I'm actually doing a mini pod on the subject of black hair. I've always grown up knowing the girl with the "Good" hair around the way. She's the mixed chick with the soft, silky looking long hair, and then there was the "Bad" hair, the kinkier, tightly coiled hair. The real question is, why is there even such a term in the African American vocabulary?
A look back in history will show you that slaves that were born to white masters seemed to have been favored, the "house nigga's", because of their closer resemblance to whites. The lighter and softer your hair, the better you were treated. It's no suprise that this Southern mentality would find it's way into African American culture today. And it also doesn't help when the images plastered all over the runways and magazines only read one way. Alek Wek? She's considered exotic...like a giraffe by most white and to blacks...just bald headed. You can thank Madam CJ Walker for her contribution to the straightening of black hair and especially Garrett A. Morgan for bringing us the Relaxer.
In the 20's and then the 60 and 70's there was a call to all Afro Americans to return to their heritage and where afros as a rejection to Eurocentric visual conception and to promote the idea that beauty comes in all forms.
Honestly, don't think it's about looking black or white. I have what one would call nappy hair and I have done the natural thing, wearing fros, twists, dreds and everything. Recently I permed my hair again, because quite frankly, it's just easier. When I straightened it, I didn't have in mind that I'd finally be able to look like Giselle. I thought finally, I can flip in a pony tail and run out of my house. Straight hair is in...even for White women.
I'm actually doing a mini pod on the subject of black hair. I've always grown up knowing the girl with the "Good" hair around the way. She's the mixed chick with the soft, silky looking long hair, and then there was the "Bad" hair, the kinkier, tightly coiled hair. The real question is, why is there even such a term in the African American vocabulary?
A look back in history will show you that slaves that were born to white masters seemed to have been favored, the "house nigga's", because of their closer resemblance to whites. The lighter and softer your hair, the better you were treated. It's no suprise that this Southern mentality would find it's way into African American culture today. And it also doesn't help when the images plastered all over the runways and magazines only read one way. Alek Wek? She's considered exotic...like a giraffe by most white and to blacks...just bald headed. You can thank Madam CJ Walker for her contribution to the straightening of black hair and especially Garrett A. Morgan for bringing us the Relaxer.
In the 20's and then the 60 and 70's there was a call to all Afro Americans to return to their heritage and where afros as a rejection to Eurocentric visual conception and to promote the idea that beauty comes in all forms.
Honestly, don't think it's about looking black or white. I have what one would call nappy hair and I have done the natural thing, wearing fros, twists, dreds and everything. Recently I permed my hair again, because quite frankly, it's just easier. When I straightened it, I didn't have in mind that I'd finally be able to look like Giselle. I thought finally, I can flip in a pony tail and run out of my house. Straight hair is in...even for White women.
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