Why do black women want straight hair?

[Anonymous]

why do black girls always want straightest hair possible? I love the look of "nappy" hair. they look beautiful, I wish I could have hair like that.

[Freetobe007]

Black women have been brainwashed to believe that their natural looks are unacceptable and undesirable unless they are whittened up. So they reject their natural hair texture and wear weaves or put harsh chemicals on their scalp to get it to look like something it's not. It's actually very sad. The media makes us feel like our looks are the least exotic when actually, Afro-features are the most exotic. No other ethnicity can have our diverse range of hair textures unless they are mixed with black. The shades of black skin are beautiful. So many black women just don't believe it because they're so focused on other types of beauty that their own beauty feels so outshined and overlooked.

I'm a black girl and I love my natural hair texture! :D Ignore the profile pic lol I'm paranoid about putting up pics of myself and the idea of a girl with two wine glasses and a disco ball behind her just looks like fun to me :P Anyway though, I have a dream fro! I want a huge fro! My hair type is very unique. I've never seen anything like it. They are very tiny spiral curls that get looser as they grow. It's so soft and huge and fun to play with. My hair makes an awesome pillow! :P I can't wait to have a huge main of hair that frames my face like a lion! :D The only thing I don't like about my hair is that the tight curls make it look shorter than it really is. Like now, it's to my shoulder, but if I straightened it, it would almost be to the middle of my back

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I don't care what anyone says. Afro-textured hair is beautiful! I'm gonna grow really huge, amazing, spiral curly hair and prove it to EVERYONE! Especially black women <3

[udolipixie]

Straight hair isn't limited to whites.

Asians, Indians, and Hispanics have straight hair.

Plenty of Africans (africans arec those born in africa not blacks in America) have straight hair and it's not from race mixing.

why do black girls always want straightest hair possible?

1. Societal acceptance. Be like what's most liked. Sorry curlies studies show men and women prefer straight over curly and wavy. (nappy wasn't an option)

2. Blacks have serious issues over their hair. Look at how black men talk about their women- light skinned and long haired is the ideal black girl (aka biracial not just black).

3. Not all whites love the nappy hair.

Ever heard of they're not happy if you/re nappy?

4. They like straight hair better. It's not trying to be white just that to them it looks better.

5. Girls want what they don't have,

Curves want to be sticks. Wavy hair wants curly hair. Straight hair wants curly hair.

6. White is the standard of beauty all races are measured by.

That's reality. Doesn't mean whites = most beautiful or that everyone uses whites as the standard.

[sephora]

this is a good answer.

[Honeybaby]

That's so true and a very good answer.

[Anonymous]

Society and our community tells us that nappy hair is ugly. We have been taught that we must either sew a weave in, relax the kinks out or slap a wig on if our hair is nappy because natural hair is not acceptable unless you have 'good hair'. I'm really surprised that nonblack people seem to like black natural hair more than we do collectively. This question is kind of coincidentally because I'm going natural, it's been several months since I've had a perm and I'm really thinking about getting weave, I'm not used to this and I don't really want to wear my hair natural until it grows longer.

also good hair (less kinky, more loosely textured) is considered the best. the people who can get away with no perms are those with nice grade of hair. my sister has very soft hair because we are 1/2 caribbean but she got the good hair and I didn't. she stays getting compliments and fawned over because of it

btw you probably didn't know this but "nappy" is considered an insult to some.

PS for you guys who say natural hair is tough to comb out, try combing it while it's still wet. works for me! dry combing can break it

[Freetobe007]

People who aren't black are often the ones who are in love, damn near head over heels with our hair! I've been to Italy and Greece and a lot of those guys over there freakin love the texutre of Afro texutured hair. They think it looks unique. I work with this guy from Spain that I became close friends with and he admitted he had a crush on me and said he always wanted to play with my hair :P

Stop saying "nice grade of hair" and "good hair" like your hair isn't nice and good!

[Freetobe007]

Most combs were not meant for black hair. You should only comb it when it's wet with a wide tooth comb. Imagine a girl who's not black with beautiful girls, she's not supposed to comb through them because it will mess them up! Or even just think to those dolls with the really tight curls, they're not supposed to be combed through because the curls will be ruined and turn to complete friz! Some hair tools just aren't meant for our hair texture :) Good luck

[Opinion Owner]

i use the wide tooth combs. how do you comb/brush your hair?

i know its a bad habit saying "good/nice hair"

[Freetobe007]

I don't brush it because that's just asking for hell! lol I comb it with a wide tooth comb ONLY when I have leave in conditioner on it so that I don't rip it out. The leave in conditioner makes it easy for me to comb it :)

[Skysky8]

I wish people, including black people would stop policing our hair. It's really offensive actually. As black women we don't all have the same texture, length , type of hair, period. Some of us have shorter tighter curls. longer looser textures and everything in between. Why must we all wear our hair the same way or it's always assumed we have the same hair type and texture? Black women are not a monolith

[G-Daz]

I LOVE nappy heads too :D (I have yet to still understand why natural hair on black girls is called "nappy", the term sorta confuses me because in England, the term "nappy" is the word we use for what Americans call "diaper",I don't think that's correct? lol)

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I think it looks good

Its pretty rare to ever see black girls any more with their natural hair, in person let alone google. I believe beauty is subjective but its also socially conditions, people are sheep they follow whatever you tell them to. I think black girls in the past converted their hair to straght as a means to be more socially accepted I guess... but its sort of moulded into something pretyt much common place now, black guys generally seem to prefer straighter hair (just from my experience I haven't yet seen a black guy with a black girl with straight hair but I have with other races) so its pretty much the norm now for black girls to have it straightened because I think some believe it makes them less attractive.

Nap, Nap, Nap Nappy hairr is Naptastic! :P

[G-Daz]

Sorry typo! @ *I haven't yet seen a black guy with a black girl with "natural" hair but I have seen lack girls with natural hair with other races*

[Freetobe007]

Yeah, when I first decided to give up the weaves and harsh chemical straighteners, I went to google for inspiration on beautiful afros. It made a bold statement that most of the pictures of huge afros I had envisioned were white people wearing afro wigs as if to make fun of afros. I could hardly find any pictures of black women who weren't from the 70's with a huge afro. Goes to show that most black women don't have huge ones because they've spent so long trying to make their hair something...

[Freetobe007]

it was never meant to be.

Thanks for the support and encouraging words! :) More black women need to hear things like that instead of having men reconfirm that straight hair is better which only makes a lot of black women feel worse about their hair. I mean, is it really a black woman's fault that straight, silky hair doesn't grow out of her head? No. Anyway though, thank you :)

[G-Daz]

your welcoe :P, I'v hear some straighten their hair because its easier to manage but others just do it because they think it makes them more attractive but either way both styles suit them

[Freetobe007]

The only reason it seems easier to manage is because most black women have never been taught how to properly take care and maintain their hair without weave and perms

[Skysky8]

@Freetobe007 Curly hair is beautiful too but I can understand how seductive the images of straight hair can be if that's mostly what the media pushes on you. Not really anyone's fault except for those that perpetuate that there can be only one type of beauty standard. It can be a difficult thing to struggle with

[Snar87]

Because they didn't have a Malcolm X to tell them not to put the "white man's poison" in their hair. Some girls would say that men like girls with long hair. Throughout history, they've (blacks in general) been told that black hair is ugly and undesirable. If you want to be beautiful you must have hair similar too white women. In the black family, little girls with lighter skin tones are often embraced for their lighter skin and more strait hair. Calling them cute and pretty. In time, that had an effect on black women as a whole. Blame it on the white beauty standard.

Give me a natural black girl anytime over some imitation anytime.

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[udolipixie]

+1

anytime I see a guy say black girl with natural hair it turns out to be a biracial girl with curls or waves. Not surprising though biracial is the new black.

[Snar87]

If I see a natural haired black girl I'm 10 times more likely to complement her on her beauty and/or talk to her. I see a a lot of natural BW (not biracial) when the neo-soul concerts/festivals comes by every spring. BW have nice hair, it's screwed up by the age of 12 because of that crap they use. Hence why it feels like straw and it's won't grow pass their shoulders.

[madmisskelly]

I think the reason you stated above is so true, and the more I read and learn about it in my classes, the more it reiterates it.

It doesn't help that the media is more prevalent than ever preaching the same standards- long sleek hair, big blue eyes, tall slender physique. White women can hardly keep up now.

PS Gotta say, I love when I see a black woman with gorgeous natural hair. I also think some of the darkest black skintones are so damn beautiful.

[Mensura]

I agree with you, but it's also because it's very hard to style. that sort of hair actually occurs in Asians as well, and my friend straightened it for that reason.

In my opinion, any one who is proud of his or her natural looks is beautiful. the more you fuss with your looks the more likely you damage it, like the less you care about your hair, the better the condition. or say dieting so much you look unhealthy, putting on so much make up the skin gets infected.

Natural = goodness

[Freetobe007]

udolpixie, it's true. Black men have self hate issues too. Black men are the only group of men that commonly degrade the beauty of their own women and put every other kind of beauty on a pedestal. You don't see Hispanic networks outshining the beauty of black women or Asian women over Latina women. Asian men don't hardly include Asian women in their advertisements and make their beauty out to be less than the beauty of another woman. Black men are a mess :/

[Snar87]

@Freetobe

I was about to rage until it crossed my mind. I remember when I was in my first quarter at my school, there waa this "redbone" girl with strait hair. Just about ALL of the black guys there were chasing her. She was giving out numbers to nearly all of the guys. I actually thought she was a slut. Then I also thought about the fact that "redbone girls" received a promotion in the media in the early 90s. Just like the light skinned baby-faced black guy received a temporally one in the 80s

[Snar87]

At the end it's about what's being promoted in the media. The other races of women you mention has already received a promotion and was placed on the beauty standard. Until the day when natural haired Black Women are promoted, you will not see many guys chasing after them like they were the new Jordan's. Well, BW has received a huge push in the p0rn industry, but I don't think that matters THAT much. I don't blame BW women or BM for it. It's all about what's being promoted in the media.

[Freetobe007]

Yeah, I get that. It's still unfair and sad though

[blufrenzy93]

I agree completely with this and the statements. +10

[Skysky8]

@Freetobe007 not all black men are likethis, statistically most marry within their own culture/race.

[Skysky8]

You are right that it's the media and it's so obvious. Many black men are not like this and also deserve recognition. It's ok to date outside of your race as long as you are open to those within your race as well and are not fetishizing or stereotyping people.. Statistically speaking the average black guy is married to a black woman and not all are light skinned. I say this as a light skinned black woman who has seen some dark skinned black girls with curvy bodies and small waists get chased by all sorts of guys including black guys. The media wants to paint a different picture of course because that's what the American public buys in to

[Skysky8]

I tried to reply to someone else but this system won't let me, probably due to bias. Stop stereotyping black men. Many including my black and puerto rican brother like full black women with locks, braids, natural hair and so forth. If the woman alters her hair so what, she is still a black woman. I had a curvy dark skinned friend with natural afro hair that had to beat black, hispanic and some white guys off with a stick. If a particular black guy doesn't like you it doesn't mean that black men as a collective only like non- black women. There is a demographic of black men who are like this but it's not ALL black men. You have to look at the society they were born into and how that influences their preferences. Statistically speaking most settle down with women from their own culture/race as most men from other races do the same. I say this as a woman who is Rihanna's complexion that fits the lighter skinned stereotype and is often complimented. Black women are not a monolith , we have different hair textures, styles and looks and it's ok. W hat I want to know is why people are so invested in judging our hair or looks all of time? Are we supposed to look exactly the same? We can wear our hair any way we like and shouldn't be under constant scrutiny for it.

[madmisskelly]

I don't think it has everything to do with wanting the hair of white women.

Some cultures, however, place white as being more beautiful. So, in many cultures light colored eyes are more beautiful, lighter skin is better and there are even increased availability of skin lightening products in neighborhoods that have a high population of a particular ethnicity

I know that the thicker and coarser the hair, the more unruley and harder to style. Some get their hair relaxed because it is more manageable after it is done.

Then there is the ideal that natural hair isn't beautiful.

[foreverme]

Not all black women want straight hair. I like my hair curly, wavy or straight. But with straight hair I find it's easier to try out the latest hair trends you see on TV and in magazines. I know a Filipino girl and a Romanian girl with naturally "kinky" hair and they get theirs straightened too. I think it's just part of North American culture. Some people look good with their natural hair and find ways to care for it and style it and it looks really good on them. I never learned how to do this and sometimes I think I'd like see how it looks on me, but once you permanently straighten it you can't go back, unless you want to shave your head and grow it out again. My hair's pretty long so I wouldn't do that though, but some people would. Pop culture drives what most people do, so when you see celebrities with straight hair like Rihanna, Beyonce, and even going back to Diana Ross and Arethra Franklin, subconsciously you wanna do the same thing since it's the "in" thing to do.

[nubianqueensc]

FOR THE LAST TIME ITS NOT CALLED NAPPY HAIR

if you like a black girl and you call her hair nappy "say good bye black girl" because she going to leave you standing there looking stupid. and she even might say f*** you!

its called "coarse hair" black girls don't like to be called nappy...so stop

[Honeybaby]

Coarse? You mean thick and extremely frizzy, hair of African descent is beautiful when cared for properly.

[HannyelSedSo]

Well for one, "nappy" hair is really tough to comb out, I'm mixed & it still is hard to comb. Straight hair is manageable, and well that's why I straightened mine. Others just like the long hair look because that's what most guys prefer & that's what projected in the media & in magazines.. etc..

:))

[Freetobe007]

That's because it's not meant to be combed! The kinks and coils are meant to be kinks and coils! They are not meant to be straight. Combs can tear out your hair.

[HannyelSedSo]

i don't agree with you

[Freetobe007]

why not? curls are not meant to be combed, that's not how you take care of them, that's how you mess them up

[LOvethaT_E]

Me being black don't know either I love my curly hair I where my hair natural most of the time I just straighened because its something different . I think black women should chill with all that straightening and saying how my natural hair is nice :)) I guess they do whatever the next black.girl do.

[yagurlnira768]

The Thicker the hair...the harder to manage...

I would know...just look at my hair lol...it looks like a lion.

But I love my hair...because it can be straigtened...curled...afro...browdried...briaded...etc...

LOL.

but its hard to take care of...but still pretty cool.

[Anonymous]

There are black with with naturally straight hair, just like there are white women with frizzy, curly or wavy hair. I think this hair type is unique because you can change the texture and style whenever. I like curly hair but that's because I love mine. But I also love frizzy hair especially when I see it on others and it's styled and maintained it looks really sexy and elegant.

[Jordikinz]

Usually people want what they can't have. Like girls with straight hair want curly hair while girls with curly hair want straight.

[slipslender]

agreed.

[pr3ttybr0wn]

Styling options, its the style to have. Only recently has it become acceptable to wear your natural hair, before then people would tell you to get a perm!

[westman74]

I don't know but I like it either way if the style looks good on her...

[Honeybaby]

Nappy hair? I think you mean frizzy, curly or wavy.

[Got2loveme]

because every other race has straight hair and its easy to take care of, we get the tough hair

[Freetobe007]

The only reason black hair seems hard to take care of is because most black girls haven't learned how to take care of their hair texture. Their mothers and grandmothers were never taught how to take care of their natural hair and give their natural hair what is best for it without "whittening" it up or getting braids so they don't have to deal with it. Once you learn what product and method works best for your hair type, it is not hard at all.

[Freetobe007]

it feels amazing to walk around with a huge, thick mane of hair that they don't even make in weaves :)

[blufrenzy93]

@Got2loveme Not true at all. I am natural and find it easy to take care of my hair. Actually, it takes a lesser amount of time to wash and style my hair now than it was when it was relaxed. All I do is wash my hair [ with natural products, by the way ] and twist it. Bam. Done. I put a little moisturizer in before I start my day and I'm good to go.

And to correct you, not every race has straight hair. A lot have wavy and loose-curls to deal with.

[Honeybaby]

I don't think frizzy or curly hair is hard to manage, you just need to know how to maintain it. Straight hair gets tangled and knotted. Frizzy or curly hair is not tough as a matter of fact we have the weakest hair type and when not looked after properly it can get damaged really badly. We are so blessed to have the hair that we have it's unique and beautiful. Freetobe007 has made a good point that most people of African descent have not learned how to take care of their hair.

[Anonymous]

probably the same reason Asian girls want the double eye lids

[themastaplan]

wow lmao

[sephora]

in my high school there were so many Asian girls obsessing with wanting the double eye lid. I never thought that was an "issue".

[Opinion Owner]

even in today's world, sense of beauty is still pretty limited

[Mensura]

I'm a half Asian in Taiwan, and all of the one's without them wanted it.

Though from what they say it's actually because people mistaken them for being sleepy all the time.

[sephora]

to be honest I didn't even notice.

[Opinion Owner]

@ sephora - you don't notice it in others because you don't care, but it's a big deal to them

@mensura - I don't think it makes them look sleepy, that's just an excuse. they all want that double lid, big eyed look, and I'm Asian as well

[Freetobe007]

I love 'Asian eyes'. I think they're so unique and stunning

[Mensura]

Actually, there ARE people who look asleep at times. And I think the west is seriously messed up. The reason REAL Asians do it is NOT to look like white people, about a third of us have it in Taiwan, I know A girl who's dad is a doc for such things told me there are many styles, and guess what, the European (aka white) style is the least popular. They like the big eyed ASIAN look, most of us actually don't want to look like one. It's the country, why does this only occur in the US?

?

[sephora]

"nappy' hair is when the natural hair looks bad...

[Asker]

disagreed.

[sephora]

k.

[Freetobe007]

Please don't be another self hating black women. We have enough of those. Don't be a sheep. :)

[sephora]

all I'm saying is that I have never heard nappy hair as being good hair.

[Freetobe007]

that's sad. I have :)

[sephora]

have what? "nappy hair"...and I'm not saying its bad to have your natural hair, because I see so many girls who do and they look really pretty :)