Your Hairstyles/Ethnic Confusion

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

Have you ever worn a certain hair style or length and "appeared" to look a different race/creed or nationality?

When I have had straight hair styles that were jet black and long, I begin getting those "You look Indian (Native A) or Dominican"... and if it's long and curly, people usually begin thinking I'm Dominican. They don't ask, they assume.

I know I'm not the only one with this...

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Can't wait to see some of the responses on this thread

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Nope, i've never been judged a different nationality than black.

 

[glamazon386]

When I wore that big curly weave I had, I got every ethnicity under the sun. It got to the point where I would just start laughing when people asked me about it. Because I thought it was totally ridiculous. Then they would be like oh when I told them I was all black. Sometimes if I wear my own hair slicked back I get the questions now. I'm curious to see what people will say once my hair grows out though. :scratchch

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

LMAO. Thank you random 1 star hater.

Wow, yea, it's like everyone thinks you have to be something else because your hair is long... it's so ignorant... but hilarious sometimes.

 

[tsturnbu]

when my hair is straight and freshly rinsed black, STRANGERS, compliment me on my hair, and always ask where I am from. WHen I tell them I am African AMerican (or Caribbean American), they look surprised. I guess ppl are not accustomed to seeing AA women with anything but short or damaged hair (LHCF is changing that though..thank GOd) My mother n law swears I have Indian in me. SHe always says that she knows her granddaughter is gonna have a "beautiful head of hair". Little does she know that my 4a/b hair is super duper coarse and I work extra hard to keep it looking fab.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

when my hair is straight and freshly rinsed black, STRANGERS, compliment me on my hair, and always ask where I am from. WHen I tell them I am African AMerican (or Caribbean American), they look surprised. I guess ppl are not accustomed to seeing AA women with anything but short or damaged hair (LHCF is changing that though..thank GOd) My mother n law swears I have Indian in me. SHe always says that she knows her granddaughter is gonna have a "beautiful head of hair". Little does she know that my 4a/b hair is super duper coarse and I work extra hard to keep it looking fab.

I'm mad she's pushing for the "Indian in you"...
I can't wait for Nevuary 31, 203989248 when people realize that Blacks can take care of their hair as well...

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

Yup all the time by both blacks and whites. It's really funny when Hispanics start talking to me in spanish first. hmmm let me see. And Indian said he has a cousin that looks just like me. And Had a Brazilian lady chase me down talking in Portuguese because she was sure I was from there. Oh and that one time when they were trippin in the airport in the Dominican Republic they argued me down that I was from there .I'm like how you gonna tell me where I'm from? These things happen alot more when I wear my hair down.

 

[krissynick]

Yup i hate it and it bothers me so much.both of my parents are african american. I think my great grandmother was native american but the thing is my hair is nappy straight up. so i mean i really dont count myself as being native american.... my hair is just a difficult sometimes as others ... but i have gotten oh wat are u and i say black and im like why she was like u look indian.... and i look like a regular black girl. Anyway this girl told me that i must not be fully black cause her hair dont look like mine when she straighten it but i think it was because she didnt roller set and i did it does my ur hair cuticle lay flater and look straighter. thast all so if i didnt roller set it mines would look the same as hers it all about styling and the reason it makes mad cause why the hell do i have to be mixed to have nice here. Girsl we gotta start breaking this stereotyopes for real but on the other hand ppl will always say stupid things so what canyou do but just inform them of the truth

 

[AfroKink]

When I wrap my hair ppl think I'm either Muslim, Rasta or bald.

Lys

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

When I wrap my hair ppl think I'm either Muslim, Rasta or bald.

Lys

Girl, who are YOU telling!!!!

The only place I know where they don't assume that SO much is in NYC. On a GOOD note about that, not too many employers will say anything about it because they'll assume it's religious harassment to ask you to take it off.

 

[DarkVictory]

When I had locs people who probably didn't know any Jamaicans would ask if I was Jamaican.

When I wear a headwrap now a lot of people assume I'm Muslim, even though what I wear is nothing like the hijab style wrap.

Once when I was wearing a little fez this guy came up and asked, "Are you Islamic?" but I think that was just a crazy L.A. thing.

 

[song_of_serenity]

When my hair was at it's longest (*sniffles )and relaxed, yeah, I got the (after a sly weave check by some)
"Is that all yours?"
"What-chu mixed with?"
"You're not American, are you?" And when I confirmed I wasn't, it sort of satisfied them like "Yeah, I thought not!"

But I actually got asked more when it was curly vs. straight, oddly enough...I guess because "curly hair = mixed with something" to many people.

@ the head wraps! The days I took my braids out and didn't know what to do with it before wash day, a head wrap (black to match whatever I was wearing) was a staple and people also assumed I was Muslim! I got a lot more respect, too...
~*Janelle~*

 

[Chicoro]

When I wear my hair straightened and out, no ones says ANYTHING to me. Maybe I look scary.

 

[IntelligenceisBeautiful]

I had a curly phony pony I wore at one point - got asked if I was Etiopian or Habesha (sp?) a lot. i guess it looked real

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

When I wear my hair straightened and out, no ones says ANYTHING to me. Maybe I look scary.

It's intimidation!
LOOK AT YOUR HAIR!!!!
Its beautiful.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

I had a curly phony pony I wore at one point - got asked if I was Etiopian or Habesha (sp?) a lot. i guess it looked real

There are some beautiful Ethiopian (and other types ) chicks in this world, girl. That was a compliment! It probably did look real.

 

[lisana]

It's been my experience that most folks who say this are NOT part of the ethnicity, race, etc, they claim you look like. So I don't really put too much salt into someone telling me that I look Dominican or Puerto Rican when they AIN"T NEVER seen a Dominican or Puerto Rican in their lives

 

[HAIRapy]

My father's mother is fully Hispanic (my dad looks like a dark Hispanic man), I believe I don't look anything but Black, so that's what I claim. Sometimes people ask what I'm mixed with, I may tell, but most of the time, I don't feel like explaining. I think it's silly to ask that. Why can't people say nice hair and move on.

 

[silverlotus]

Yup all the time by both blacks and whites. It's really funny when Hispanics start talking to me in spanish first. hmmm let me see. And Indian said he has a cousin that looks just like me. And Had a Brazilian lady chase me down talking in Portuguese because she was sure I was from there. Oh and that one time when they were trippin in the airport in the Dominican Republic they argued me down that I was from there .I'm like how you gonna tell me where I'm from? These things happen alot more when I wear my hair down.

No lie, I thought you were Hispanic before I read you were AA in a post (but it wasn't because of your hair).

Let's see... I've got spoken to in Spanish at the Dom salon a couple times & one time these two chicks were arguing about where I'm from while they were washing my hair. I think one of them thought I was Puerto Rican. Finally they asked & kept insisting I was mixed with something. My mom has told me I look Hispanic when my hair is down, plus my dad gets mistaken for one of them a LOT.

I also have gotten the usual run-of-the-mill "what's your background", "you look mixed," "is that hair all yours?" type comments. They are hilarious to me but also annoying cuz I work so hard on my hair for people to just dismiss it as a weave. This NEVER happens when I'm in a bun.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

LMFAO @ MissAlyssa

 

[tiffers]

When I lived in Phoenix, AZ (aka Little Mexico) people always thought I was Mexican. I can't count how many times Mexican guys came up to me tryin to hollar in spanish. I was like ''Um, I'm black and I don't understand you''

When my grandparents took me on a road trip from AZ to TX, some cops pulled us over and thought they were trying to smuggle a Mexican! I was like ''Come on now, I know I'm not THAT damn light skinned! This is getting ridiculous!''

Now that I'm in OK, where there are alot of indians (Native American) people swear up and down that I have indian in my family because I'm light with ''long hair''

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

Have you ever worn a certain hair style or length and "appeared" to look a different race/creed or nationality?

When I have had straight hair styles that were jet black and long, I begin getting those "You look Indian (Native A) or Dominican"... and if it's long and curly, people usually begin thinking I'm Dominican. They don't ask, they assume.

I know I'm not the only one with this...

You do sort of look Indian though! And I'm not even lookin at the hair!!

 

[Miss*Tress]

Why can't people just say, "You have nice hair" and keep it moving? All those questions about one's background and such from strangers is really rude.

 

[sonce]

Yes, yes, when I wear my hair in a fro, people think I'm white. It never fails. It's so confusing. I'm like why are you guys confusing regular black me with a gorgeous blond/blue white princess?

 

[charmtreese]

When I wear my hair pulled back off from my face, people ask if Im African. Even African's ask if Im African, I think its more so becuase of my bone structure, and its more noticeable with my hair pulled back.

 

[HAIRapy]

Why can't people just say, "You have nice hair" and keep it moving? All those questions about one's background and such from strangers is really rude.

OT: Your avatar is beautiful...

 

[Whimsy]

Have you ever worn a certain hair style or length and "appeared" to look a different race/creed or nationality?

When I have had straight hair styles that were jet black and long, I begin getting those "You look Indian (Native A) or Dominican"... and if it's long and curly, people usually begin thinking I'm Dominican. They don't ask, they assume.

I know I'm not the only one with this...

You're not. People always think I'm spanish whether my hair is straightened or out curly and loose. They just come up to me and start talkin in spanish. when my hair is in a bun I don't get that as much.

I messed up now, I moved to a mostly dominican neighborhood, so needless to say I haven't heard english since move-in day

 

[SoAnxious12]

no matter which way i wear my hair i get asked if i'm mixed. BUt i usually get asked if i'm african or mixed with jap. Thats just about right, but i'm second generation so i claim black cuz thats what i am.

 

[Poohbear]

I have natural hair. I've only had Africans and a few black people ask me if I'm from America because of my hair. I just tell them "Yes, born and raised in America." One African had the nerve to go even further and ask if my parents were from Africa. I said "Nope, they are Americans too."