Good Hair vs. Bad Hair
March 18, 2009
Let me just start off by saying that I think this is one of THE most ignorant arguments EVER. Why does it even matter whether you’re permed or natural, curly or kinky, long or short? Someone please help me to understand, better yet nevermind, because in this case ignorance definitely is bliss for me.
Forgive me if you think this has nothing to do with nothing or comes from left field, but today is not the day, and someone really just hit me with the dumbest comment and insult might I add. A co-worker asked what perm I used because she loved the body, health of my hair, etc., which my response was my hair is natural, I don’t have a perm. She replied ” Your hair ain’t like that, it ain’t curly like that. You trying to be Dominican”. So let me get this straight… I’m Spanish, or excuse me, trying to be Spanish because I have “nice hair”. There are so many things wrong with that statement. That one statement makes a numerous sequential statements, some of which are that:
1. African-American people are excluded from having “good hair”.
2. Only people with perms have “good hair”, well if they’re African-American.
3. That I’m shallow enough to lie about something as stupid as my hair.
Someone PLEASE tell me what the heck “good hair” is, and why someone twice my age thinks that it is relevant?!? Why doesn’t it matter what kind of hair you have. If it looks nice and it’s done, then that should be it, who gives a crap whether I have curly hair or you have kinky hair, and please direct me to the scientist that stated hair type is indigenous to race now. Last time I checked it was DNA, and we are so mixed a people, that no one is pure bred anything so please give me a break, I thought we established that already too…
As a matter of fact, Chris Rock released a documentary earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival(which won) in regards to this matter that seems SO pertinent to women around the world titled “Good Hair”. For more info on the document, which if I can find the info I will definitely see, you can visit here and here for more info.
I am an avid user and endorser of Miss Jessie’s . Lol, I was not paid for the advertisement but I LOVE their products hence the random promo.
I’ve been asking myself the same question for so long. I have been wearing my hair natural for almost 10 years and have had some of the most ignorant comments. I remember someone actually saying to me “you’re light skinned but you don’t have light skinned hair”. This thinking really is a problem and because it is the status quo most people don’t think that it really is.
Thanks for linking back to my post about Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” documentary. I’ll give this post a shout out on twitter as a thank you.
I agree with you about the good hair vs. bad hair debate. I hate that it’s even a topic because it’s so divisive. When someone brings it up with me, I quickly shoot it down because your hair is your hair, and it’s all good in the eyes of God.