10. “What is THAT on your head? A wig*? A hat?”
11. “My hair won’t grow like that…I just can’t go natural.”
12.”Is your favorite song, ‘I Am Not My Hair?'”
13. “OMG! Your hair stretches! Like it ‘boings’ and ‘stretches’!”
14. “I know you have Indian in your family. Or at least something Latina.”
15. “Are you going against the Eurocentric status of what beauty is?”
16. “Why do you always wear your hair in THAT bun?”
17. “You only wash your hair once a week?! That is so disgusting!”
18. “What does your man think? My boo wouldn’t like that.”
19. “I understand. My wavy hair gives me hard times too…”
20. “So what political statement are you sending?”
How to Handle these Comments
1. Don’t take it to heart – Some people really ask silly questions or give weird comments because they truly don’t know about our hair. Give them the benefit of doubt. Others, who are just mean and rude, just tell them, “What? Grow some edges!”…Nah, just kidding ha! Just take the high road and walk away from that mess.
2. Take the time to educate – This could be an opportunity to help others with their hair journey, clear up some things about natural hair (i.e. political status, what ‘beauty’ is, etc.), and inform them that all naturalistas are not the same.
If you don’t mind others touching your hair, let them feel a curl to clear up what they think your hair feels like (brillo pad, pubic hair, bear hair, etc.). If you are not into others getting close to your hair, let them know why you chose to be a naturalista. Whether it was for healthy hair, against chemicals completely, you did it by accident, or you have always loved natural hair, let them know that your hair is your decision.
3. If all else fails, strut your locks – If you have tried to explain to others about the beauty of your natural hair and they choose not to listen, just whip your hair in their face and keep on strutting. You don’t have to explain your decisions about your hair, especially if they are continuously being sarcastic and rude about your it. That’s one person out of millions of people on this Earth. On to the next one!
Some of these comments are pretty hilarious and some are just out-out-of-this-world ridiculous. But whatever is said about your hair that is negative, please try not to care, you know whats up, so just keep it moving.
I’m sure there are a lot more un-nerving and rude things that family, friends, coworkers, and strangers on the street will say about your hair. We all have our own unique experiences as we blaze along our own natural hair journeys. Flaunt your hair hunny and keep loving your own natural tresses.
I don’t mind people asking to touch my hair. They’re just curious. I can totally agree with the other’s though. Unfortunately, for me, the negative remarks gave come from other African Americans. People of other ethnic groups love my hair and are very interested in how I style it.
Oh, the typos! Sorry
Who says #15?
Hey there Shalonda! So there’s a story behind that: “Are you going against the Eurocentric status of what beauty is?” (Shor Version) I went to Hanover College for undergrad and took up the class Race and Ethnics in Society….oh! did I mention I was 1 out of 4 black people there with 400 white students AND most came from Southern Indy WHERE they haven’t had contact with any black people. Soooo we were talkin about assimilation (group of people take on the social and culture aspects of the major group). So I had my TWA. And during class a student asked me that question and everyone in class including the professor had a shocked look on their face. I was thinking, “WTH! What in your funky mind made you really think and ask me that during class?” But I said with a straight face, “Eurocentric meaning white right? Just because white people have a certain standard and status of what beauty is and I wear my hair a certain way doesn’t mean I’m going against it. This is my hair and my hair is beautiful. And you need to check yourself before you ask a question like that…” I shut the whole class operation down. But yea ask me questions but think about what you gonna say before you ask it. It’s just courtesy. Hope this helps!
19. “I understand. My wavy hair gives me hard times too…” If they said “wavy” I wouldn’t mind, it’s when they say curly and their hair has like TWO waves in it… I’m like “girl please, you don’t know what curly is!”
When you get a weave or straighten “see, I like how you look when your hair is like this” (so I only look good when I manipulate my hair to be in another form)
I always loved your fro!!!!!lol
I think the worst one my mother said to me was “naturals are all lazy b_tches because if they did their hair! they wouldn’t look like that!” When I broke it down to her about all the products and time it takes to grow healthy natural hair and that we all have DIFFERENT curls depending on what GOD liked on us (good enough for God, why not for us too?!), she tried to say “so? What does that have to do with it?! Well I say they’re lazy and you just went natural so you don’t know anything!” Meanwhile she’s never been natural, she even thinks her 3b hair is the same as 4c hair and her transitioning hair is completely natural so she only knows how to care for relaxed hair.
Hair should always be neat and oiled. The above natural looks like she just got out of bed. Back in the day, the naturals or Afros were always on point or you got talked about.