[Jessica]

If I don't wash my hair every day, it's just gross. I've never heard of this notion that white people produce more oil on their scalps than black people. Fascinating. I could certainly attest to it. My body does this exceptionally odd thing of kicking the oil glands into overdrive whenever I hit the pillow. It doesn't matter if I just showered before heading to bed, I always wake with a head like Crisco. Eight hours under a comforter I could understand; but 2-3 hours just napping on the couch?

I'm inclined to agree with the post addressing perms and relaxers, and the natural state of black hair. As for undercurrents of people in this thread thinking that they were 'superior' to others because they had long hair or had to wash their hair more often than others, don't you think you're being just a bit sensitive, and in response, a bit cutting? I don't think anyone here suggested that long hair was better, or that washing more or less often was a source of pride or shame. Personally, when I have long hair, trying to care for it drives me bananas. Then I cut it really short, and find that the shape of my face just isn't flattered by short hair. (I guess I could blame my parents for that, if it was really important.) So I grow it out long again, and get irritated with it, then cut it, then miss it again, then grow it out. It's a vicious cycle.

Seriously, though, we must each be comfortable and satisfied with our own bodies and self-images; and I think it's important that we learn what the natural state of our hair is, regardless of race. (My mother, of Greek and Arab descent, used to spend hours as a teen trying to lighten her naturally very dark hair. I find her hair in its natural state to be beautiful.) One of the coolest things I saw was when my speech professor demonstrated the natural African 'Fro. Typically, she would keep her hair combed and down; but for one of her demonstrations, she poofed it up into a 'Fro and explained to us why African hair does what it does, and why African Americans try so hard to defy that natural behavior. It was a great lesson. And her hair looked really cool.

User Detail :  

Name : Jessica, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White and Arab, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : San Diego, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : student, lifeguard, swim instructor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,