And the backlash that she received from fans was crazy. One person even told her that she looked like "a shocked slave."
Here's an excerpt from her interview with the site backstage at the Global Fusion Festival in Philadelphia:
“I posted the picture of my hair and people were like ‘Omg you look like a shocked slave!’ I didn’t get one comment from a white person about my hair. All of them came from the sisters that had these bullsh** helmut weaves looking like a fake a** Nicki Minaj. They don’t know who they are. And the people they’re looking to for guidance don’t know who they are either, which sucks.”
I think that she's rocking that 'fro. Her hair looks healthy and beautiful and besides who cares what she does with it....afterall it's HER HAIR! I mean, are we so caught up in the media's sense of 'beauty' that we can't appreciate what other people find beautiful? I hate how easy society is to dismiss something that they may not understand.
I know I have followers with natural hair, dreads, twa (teeny, weeny afros), curls, weave, braids, relaxed hair and more. What are your thoughts about her hair? (I'm still trying to figure out the 'shocked slave' rationale but I doubt I will ever figure it out!)
I would love to hear what you think about not only her picture, but your thoughts on natural hair....if you are a natural, what has your response been? If you are not natural, what do you think about those who wear their hair naturally?
Please be mindful and respectful as you comment...
8 comments:
I think it is a shame that in 2012 black women are still falling prey to eurocentric definitions of beauty. The comment clearly shows that natural hair is somehow affiliated with slavery in the minds of some black women. If only they realized that it is they who are slaves to someone else's vision of what a black woman should look like. I love my natural hair and can't wait to have a fro as big as Lil Mama's!
I love the afro and i love her comments in the interview. Wear your hair however you feel fit, just rock the hell out of it!
She looks like Nina Simone in that photo, she looks regal..
I am a 67 year old Afro-American living in Toronto. when I see the comments that were posted about the young lady's hair I thought, OMG it is identical to the comments I received from many "Black" co-workers and friends back in the day when I sported my "Afro". That would be almost 49 years ago. It seems als thouht the brainwashing continues. We are still have shame for our natural locks.
Being a black guy that has his hair natural get's comments. When I pick my hair out into an afro I often get comments like "what are you gonna do/ what's up with your hair?" Even for black men we have been programmed to have bald heads or texturized hair(I stopped that years ago). Sadly these statements are from black woman with weaves or wigs on. SMH. Love your hair and care your hair.Your hair can be natural and kept up.
Lets talk about Angela Davis and others who, some 40 years ago, sported "Naturals" and created an idealized version of the BLACK WOMAN (for me...amyway). Archetypes often suffer before being recognized for what they are, STRONG INDEPENDENT and LIBERATED. We need more dialogue. Back in the eighties I was never afraid to admit that I loved "Big-Ass Fro's", maybe I should be more vocal now.
Luh'keeeey.
I wear a natural, 2 inch, coloured, semi-curley 'fro and the feed back is always positive - especially from random strangers. From a white men while I'm shopping in Wal-Mart to a sista at the Niagara Falls- 'dem love the 'fro!
While I think we''re doing better, we need to continue to see ourselves as the beautiful black ppl we are:)
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