is dark and she has long hair, they are having mental issues.

People don't want to accept good hair techniques, it is about what's in you. I pray more naturals, relaxed, texturised growing their hair to hip and beyond. People will be having heart attacks.

 

[nerdography]

I've gotten comments like that all the time and it's annoying and offensive. It's like people don't believe a 100% black woman can't be beautiful. And if she is she much be mixed with something. UGH!

 

[celiabug]

I understand how you feel. It's difficult for us mixed chicks on this site too. People automatically credit my mixed blood as to why my hair is pretty and long. But my hair only got this way because I started to take really good care of it (all because of this site).

People will believe what they want -_-

I understand completely. Everytime I try to give some hair advice to someone they say it doesn't matter because im mixed with "good hair". People dont understand how I had ear length chewed up hair for the majority of my childhood.

 

[AFashionSlave]

I don't buy into this theory, but people believe it because of the way we treat our hair.

This is my theory behind this whole "good hair grows long, but bad hair does not"

I think that as a culture, women with the kinkiest/nappiest hair do the most things to it to alter it's texture. Black women do a lot of irradiate their nappy hair, therefore causing damage and less length. Our hair grows just fine, if it didn't the relaxer industry would go out of business because no one would need to get a touch up.

If you look at the women on this board, the ones with the longest hair (all textures included) tend to do the least to it. (Relaxer stretching, protective styling, minimal manipulation, etc)

These kind of comments make us angry or annoy us because we know better on this board, but the average black women doesn't know a whole lot about how to care for napps. Therefore (for the average black woman, not those with hair care knowledge) nappy hair = shorter hair

jmo

 

[hnntrr]

deleted...

 

[Bozcurls]

I understand how you feel. It's difficult for us mixed chicks on this site too. People automatically credit my mixed blood as to why my hair is pretty and long. But my hair only got this way because I started to take really good care of it (all because of this site).

People will believe what they want -_-

Same here. I may not be "mixed" but my mother taught me the same poor hair habits she was taught. My hair was never beyond apl despite the assumptions some people made because of my texture. It's been relaxed, fried and dyed since my teens and has been in horrid condition until recently. This would not have been possible if it wasn't for this site.

 

[Channy31]

I understand how you feel. It's difficult for us mixed chicks on this site too. People automatically credit my mixed blood as to why my hair is pretty and long. But my hair only got this way because I started to take really good care of it (all because of this site).

People will believe what they want -_-

Agree with this too, some people brush me off as if I don't need hair advice. But I do

 

[Solitude]

Its funny because there IS a differentiation between black americans and straight descendants from Africa. Unfortunately for those of us born in America, somewhere in our lineage can be native american or white, even if it is a small percentile (which has nothing to do with our hair). It may dictate how fast you grow and how long your hair will get...but every woman is capable of growing long hair if they take care of it.

It has been almost engrained in us since the times of slavery. The practices they used were practices they thought were correct and were enforced by slave masters (I doubt they wanted their slaves to have long gorgeous hair), and that is what kept our hair short, survival. So thinking about it, Slaves can / and some did have long gorgeous hair even if their relatives were not mixed blood with slave owners, other breeders (such as native american women who were breeders not of their own will) it was just more common to see those who were mixed with longer hair, than straight descendants..

So your right, it has NOTHING to do with our race, nothing. Everyone's hair grows, its how you take care of it. Anyway. I am not saying this to ignite a fire but there is a grain of truth. Unfortunately unless you have a complete record of your family lineage back to Africa there is no way to prove or disprove any mixing of races within your family tree.

To me, saying that I am black means I accept everything that goes a long with my family tree, even down to the spanish and native american and african slaves who were raped by slave owners, and the lucky few who married which eventually led to my grandmother, my mother and then me. Unfortunately I dont have the privilege of saying my grandparents and great grandparents were fully black.

I think it becomes problematic when people who are not black make those assumptions about us and our hair, because it is both false and true. But again, our race doesnt dictate long healthy hair, its how we take care of it. All it does is tell you where attributes came from, such as the ability to grow faster, retain length, if its coarse or fine, etc.

ps. people on youtube are stupid anyway haha.

Very few people will acknowledge the bolded.

But, yes, most YT commenters are ignorant. I do think it is hard for the average person to figure out what's going on with black women's hair when so many black women wear wigs and weaves every day.

 

[ladyviper]

Thank you all for your responses. Made me very happy!

 

[Jewell]

This is why i REFUSE to make any yt vids...despite the fact that I wouldnt mind doing one, i dont have patience for the stupid comments. Ppl can look at my avi and assume all day long that my ancestry is why my hair is almost HL. If i do make any vids, commenting will be disabled cuz im sick of the team light skinned vs. team dark skinned, natural vs. relaxed vs. texlaxed, good hair vs. bad hair b.s. It really is sickening and ppl need to take a sensitivity or self esteem class or smthn.

 

[Ogoma]

I am a 100% black person from Nigeria and my hair is growing just fine. It has been 2.5 years since my last relaxer and almost 2 years since my BC and I am on track to BSL. I will keep growing it and decide where to stop. I don't think my being 100% Nigerian has prevented my hair from growing. I guess I don't understand the grain of truth in the ignorant comments.

I also don't understand what is so controversial in saying there are differences amongst the group of people that identify as black even within the African continent. It is a pretty well-established fact there is more genetic diversity in Africa than in Europe. Unless one is trying to imply there is something inherently wrong with one group or the other, I don't see an issue. It is not "brave" to state well-known facts.

 

[sunnieb]

Yep, just the inspiration I needed today to do a dc tonight. MBL here I come........by December.

 

[empressri]

story of my life, to this day. do i care? nope. i dont have time to pander to idiots.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

I'm black with brown skin and I still get the "You mixed?" question. Its pretty sad. It doesn't really anger me like it use to. I finally realized that we've been conditioned to think this way. However if they ever figure out that "Good Hair" is a figment and that Healthy Hair" is real they'll be just fine.

 

[all_1_length]

The sad thing is that a lot of black people have been fooled into thinking, the only people who have long hair were mixed race people.

ITA although I believe that it is the non-black folks that believe this the most hence the ignorant comments. I have long given up on the myth that only non-black people had "good" hair after seeing so many non-blacks with damaged and unfortunate hair whether it was naturally that way or otherwise. Hair care companies and yt folks on youtube making videos on how to grow your hair long and reduce damage further my point.

 

[Philippians413]

ITA although I believe that it is the non-black folks that believe this the most hence the ignorant comments. I have long given up on the myth that only non-black people had "good" hair after seeing so many non-blacks with damaged and unfortunate hair whether it was naturally that way or otherwise. Hair care companies and yt folks on youtube making videos on how to grow your hair long and reduce damage further my point.

In my experience, it's actually black and mixed/half black people who believe this (I've only come across 1 white person who believed this, but too many blacks too count). I was the same way when I was younger as were many of my classmates because that's what we were brainwashed to believe.

 

[Shadiyah]

well what you all can do those with very long hair is take your pics and post on those comments and say I am black and I have long hair. I am black and I have long hair I am black and I have long hair.

 

[DirectorChic]

I am a 100% black person from Nigeria and my hair is growing just fine. It has been 2.5 years since my last relaxer and almost 2 years since my BC and I am on track to BSL. I will keep growing it and decide where to stop. I don't think my being 100% Nigerian has prevented my hair from growing. I guess I don't understand the grain of truth in the ignorant comments.

I also don't understand what is so controversial in saying there are differences amongst the group of people that identify as black even within the African continent. It is a pretty well-established fact there is more genetic diversity in Africa than in Europe. Unless one is trying to imply there is something inherently wrong with one group or the other, I don't see an issue. It is not "brave" to state well-known facts.

Thank you Ogoma I have always thought that Africans (esp W. African ) CAN grow hair. But some how we are conditioned to think that "certain groups" (in African) can't grow it. And what they need to realize is that some textures can APPEAR short but if lengthened (straightened) they may be very surprised.

The whole african american vs straight African thing can also be misleading if one is not exposed to Africans. There are W. Africans with longer healthier hair than many african americans.

From my understanding some come from good hair growing environments too and will have very long hair.

what African American ladies need to understand is short and nappy can fool you if a flat iron ain't used...even in slave days. They still did nothing with it and on average their hair was longer than some of us today. They simply did nothing with and kept it under a "work scarf".

I think it is Sera (with some numbers after it) who is from Sierra Leone W. Africa who has very tight hair and her hair is I think beyond waist length. So it goes to show yes Africans from certain parts CAN grow hair but because of shrinkage factor, length may not be fully seen.

So yeah I think we still need to clear that one up. The whole mixed thing I think is fully assumed, even to the smallest degree. It is about care and in my experience seeing african women and even some here on this board have through time...on this board stated the truth, and that we "african americans" can be VERY misinformed.

I am with Ogoma there is no grain of truth about some amount of mixed parentage lending to faster hair growth, or longer hair.

Please ladies!!! Do not look at those footages with little girls with short hair and think that is how long they grow hair... often times they are cut short like that. Kind of like Ancient Egypt... so that is why sometimes you see African women with short hair.... they keep it short.... it has NOTHING to do with the ABILITY to grow hair......absolutely nothing.

 

[DirectorChic]

In my experience, it's actually black and mixed/half black people who believe this (I've only come across 1 white person who believed this, but too many blacks too count). I was the same way when I was younger as were many of my classmates because that's what we were brainwashed to believe.

But I think we were brainwashed by those who held us captive also. There is kind of quiet assumption about our hair, from whites. I do understand the quote.

And it is true that soooo many of us believe this load of mess about not growing hair.... lol.

It is true that they also have a lot of videos and forums to grow hair. So evidently they also may not have the information to grow hair. Let us also not assume they don't wear hair pieces and such, they've been wearing those pieces and parts sometimes since Greco-Roman times...lol.

We also have assumptions about their hair too, that it is effortless. That is what they put out about their own hair. But we know that it isn't true. hence the whole mixed factor is pointless.

----Which has us circling back around to the point----

It just proves it is all about proper care. No matter the texture.

 

[Vintagecoilylocks]

What matchbox-sized world is this commenter living in?

 

[Harina]

Before i bc'd my hair, and my hair was hovering around my armpits (which isn't really that long), people were trying so hard to figure out what was going on. People wouldn't asked me if I was mixed per se, because I am clearly African, but they would be like "Oh, are you just Nigerian?". It was the saddest, funniest thing. It's that serious for people. People like to hold hair over black women, especially dark skin black women. I was very spoiled by attending college in Atlanta. I thought that the majority of people around the States were aware that black hair can grow just fine if you take care of it or at least headed towards that direction.

 

[Saga]

The only way to stop the idea that only black people who are of mixed descent can have long hair or if you are mixed all the credit for your healthy mane should go to your heritage is to just keep teaching people who are willing to learn the right way to do their hair. Eventually, the more black women who grow healthy heads of hair, the faster race will become a non-factor in the speed of growth and amount of retention.


You don't ever see spanish, asian, middle eastern, or caucasian women saying "Oh that grl has long healthy hair because she's mixed with blahblahblah." If a white girl has chewed up hair, we say she has bad hair practices, but if a black girl has the same type of hair it's because she's a "normal" black person? That doesn't even make sense.

So keep spreading knowledge to all who will listen, ladies. When the ratio of women with unhealthy hair to women with long hair fluctuates in our favor, all these non-believers will finally give credit where credit is due. When Jillian says to Jackie on YouTube that her hair is only long because she's mixed, she'll see her sister who she knows is all black start taking jackie's advice and getting long hair too. So now what's Jillian's excuse?


Keep it growing, ladies.

 

[ravenhairedcharm]

I'm more concerned with the fact that the person who commented equates white to being normal....that should tip you off right there.

 

[ladyviper]

DanceOnTheSkylines

I think you said it perfectly. This motivates me more to grow my hair long.

The only way to stop the idea that only black people who are of mixed descent can have long hair or if you are mixed all the credit for your healthy mane should go to your heritage is to just keep teaching people who are willing to learn the right way to do their hair. Eventually, the more black women who grow healthy heads of hair, the faster race will become a non-factor in the speed of growth and amount of retention.


You don't ever see spanish, asian, middle eastern, or caucasian women saying "Oh that grl has long healthy hair because she's mixed with blahblahblah." If a white girl has chewed up hair, we say she has bad hair practices, but if a black girl has the same type of hair it's because she's a "normal" black person? That doesn't even make sense.

So keep spreading knowledge to all who will listen, ladies. When the ratio of women with unhealthy hair to women with long hair fluctuates in our favor, all these non-believers will finally give credit where credit is due. When Jillian says to Jackie on YouTube that her hair is only long because she's mixed, she'll see her sister who she knows is all black start taking jackie's advice and getting long hair too. So now what's Jillian's excuse?


Keep it growing, ladies.