Appearance in the black community is a big deal.Hair in the black community is a big deal.
As far as African American women are concerned the way in which they choose to parade their hair is a huge indicator of their character build. More often than not to be classified as an African American woman of high socioeconomic distinction in a primarily Euro centric focused society means appropriating your hair to fit those standards. Standards brought forth by the American ideas of beauty surrounding the Caucasian woman. To have straight hair as an African American woman lends its self to a level of success that not to naturally can be achieved without some form of unnatural modifications. These modifications can sometimes lead to an over extension of physical, financial and emotional means.
"Stress is a hidden killer underlying all the major health problems black women face. Over-burdened and over-extended, stress is the body's response to carrying more than it can bear." -Bell Hooks
It is not uncommon to hear an African American woman say that her hair has been breaking and then immediately relate that damage to stress. The actual stress however, be it financial or emotional, can bare all remnants where trying to determine what hair style will best fit for that week, month, or situation. Often there are other expectations and standards that black women feel they are required to fulfill. These expectations and 'standards' can cause black women to lose themselves; in much the same way that Clare lost touch with who she was in order to fulfill her husband, Mr. Bellows, standards of beauty in Nella Larsen's Passing. Clare as a whole seems to battle with demons of her race in relation to her appearance these manifest themselves in the outward changes she makes, and thinks to make in order to pass as a Caucasian woman. Such as the talk she has with Gertrude about the prospect of straightening their hair in order to appear more white.
While the stresses that once plagued the African American woman's hair in regard to social race in class, in more modern times the stress of African American hair standards plague the character of women. What makes the standard of trying to fit in for the women of Passing any different from what make the standard for wanting to meet a standard in today's society. Where is the line really drawn between perceptions of trying to become 'white' and embracing what maintains a lower level of stress i.e. to be natural?
"I wonder when relaxing my hair became an act of self-rejection? My mother, grandmother and most of the women I know still relax their hair. What does this say about them? My mother and grandmother are both phenomenal women in their own right. I find it hard to imagine that relaxing their hair has been a manifestation of a racial inferiority complex. Does it mean that they have been unconsciously buying into a certain ideal? Would it be unfair to shift the blame onto the media for suggesting that the dominant images of beauty drive women of all races to aspire to a certain ideal which included straight, silky hair?" - Annette Q.
Sources: Black Hair DayAnnette Quarcoopome
http://imaginingourselves.imow.org/pb/Story.aspx?id=1299〈=1&g=0
The Colored Museum- Hairpiece
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcwPOVVZZIA
Alexa MacKenzie
ReplyDeleteThis issue is much more apparent than, for instance, the light/dark skin stigma to me. It’s even prevalent in white society because for a while every white women wanted super straight hair and everyone had to have a Chi hair straightener. I personally like moderately to curly hair and wish I could have it, but everyone wants what they don’t have! The unhealthy part of hair modification to me is that women don’t even get the chance to see that their natural hair is pretty because they already had the media and society telling them it wasn’t. Hair is really a personal preference and it’s a way of expressing yourself so sometimes people just change their hair because it’s the one thing they can control. For instance my boss dyes her hair bright pink for some reason, probably to feel different, and some people straighten their hair, probably to look the same. Guys have it so much easier because short hair on a guy is accepted and they usually don’t even have to do anything to it except maybe take a shower or put some product in it. Now that I think of it I spend a lot of money on my hair annually, with all the products and maintenance. I never realized how important my hair was to me.
Kandis Hankerson AML2600
ReplyDeleteI personally do not think that doing your hair a certain way is a type of fitting in. How people do their hair is based primarily on their personal preference. Some like it natural, while others like it processed. It is not only with African Americans, but also Whites, Hispanics, and Asians. Everyone wants to change the style of their natural hair texture. When it comes to the closed reading article where the author states the “ruler test,” I would say in previous years that many African American women wanted the processed hair look. Though in the new age many woman are going back to the natural texture.
I think that the line is drawn when it seems like an African American is trying to become “white,” when they go out and by skin bleaching products and are constantly trying to get their hair straightened. Although personally I would say the same with many White Americans today, because a lot of them are going out and paying thousands of dollars to get a tan and millions of dollars for plastic surgery. Therefore I feel that many races are trying to change their appearances and will go to great heights in doing so.
Travis Baten
ReplyDeleteYou can modify your hair just like you modify your sense of fashion. Some hair styles do not look fashionable with some outfits or occasions. An African american young lady would not wear cornrows to her prom. Not because she wants to look "white" or is uncomfortable with her hair, but simply because it is not appropriate for the occasion.
The purpose of straightening one's hair is to make it more manageable. African American hair is naturally tough and can be extremely unmanageable at times. Solution to this problem? Temporarily straighten it. That will give you peace of mind in regards to your hair for a while.
No one tries to fit in but everyone tries to look presentable to others. Appearance is a lot, if not everything, because appearance is the first thing someone notices about a person. With that being said, it is only expected that people care about their appearance. I'm sure that some people do try to look "white" when it comes to their hair, just like some white people try to have the physical attributes of blacks and thus get plastic surgery. But majority of the people that do it do not have that motivation factor in their mind.
I can't deny that the media does play a role in how we, as people, perceive beauty. How big of a role depends on the person but none-the-less, the media is influential. But who does the media consist of? People like you and me. They only take what they, average people, perceive as beautiful as show it to viewers. I would not take something that I thought was hideous and expose others to it as beautiful. I am going to take what I believe is beautiful and show it to others. Whether they agree or not is not my issue, I am simply presenting my idea of beautiful. The same holds true for the media.
(One of these days I will be the first to comment!)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLaquita powell
ReplyDeleteThe media blows up the importance of being beautiful and having nice "hair" so much that African American woman especially younger African American females find the need to replace their natural course hair with long "weaves" or to put chemicals (a relaxer) in their hair and make it as straight as possible because they don’t see hair like theirs on TV so is forced to feel as though their hair is not good.
I think it’s so important to raise a black girl and tell her that changing her hair is not necessary making her beautiful she should be aware of her beauty with or without straight hair, its already hair being someone of color and being judge because of your skin and not your character but then to be told that your "nappy hair " is not ok is just more self esteem issues that are placed on being a colored girl. Females all around should be told From being white to black, or to having straight to curly to course hair, does not define you!
Hallie Bowns
ReplyDeleteMost women often find themselves looking at another woman's hair and saying to a friend "I wish I could have hair like that." The point is, there are a lot of different hair styles that look good on different people and just because the media says its not the preferred style of the century doesn't mean its not your own prefered style. If a woman uses her hair as an excuse to "fit in" I'm pretty sure her self esteem and self confidence is pretty low. I'm not syaing that just because women get their hair done means that they are tryign to fit in, they are just trying to keep up with their style, their personal preference. Who cares what the media says, if I like my hair how it is, I ain't fixin to change it.
-La'Kendra Curry
ReplyDeleteHair in the African American community is extremely prominent. Sometimes our outfit isn't complete unless our hair is styled to our standards. But just like fashion varies and styles come in and out of effectiveness, why can't our hair vary without getting judged or frowned upon? I don't understand why kinky or curly hair can't be as respected as straight hair? Has society really gotten this pathetic? Does hair texture or color really determine a persons status? Even though I don't agree with this stigma, I can't say that this isn't the way that some people think or that this isn't the way media portrays things through movies, television shows, and music videos, but ultimately the way you feel about yourself has to come from within. Confidence is key! If you're completely confident and content with yourself then regardless of what your hair texture is, you'll know your worth.
Jasmin Faust
ReplyDeleteI never really looked at hair being a prominent displayed issue in the media until reading this blog. I honestly don't think changing your hairstyle in any way has anything to do with the desire to want to "be different" or to feel "apart of another race" its just something we as humans do both male and female. For instance seeing a white male with dreads doesn't give me the impression that he wants to be "black" just that maybe his hair preference is that of locks instead of a regular short hair cut. Being an African American female I never really had the choice of keeping natural hair because my hair was permed with the decision left upon my mother. Im pretty sure in doing so her purpose wasn't to make me look like the white girl in my class because she didn't like me as the black little girl with kinky hair just that maybe she was tired of hearing me cry and tired of breaking combs because my hair was too thick. Believe it or not I mean straight hair is way more easier to manage. I think sometimes we look to deep into situations making them seem a little more intense then they really are intended to be.
Adrianne Carter
ReplyDeleteAlthough the modern media does portray a certain anorexic view of what life should look like I don't think this would have any profound effect on traditions passed down throughout the ages. What may have started as a way to assimilate into white dominated American culture quickly grew into a way for women to express themselves. Some people just simply find permed hair too brittle and hard to grow, while others hold the view that natural hair is to kinky and hard to manage. If someones Great grandmother used a flat iron constantly, and their grandmothers and mothers permed their hair then it probably has a lot less to do with popular culture and more to do with family upbringing.
Abigail Remillard AML2600
ReplyDeleteUntil recently I did not know the lengths and resources that black ladies (young and old) went into making or "perfecting" their hair. I was at work and my coworker was saying the her stylist messed up her weave and I hadn't the slight idea what she was talking about. I did notice from the day forth, that her hair style changed every week and that it always looked perfect and pretty. The pressre though that she put upon herself to "uphold" the style and fashion portrayed by the media was incredible. Always changing and looking in mirrors to fix any possible mistakes.
As mentioned above in earlier posts, hair shouldn't define YOU, unless you absolutely want it to. Hair is just hair and unless you want to make a point by wearing a mowhawk or shaving it bald, hair is just another unnecessary distraction that we choose to afix upon to ignore more important information about the people around us and more importantly you.
As long as there is media, reality shows, fashion, and drama though something about our appearance to society and the general population is always going to on our minds and apart of our life.
Vanessa White
ReplyDeleteI feel that in this modern day time period that many African American females are unconsciously going for that “European” look. They see it on television, in school, and in fashion magazines. If something is popular people usually go out and get it. For instance hair weaves such as sew in and caps. Many females of the African American culture have taken to wear this form of false hair. In my opinion yes depending on the style it looks nice, but then again when you ask the questions such as: “Who are you trying to please”, “Are you going for a European standard of beauty?”, “What happened to wearing your own natural African hair?”, the hair on your head becomes quite a big deal and an expression of who you are and could also go for what you stand for. Just recently I stopped getting relaxers and decided to go natural after becoming more educated on the damages of perms and on my own African culture. I began asking myself those same questions as stated earlier. Another big question I asked myself was “If a perm has all those horrible chemicals in it, why do I still perm my hair every 8 weeks?, If something is bad for you why do it?” Why not wear my own natural hair that I’m supposed to be wearing already” Why is it that majority of other races aren’t ashamed to wear their own natural hair, but when it comes to African American woman I get so much negative feedback on the topic. You have to really ask yourself” Are we brain washed into washing away our culture? “What’s our definition of beauty and who are we looking towards to find that”.
Gerald Law
ReplyDeleteFor African-American women, the issue with the hair starts at a young age. The thought of straight hair beautiful and natural hair being unacceptable is presented to young black girls by their mothers. In Chris Rock's film "Good Hair", their were a few girls getting perms who hadn't even started kindergarden yet.
As they grow older, they continue to do these things to their hair because, in the back of heads, they can still hear their mother/grandmother saying, "I am not gonna let my baby run around and have people calling her nappy-headed." Well, they might not think about that everytime they get there hair done, but the idea of natural hair being associated with "nappy hair" makes a lot of women shy away from 'kicking the habit' of hair-straighting products. Natural hair, if taken care of of course, is a beautiful part a black woman's appearance and to those who do so, I commend you.
(For the record, I am not anti-perm, I'm just making an argument. You all are beautiful too.)
Kristin Salter
ReplyDeleteSo it's not secret the hair is a big deal to African-American women. But I don't think it's safe to say that the way we fix our hair defines us. People style their hair the way they like it, not to become someone different. I relax my hair and it's not because I want to look like a white woman or because I dislike my natural hair, I do it because it is easier to manage. I think natural hair is pretty, I just don't have the patience to manage it. Unfortunately though for some African American women, the media has made them believe that they are not pretty if they don't have straight hair.
Ms. Otgna K. Dorno
ReplyDeleteWow! Talk about over analyzing every little detail. It is possible to do things just because, and choosing a hair style is one of those things. I personally think that a lot of times when a female chooses a hairdo, it’s just because they like it- and that’s all there is to it. This may be shocking to some, but it is possible for people to do things not typically related to their “category” and not be self loathing or have low self esteem or have rejected themselves. Actually I think that it shows that they are comfortable with who they are; that they know they’ll remain the same person no matter what they do or how they look. In fact, I would go as far to say that an individual who believes that people are to conform to the position others have defined for their race, class and gender are ignorant and need to step away from the stereotypes and live life. I feel as though now is a good as time as any for us to concede that it is in fact possible for people to do anything they like no matter what others like them have done or looked like in the past. I can be black and love being black and still think that I would look better with straight hair. Similarly if a man gets a manicure it doesn’t mean he’s trying to be a girl or that he is gay. If you believe that a Black girl who wears her hair or weaves straight has self identity/ esteem issues, than your belief would also condemn the millions of other individuals who chose to step outside of the box. I for one refuse to confine my actions to whatever labels society thinks it will assign me.
Laura Turner
ReplyDeleteHair, in today's society, is a fashion statement, which changes and defines who we think we are as a person by allowing people to look on us and judge who we are (or at least think we are) by how we put ourselves together. This can be seen in the black community, as the majority of the black women style their hair in all different varieties of fashions. While this can be seen as yielding to the expectations of societal pressures and conforming to the white standards of beauty, I see it as a trend that has been going on for centuries. Women are always accessorizing and trying out new styles. What is in one season is out the next, and this goes for colors and clothes, but also (more drastically) this can be seen with body types and hair styles. 200 years ago, being plump was seen as the epitome of beauty, because it meant that women were capable of eating on a regular basis and would probably bear babies with less trauma than an underfed serf woman. This can be somewhat juxtaposed to today’s society. Women today want to be seen. They are on the market and they are looking for men. To be seen as “beautiful” (whatever that means…it changes all the time!) women conform to the commonly accepted ideal. This is not, I believe, based on color, but instead the universal trend of the day. For example, currently it is popular to have long, straight hair. However, thirty or so years ago the afro was the height of style among blacks and whites (big hair was IN). Unfortunately, this can also be said for the mullet, maybe twenty years ago. The mullet was not in fashion because people were conforming to the fishy side of beauty, but because people are always looking to stand out as an individual, while still blending with the crowd.
Ashlee Thompson
ReplyDeleteI do agree that hair is a big deal for many black women, probably most. However, it is not only black women it is also white women and Asian women and Hispanic women and other races as well. I think you hear more about black women’s hair because it is a completely different texture then most races. But all women would prefer straight low maintenance hair if they can obtain it. Back in the day, the fact might have been to be seen as closer to the white women but today that is not even the case. For me, I love wearing weave because I get variety and do not have to worry about damaging my hair with 6000 different chemicals. I most definitely am not nature my hair is too too too thick for that but just because I have a perm in my head doesn’t mean I’m not down for the cause….whatever the cause may be. I could care less to look anything other than the African American young woman that I am. Hair is a preference; it is all about what you want to do with your hair. Yeah there are certain stigmas attached to some hairstyles but overall the hair does not make the person. As we discussed in class with corporate America; Honestly the hair might be a setback at for glance during an interview but keeping you from progressing in the business world I definitely think is a little much to say. If its business then you dress for business no matter natural or straight or weave you need to be clean cut and fit for the job. Honestly if I was the employer, I would take mister clean twisted dread head over a young man with a low fade that looks like he tried to brush it on the elevator but missed the taco meat in the back. No matter what stigma is attached to dreads. But I do understand not everyone looks at it that way and that in a lot of cases your appearance does gave you that extra boost but if they are really the employer you want to and should be working for then as long as you are clean and presentable who cares. I just know employers do not want to have to tell you what presentable is and if you can’t even come to an interview with a combed weave or with your wig on straight they don’t have time for you.
Kurtis Nelson
ReplyDeleteI must say I did not realize that hair was such a big issue among African American women. I always assumed as one student put it today that it is like changing one's clothing or accesserising. Thinking about it however, I can see that individuals could get very offended about being judged on their personal views based on how they wear their hair. I do not believe anybody's hair should mean anything more than what they want it to mean. This means I believe a women sporting a Beyoncesque wig could share the same ideals as women with a natural fro especially in today's society. I do not believe other races or nationalities have this issue with hair. And I think the majority of African American women today too, look the way they do simply to be fashionable.. nother else.
India Williams
ReplyDeleteI was listening to India.Arie's (feat. Akon)song "I am not my hair" and comparing the lyrics to the discussion that we had earlier today in class. Akon tells how he had a fro, but he was not getting any attention from women because they did not want a brother with "nappy hair". He then goes and gets twists for locks and the women loved it, but he could not get a job in corporate because they would not hire a brother "with dreadlocks." He says "success did not come til I cut it all off". Its a sad reality that in the world that we live in that people judge on the basis of your hair. Your hair should be something that one is proud of no matter the texture or style of it. Hair should to a way of expression and feelings and being comfortable with yourself rather than something that is looked down upon. India.Arie says "Good hair means curls and waves. And bad hair means you look like a slave. At the turn of the century its time we redefine who we be." I personally like being natural because I could do many things with it each day and I feel like its more healthy and free. While others may like theirs more straight, and that is their business. But your hair should never define the person that you are.
Hannah Bryan
ReplyDeleteCall me crazy, but in all honesty I find natural black hair to be quite exquisite in an earthy way (I know, it sounds strange). There is something distinctively beautiful about the diversity of hair types, in my opinion. I definitely believe that the media plays a significant role in what society deems to be acceptable and beautiful. It certainly is not the only factor, but it plays a prominent role.
I am aware that I do not understand how a Black woman manages her hair. I have very little personal knowledge or experience on the subject. However, as a woman myself, I do understand the desire that many ladies have to be pretty and to appear as well-put together as possible. My hair is straight and short. I keep it short for style, convenience, and because it breaks easily if it gets long enough. When I first cut it short, my main reason was to confront my feelings of fearful timidity and to become someone who wasn’t afraid of what others thought of her. Yes, hair can be that important to a woman (not necessarily to all women, though). Accepting ourselves as beautiful has proved to be tough, what with the media all but screaming that only a certain type of face, hair, body, etc., is up to standard. Learning to look past the media’s unrealistic ideals and see the beauty of naturalness is what women can do in the short run. For the long run, I hope the media itself can change enough to include and promote realistic images and ideals so that women now and in the future can feel good about themselves.
The argument can be made that we define ourselves by our hair—I certainly did when I cut my hair all off for the first time. However, that is not the only aspect of hair styles. I once helped a Black girl I was friends with to undo all her braids. Holy crap, it took so long! She called it the “lion’s mane” when it was finally free of braids. In my limited experience, I can see why someone would want to relax one’s hair to simply make it manageable. All the same, how a person takes care of his or her appearance might say a few things about them, such as the argument that Group 3 makes, or that the person is so busy that he she must perm his or her hair to make it easier to handle, or that the person is just lazy if he or she lets it grow out all nappy. Those are just a few; the list of possibilities goes on.
I say that one can only go so far when trying to judge people by their hair or their appearance in general.
Nathaniel Watson
ReplyDeleteI don't think that black hair is (or should be) as big a deal as some people make it out to be. Some people suggest that the type of hair a person has or chooses to wear says something about the person. I feel like to some degree (a very very small one) it does indicate something about the person. The problem is the merit and weight that are assigned to peoples' various hairstyles/apearances. I understand the way it could effect personal preference with preferring a woman with natural hair as opposed to permed hair or a woman wanting a man with dreads as opposed to a low cut. The fact that it could determine whether or not somebody gets a job, though, is where the perceptual judgement gets a little outrageous. I just feel like people get too dramatic about things sometimes, and discusssion
LaQuanda Smith
ReplyDeleteThe idea that women change their hair to become someone different is a little drastic. I personally don't think that there is a big issue with African-American hair. It's all about personal preference. Wether a woman chooses to have chemically treated hair (a relaxer), natural hair, or wear a weave it's all up to her. Now-a-days our hair is looked at as an accessory. We tend to change up our hair with our mood or just for fashion.
Althea Daley
ReplyDeleteAs an African-American female I understand the trials and tribulations that we have to deal with when it comes to our hair completely. Whether it is relaxed or natural, hair can make all the difference in how you look and may be perceived. I was natural for 17 years, not by choice but because my mother was against relaxers (she still is but im grown). I decided to relax my hair because it is what I wanted to do for my own comfort. Dealing with my natural hair was a very long and tiresome process. Being relaxed has nothing to do with any other race but me specifically, nobody has to deal with the hair on my head 24/7 but me so I make my decisions based on what makes me happy at the end of the day. My mother always taught me that my hair is my "crown and glory". Whether its straight, kinky, weaved, dyed, or relaxed, my hair is a reflection of me and I take pride in it.
As a self-proclaimed "weave wearer" I don't understand why there is always a negative connotation that comes with wearing weave. I don’t wear weave because I succumbed to the Europeans standards of beauty or want to conform. I wear weave because I like change and I love the freedom the wearing weave or how I like to call it “personal hair character pieces” gives me. People who wear weave are not trying to pass as being white as the women in Passing did. I don’t think that African American women wear weave because it’s easier to maintain than natural hair because weave is hard to maintain as well. When women wear weave it doesn’t mean that they are trying to become white or pass for white, after all weave doesn’t change a person’s skin color. The negative stigma that comes with weave should be erased and we should embrace the fact that people like to wear hair other than the afro-puff.
ReplyDeletePaige Strickland
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, doing your hair each day is a choice that you make. While making this choice you have to decide i you want to work hard, and take a while in this process, usually straightening or curling your hair to fit the standard, or if you want to just leave it how it naturally is. I personally don't think that hair is that big of a deal. It does not portray who you are inside. It is their decision how they want to do their hair and society shouldn't make a standard for hair, since today their is a standard for every other aspect of life. We judge others for such unnecessary things these days, such as hair.
Kestrel Ambrose
ReplyDeleteAlthough the media is loaded with images that sort of define our cultural standards of beauty, I think overall the way someone decides to wear their hair is all about personal preference. I speak as a female who is 100% natural, but wears weaves 24/7, 365 days a year. I LOVE being natural. I love the way my natural looks and feels. Sometimes, it is hard to manage because natural does require a little more time and attention--it's not just get up and go. And my nautural hair cant hold certain styles in certain weather. I wear a weave because there is always something different I want to do with my hair. There are certain styles I have tried that would require me to go to very extreme measures of chemically-processing, cutting or coloring my nautural hair. These aren't things that I am willing to do to my own hair, so I turned to weaves. They allow me to constantly change the color, texture and cut of the hair that people see me wear. One day I might feel like having short hair, the next I wanna be long with flowing curls or waves. I can't speak for all African American females, but it's about my preference.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFavorite subject. Hair. Personally i believe that hair is nothing more than an accessory. Styles change just like fashion one month long and short the next and its more than easy to toy with a part of you that will grow back. Hair is one the most versatile things on our body and if you wanna go from hairstyle ti hairstyle then you can . I relax my hair and wear weaves, but i feel that no one should have an influence on how my hair is done because its merely a preference. Changing your hair from curly to relaxed may seem easier to deal with for most which is why changing hair texture can also be of convenience. Its not like plastic surgery when irreversible damage is done and I believe that this is the main reason black hair is always changing.
ReplyDeleteI cant speak for or against "the cause" and I do not believe that changing your hair from natural will make you less of African American but i can only speak for my when i say that i do love my hair and relax it because it is other wise hard to maintain. I would hope that black girls do not chemically change their hair texture and type to be closer to white hair, as a matter of fact i highly doubt that this might be the case. What really makes an individual “ down” for their race is how they truly feel about being black , embrace your skin type and facial feature, even your hair relaxed or natural and be glad that your hair the power to change your hair at your discretion.
Laquinnesha Thompson
Greg Reid
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I don't think I know much about hair. I don't have to do much to mine--I shower, wash it, dry it with a towel, and then brush it--all in about 10 minutes. I do know that the women I know have much more to do with their hair. Most women I know "do something" to their hair. They color it, curl it, straighten it, and who knows what else. I find this to be frustrating. Maybe this is why woment are always running late--because they have to do their hair. Hair styles do change, but I think that women will always find something to do with their hair, or at least think they have to do, in order to look a certain way.
Wynn Slots & Casino Tickets - Hendon Mobhub
ReplyDeleteFind Wynn Slots & Casino tickets in Las Vegas, NV 태백 출장마사지 at 통영 출장안마 Ticketmaster. 원주 출장안마 The Wynn Slots titanium wire & Casino 강원도 출장마사지 Las Vegas is set to reopen on Monday, August 5.