[Yuna]

Why did African-American women forget the whole black pride issue from the '60s about wearing afros? When did they start to straighten their hair again? Was it media influence or what?

User Detail :  

Name : Yuna, Gender : F, Age : 17, City : Queens, State : NY Country : United States, 

[CC19142]

Maybe African-American women of today realized that the 1960's 'afros' were too extreme. I have yet to see an immigrant woman from Africa with hair like that.

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Name : CC19142, Gender : F, Age : 21, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : Canada, 

[KR]

I think the relatively recent popularity of the chemical relaxer had a profound effect on how black women began to style their hair in the post-'60s era. Previously, in order to get Afro-textured hair straightened, most people used hot combs or other head-based devices, which did not permanently alter the texture of the hair. So if they wanted to, they could wear an Afro just by wetting their hair and 'letting it go back.' In other words, Afros were easier to come by simply because the hair wasn't permanently altered. Nowadays, most black women with straight hair have had it chemically processed to be this way. The permanency of perms will not allow easy Afro formation, and therefore those with perms cannot have Afros, even if they wanted them. So in a way they are 'stuck' with straight hair. Attitudes toward black hair are also different from what they were. Many people harbor a self-hate for their natural hair, and I think it comes more from places close to home than from the media.

User Detail :  

Name : KR, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, 

[Alicia31389]

I've had my hair relaxed since I was about 8. I have always had thick, long hair, and I was 'tender-headed' as a child. Relaxing my hair made life a lot easier for me and my mother. I have toyed with the idea of letting my hair 'go natural' for some time, but frankly, I like the versatility I have with my relaxed hair. I can wear it in up-styles, down, curly, straight, braided or with twists. Given the thickness of my hair, if I went natural I would have to cut it shorter for ease of management, which would reduce my styling options. While there are plenty of ways in which I reflect pride in my African-American heritage, my choice of hairstyle is not meant to be a cultural statement.

User Detail :  

Name : Alicia31389, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 32, City : Pensacola, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : attorney, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[J.B.]

This question is for 'C.C. Somewhere in NA, Canada': What is so extreme about wearing an afro?

User Detail :  

Name : J.B., Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Paralegal, 

[Jhainine30667]

The reason black women don't wear the 'fro anymore is that most black men like the straight-hair look. It reminds them of the white girl image that they so want to have on their arms.

User Detail :  

Name : Jhainine30667, Gender : F, Age : 18, City : Greenville, State : SC Country : United States, Occupation : College student, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Dominique]

Although I sympathize with your disgust with black men liking white women, I don't think all black men are into white women. I have a wonderful black man who likes me, and yes, he's aware of the fetish for white skin, but he knows white women are just trouble because of his own personal reasons, so no white woman should take offense.

User Detail :  

Name : Dominique, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Don't believe in religion, Age : 22, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Dominique]

My mom had an afro in the '60s. She told me it was the hardest but culturally inspiring thing she ever did. It was hard because an afro is not as simple as people think. Every night she had to braid it into 10 to 12 plats. When she woke up the next morning, she had to take out the braids and pick her hair out and even it out all around. If she didn't do this, it would get extremely nappy and unmanageable. So I can imagine why some black women decided they would rather go to the beauty shop every other week rather than do that every day. Ironically though, my mom still has an afro, but much more manageable because it's very short. I prefer natural hair (I have twists), but I can understand that having natural hair takes time, and some black women really don't want to spend a whole day doing their hair. Although pressing and perming takes time too. Go figure.

User Detail :  

Name : Dominique, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Don't believe in religion, Age : 22, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Doug25649]

Hey this Dougie Fresh and I'm sure we've met before!

User Detail :  

Name : Doug25649, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, City : Guesswherein, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Illegal Immigrant Hunter, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Upper class, 

[Erika A.]

I am so sick and tired of someone worrying about my black hair. I choose to wear my hair straight, kinky, colored, weaved, braided or whatever. That's my personal choice. But I do believe the media has something to do with black women wanting to keep their hair straight. We as a people are so brainwashed to believe that straight is right that we ridicule each other when we wear our hair natural. I heard comments like, 'Put a relaxer in that nappy hair, girl.' We also never stopped straightening our hair; it's been that way since madame C.J. Walker invented the straightening comb. Blacks enjoy flipping the script!

User Detail :  

Name : Erika A., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : philadelphia, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : operator, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Cheryl B. J.]

Revolution and freedom are in the head, not on it. Sisters may choose any hairstyle or color that makes them comfortable. I am, however, concerned about my sisters' lack of ability to understand that unstraightened hair has as much versatility as straightened. It simply requires creativity and a sense of value that says, 'Any way is the right way.'

User Detail :  

Name : Cheryl B. J., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 50, City : St. Louis, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Education administrator, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

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