Reasons for Black Women to Wear Natural Hair

Reasons for Black Women to Wear Natural Hair

June 21, 2006 by
A. Hermitt  
A. Hermitt
A. Hermitt
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Wearing Your Hair in It's Natural State



Black women typically chemically alter their hair for a myriad of reasons. Some do it for the look, some do it for social reasons, and others do it for professional reasons. Here are the reasons black women should wear their hair in its natural state… Kinky.

10.  It grows in that way. If your creator meant for you to have straight hair it would be
 straight. 

9.  You can do fun and versatile things with black hair. Unlike straight hair, black hair (naturally kinky) can stand straight up, can be braided into complex designs, can be temporarily straightened without chemicals, and worn in its natural state again the next day. 

8.  It is in style. Natural black hair is more and more acceptable every day. It is just another fashion choice; therefore, there is really no reason to go through great pains to change it. 

7.  Straightening chemicals are dangerous. If not applied correctly, it can cause burns, hair damage, and temporary to permanent hair loss. 

6.  Hair chemicals are really, dangerous. The food and drug administration says, “Hair relaxers and hair dyes are among its top consumer complaint areas. Complaints range from hair breakage to symptoms warranting an emergency room visit”. Also” In February 1994, FDA and the American Cancer Society released an epidemiologic study involving 573,000 women. Researchers found that women who had never used permanent hair dyes showed decreased risk of all fatal cancers combined and of urinary system cancers. 

5.  You never know when it might go wrong. Just like food, allergies show up over time, so do hair chemical allergies. What worked fine two years ago, might cause a bald spot in two years. 

4.  If it went wrong before, it will very likely happen again. If you had a bad reaction to a perm, do not do it again. Nine times out of 10, the chemicals are just as much to blame as the stylist. 

3.  Pride: Your hair is an identifying symbol of your race. If you are proud of your race, you should also be proud of your hair. 

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  • read: "Heading Off Hair-Care Disasters: Use Caution With Relaxers and Dyes" at www.fda.gov
 
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Hi RH - I understand what you are saying concerning Black women wearing their hair naturally. We should be able to wear our hair either way, relaxed or natural, without society negatively judging us, or negative judgement from one another. But, because there we live in a Eurocentric society, it isn't that way. When I was in college natural hair on a Black woman was indeed a political statement. That was in the late 1960's and I have been wearing what we used call an Afro for past forty-two years and yes indeed my hair is strong and healthy and easy to style. Women who relax or straighten their hair shouldn't be seen as wrong either. There is a lot of sad baggage connected to hair and skin tone in our race and it is because of the European oriented society we live in. But let me tell you something, it is so much better than when I was a little girl. At least now we see the beauty of our natural hair. At one time Black people did not think ANYTHING about themselves was beautiful unless i
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Posted on 06/13/2009 at 3:06:18 PM

It seems as if those with natural hair on this forum are looking down on those who relax. My hair is natural but I blow dry and flat iron it straight because it is easier to manage. If I do not do this then my hair will frizz out and I would look extremely young. However, I do not judge those who relax their hair or feel as if they are trying to be white. It's their choice! Get off your high horses!
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Posted on 06/13/2009 at 8:06:09 AM

If women want to look good; they have the right to. Its just like dying hair. If you want ur hair a different color; then you do it. Yes the chemicals might not be the best thing , but hey; you cant live your life thinking about what if.. Just sayinq. but i agree with both arguments.(=
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Posted on 06/10/2009 at 8:06:30 PM

Also, I keep my hair out of my face with a safety hair band. Yep, that's all you need. My mother never relaxed my hair as she knew the damaging effects it would have on my precious hair, I had what they would call "good hair", any hair is good hair to me. I even had straight hair as a baby.
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Posted on 05/26/2009 at 10:05:02 PM

I love my long hair, it has never been perm or relaxed and I feel others should follow suit. It is healthy and it's curls in different patterns. It's straight on the edges then it slightly curls, the longer hairs are either straight, wavy or coily. I believe if black women left their hair alone, they would be more happy. Use natural products, the target hair products for black people is bad for your hair. NEVER EVER USE A COMB! All you need to do is condition your hair wet and move the hair strands with your fingers. Black women hair grows upwards and out and never stays flat, so combing or brushing makes no sense and I believe braiding your hair is also damaging because it does not go with your hair pattern.
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Posted on 05/26/2009 at 9:05:35 PM

Let's get honest about this. FACT: Most of the relaxed hairstyles that we see Black women wearing (African, American, Carribean etc.) look horrible. They hair is dry, damaged and often the "edges" are completely burned out. That's a fact. Most of these black women straightening their hair DO NOT like their natural hair. The same goes for folks actually wearing natural hair. BUT on the other hand, there are some black women with relaxed hair who DO like their hair and take very good care of it, they ARE NOT in the majority. When I wore my hair relaxed I spent a MINT taking care of my hair. And you KNOW it takes a lot of energy and money to care for relaxed hair. You also know that folks DO NOT like "nappy" so don't get on this board lying. At least be honest. smh
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Posted on 05/25/2009 at 12:05:20 AM

I think a few of the commenters projected some of their issues onto this article. Nowhere does the author state that people should not straighten or style their hair. She also doesn't say that natural haired people are smarter, prouder or better than those who relax. The only negative thing posted about relaxers in the article is that they are dangerous and that is a fact, not an opinion.
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Posted on 05/20/2009 at 7:05:31 AM

Reason #3 is one of those reasons that makes my stomach turn. My hair is not a political or social symbol. It shouldn't say anything about who I am as an individual, any more than my skin colour does; and I detest having other people's politics/beliefs/stereotypes applied to me simply because I choose to avoid chemically treating my tresses. The same for women who choose to chemically process their hair. It doesn't necessarily mean they are ashamed of themselves or their skin, and the implication is forcing even wider the gulf of hatred that exists among and between black women. #3 is the reason so many professional women avoid going natural--- they don't watn to be seen as "making a statement". But I shouldn't be surprised. If it's processed hair, it means you're ashamed of being black. If it's natural hair, it means you're one fist-pump from a Black Panther meeting. Black women really can't win. Will there ever come a day when we have the right to just be who we are, regardl
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Posted on 05/10/2009 at 4:05:09 AM

I understand that, as a child in grade school I was picked on a lot because my mom used to braid my natural hair, The kids used to call me all types of names..like that character from the Color Purple. lol! So I got a relaxer and my hair hasn't been long for 14 years. But its kinda hard for me to go natural because my hair gets really nappy and I don't like to comb it. lol!
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Posted on 05/04/2009 at 3:05:49 AM

Right on! I agree with everything you said, and it's nice to hear another race's perspective on this issue.
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Posted on 04/09/2009 at 6:04:09 PM

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