I was inspired to write this article when people started saying to me, “Girl you got that GOOD hair.” I don’t know why but almost instantly I began to reflect on that popular phrase.
I know what you are thinking, “Who wouldn’t want GOOD hair, right?” At one point I thought the same thing and used this statement often but some digging and pondering on this subject since I returned natural has completely flipped my reasoning upside down.
My hair was relaxed for the majority of my life and as far as I was concerned it didn’t matter if I had good hair or not because I faithfully relaxed my hair every month.
Once I decided I was returning natural it became instantly clear how many wrong thoughts I had about natural hair and that I had to reprogram my brain to embrace the truth.
Dare to come along with me as I highlight 5 vital reasons why we shouldn’t label our hair GOOD or BAD but embrace and rock the natural hair we have been blessed with. If you want to peek inside my brain and take a look at my thoughts about embracing all beautiful textures then keep reading.
1. Unique characteristics to ALL natural textures
Honestly, when I started taking an interest in all natural textures I noticed there are many unique characteristics to all natural hair textures.
All textures are beautiful and extraordinary and if we choose to look for the beauty we will find it was there all along. I am subscribed to many YouTube videos with naturals who have all different textures so I can be educated about all natural textures and the beauty and remarkable differences that they all possess.
I am continuously amazed at how I will finally catch a natural who seems to have my texture then later on to find their porosity level isn’t quite the same as mine or they have a similar curl pattern as mine but my hair is a tad bit thicker… highlighting once again although we have similarities there are differences too.
One key that helped me navigate this subject is this: while you may be eyeing and wishing you had another natural’s texture I assure you there is someone else wishing they had yours!
2. ALL natural hair is beautiful
Returning to natural has not only taught me so much about natural hair but ultimately taught me a lot about myself and life. We should aim refrain from labeling anything GOOD or BAD based precepts we may have formed upon wrong thoughts and learned negative perceptions passed down or the simple fact that we often fear what we don’t understand.
I have taken this time during my natural hair journey to refocus, grow and share what I have been learning. I don’t know about you but I truly believe all natural hair is beautiful and something to appreciated and embraced.
I understand that we all view beauty differently and that’s fine. I personally love other textures as I see them all around me but I never envy them to a point where I wish I had another texture. Good news is we can learn to embrace and find beauty in all textures!
Laughette Miller says
Wth is good hair anyways …ive never understood that…imo good hair is healthy hair ..period..
Phoenix McGee says
I label mine “Somebody come comb this isht for me cause I don’t want to.”
Laughette Miller says
Comments like that either come from ppl who dont know how to manage their own hair…or ppl who know nothing about hair at all and have been taught that a looser curl is GOOD HAIR…aka self hate
Laughette Miller says
That last sentence i said can go both ways…some ppl are taught that a looser curl is good hair…i still stand by what i said cuz its true from what I have seen ..obviously the chick with the looser curl cant be said to have self hate in that area..that was more so in regards to the chick with the tighter curl…so in other words…she may not be showing self hate…but it could be classified as thinking she is more than or better than simply because of texture
Rivian Jones says
And that bothers you? Lol I think society puts too much emphasis into others opinion.
Laughette Miller says
I never said it bothers me …i just simply stated that this is oftentimes where these comments come from….who said it bothers me ….
Laughette Miller says
And that was my point in what i said …ppl judge things and live their lives according to what society deems as acceptable….i think u may have missed that point…we are both saying the same thing just a different way
Brittany Richardson says
I agree 100%…and they kill me with the “good grade of hair” comments. Like wtf? I called a woman ignorant once for saying that and she played victim and said that I was being rude to her… Like sorry boo, being ignorant doesnt gaurentee anyone will be nice to your stupid ass. She even started comparing her “nappy” hair to another woman’s “good grade of hair.” oh yeah, that word nappy makes me itch too…
Jadean N. Pitts says
Exactly and the messed up part about it is it always starts with are own people. Black people stay yelling racist but the biggest problem we have is with ourselves. ?
Valencia Rawls says
Totally agree
Tonya George says
Unfortunately we as a race have come to the conclusion that if we have really fine silky hair THAT is considered to be good hair. We need to embrace what God has given us. So many younger black females trying to have babies by either light/bright/damn near white guys so their kids can have “GOOD HAIR”…this is sad we are going to eventually make the BLACK race extinct…IJS
Laughette Miller says
I dont see anything wrong with being with a person of another or mixed race or just simply light skinned as long as it is out of love and not to have a certain status or certain texture of hair ….i dont think the black race will go extinct…but i see what youre saying
Tonya George says
No problem here w/mixed races I just know several females that have that thought process of wanting the cute light skinned kids bcuz they have always hated the color of their skin
toyasg says
When I was a bus driver there was this young black girl on my bus with her kids. She told me they had different dads and that the last kids father was white. She said it like she had accomplished something. I just shook my head.
Khadija S Ifill says
I agree!
Dinah Briggs says
Bad hair is hair that falls out.
Khadija S Ifill says
I said one day that I had good hair, for some reason someone got offended and ask me ” what does good hair mean? ” I didn’t say what I said with any negative intention. I’ve larned after not my to speak out front of insecure people. Either way, all hair textures are beautiful. I just felt like I had a right to embrace mine!
Angel Park says
It was a simple question…..what is good hair? That doesn’t make her insecure. it makes her curious. Sounds like u were the one with the issue since you couldn’t even explain what it means to you. My answer would have simply been …..”healthy hair”
Vedejah Scroggins says
There is no such thing as bad hair. You’re not taking care of it the way it needs to be taken care of. You also have to take care of your body to take care of your hair from the inside out. Everyone’s body and hair are different what I do someone else probably can’t do and that goes same for me I can’t do everything everyone else does. All hair is good hair just take care of it properly.
Rivian Jones says
Lol this whole post is funny my baby has good hair and I have good hair now get offended because I could careless lol.
Cynthia Myles says
ummm, to me “Good Hair” is buying Humam Hair as oppose to buying “Synthetic Hair” when blending your Hair Weave to your Natural Hair! 😉
Tonya Reyes says
The hair of the ladies pictured above in my opinion, reflect the true meaning of GOOD HAIR. I would trade in my mane any day for any one of the 4 curly, thick, and healthy manes featured above.
Katherine Scott says
I have that good hair because I look after it some people call it “nigga hair” some call it “nappy” I call it afro hair because that’s what it is. Just because it ain’t straight or I have a tighter curl doesn’t mean I have bad hair I love my hair and the people important to me love that I embrace my natural self.
Jadean N. Pitts says
Its no bad or good hair. Its healthy and damaged. I cant stand people that would say if your hair don’t curl from a wet brush then you got that n***a hair. My hair is the hair god gave me and according to him, he makes no mistakes. I love my 4c hair and do not wish to have any other type. ✌️
Amalfi Elizabeth Elibo says
For me it has a historical and racial context. The abuser brakes its victim by damaging his psyche. White slave owners had a set of linguistic programmings to keep us down, being one of those, “the bad hair” thing. It is sad, nevertheless, its the truth.
Valerie Johnson says
When I was in school the African American girls with looser curls would tell us it wasn’t so great to have hair like theirs because they could not wear it in a lot of the styles that girls with thicker hair could.
Jus Carissa says
All natural types of hair are good hair only whe its spoilt by harsh chemicals does it turn bad but your original hair without any tampering is good no matter the texture nice article.
Evelyn Lattimore says
All that comes from being brainwashed! Lets not forget that.In all our getting we must get understanding. There has been attacks on us as a people since we fled from Jerusalem into the south of Africa , into the Atlantic slave trade , into wicked america. So when we know better , we do better. Understandingis key. We have a goldmine from the crown of our heads , to the bottom of our feet , in all they we are ! Almighty Yah gave us the same type of hair he has. Lets celebrate that alone if nothing else. Good hair is healthy hair , strong , and rich….I mean what else ate you looking for? Peace
Carolyn Ponder says
Beautiful lady an hair.
Amie Knowles says
I hate “N” word. Surly if any one looks after their hair and treats it properly would have good hair no? X
Sheila Hines says
Because black hair is always good!!!
Katina Williams says
Exactly That erks me as well not such thing
Katina Williams says
Exactly That erks me as well no such thing
toyasg says
Please that’s usually ignorant folks that use the words “good hair”. My hair is soft and kinky and it’s good hair to me. Its my natural hair that I was born with. Some black women are so pitiful . Learn to love yourself. There isn’t a reason for fake hair or blond hair on a black woman. I’m a queen just the way I am. I don’t need synthetic or Indian hair in my crown.
Aliyah says
Good hair is healthy hair . Every hair texture is beautiful as long as you take good care of it and it’s healthy . I have beautiful curly puffy fluffy thick tight curls afro hair and I love it .
Carrie Parramore says
I believe I get the concept of your article, but I don’t mind labeling my own and everyone else’s hair as good hair.To me there is no bad hair.Especially when it’s worn the way it naturally grows out of your head.And to label anyone else’s hair as bad usually means you have self esteem issues and need to tear someone else down to make yourself feel better about who you are.#allhairisgoodhair.Just take care of what you’ve got.