As part of a social experiment a group of black women โ one natural, one locโed and on relaxed โ stood on a street corner in New York holding signs saying โYou Can Touch My Hairโ. The experiment/exhibit is the brainchild of Antonia Opiah, a hair blogger. In an article for The Huffington Post she states;
Black hair is unique. It requires different care techniques and routines. And in a country where we primarily see commercials for white hair products and magazines that mainly cover white beauty topics and TV shows that mainly feature white characters, we, and those curious about us, have to find information about our hair from other sources.
Itโs easy to cite the media as the cause for underexposure to the various cultures of America. The media definitely plays a huge role. But another factor is the lack of the right kind of curiosity across the American population.
The exhibit ran today and will run again on June 8th from 2 to 4 p.m. in New York Cityโs Union Square.
Okay, so I usually post articles without commentary, but for this I had to.
I think it bothers me that the impetus is put on us as black women to become accessible โ and in some cases acceptable โ to other ethnicities. I understand that black people are just 12% of the population so not everyone has โaccessโ to a black person. But itโs well documented that, for many Americans, segregation is a matter of choice and not circumstance. I fear that a display like this allows some people the opportunity to dip into black culture for an experience before returning to the โsafetyโ of a significantly less diverse world.
A significant percentage of women in the natural community are married interracially. Which proves that it is possible for men of other races to form meaningful and substantive bonds with black women without these types of displays.
I am still firmly opposed to strangers touching my hair. And while I take no offense at strangers asking questions about it (I welcome it), I hope weโve gotten to a point in this country where my commonalities with a person of another ethnicity are more interesting to explore than my differences.
But thatโs just meโฆ And on an unrelated note, those colored locs and that curly fro are FIRE! What are your thoughts on this ladies?
Photos are from Un-ruly.comโs Instagram account.
I think it sounds and looks degradingโฆas though these women( and other African American women) are animals at a petting zoo. Thanks, but no thanks. I would not do this personally.
personally, things like this make me feel like black people will forever be stuck on stupid.
It doesnโt just sound degrading, it is. WTH is peopleโs obsession with black peopleโs hair?! Why was this necessary? We are not here to satisfy othersโ curiosity about our hair. Let them STAY curious. You actually think there would ever be an asian or white exhibit where random black people pet them like animals? NO! And touching some random white or asian womanโs hair sound so nasty to me! It would never even occur to me. Smh @ the people who think this no big deal. This is disgusting as hell. Those women should be ashamed of themselves. But I guess… Read more »
I think I get what youโre saying- (especially) a city like New York is relatively diverse so there should already be some curiosity leading people to some acknowledgment that hair of people of African origin is different. However, just a thought- Iโm Nigerian, and I live in Nigeria. Since I went natural, Iโve had quite a few people at random ask me if they can touch my hair. They touch it, Iโve had 2 or 3 people pull it to stretch it out without asking lol (shrinkage is a mystery to them) It can be annoying but they do it.… Read more »
Exactly! Black and Non-Black alike are curious!
I donโt have a problem with this and the women who signed up are good sports.
I think this experiment is great, although I wouldnโt do it personally. I just noticed how mostly white people are touching the girlโs hair. I think a lot of white people are curious about our hair. As long as theyโre being respectful, I welcome curiosity.
I agree, more Black people touch my hair without asking opposed to other races, actually no one of another race has dared to try that lol..
This feels National Geographic to me. Or petting zooish like the previous commentor stated. I get what theyโre doing but damn itโs soโฆpublic!
That being said I do at times allow ppl(who ask)to touch my hair. And yes, I feel like Iโm starring in an episode of Nat Geo Wild. I have made allowances for admirers and the genuinely curious because despite some feelings of weirdness, I do acknowledge the intrigue that is linked with our hair.
I personally think itโs the mindset behind it, when they ask to touch it. This one white guy randomly came up to me while I had an afro and said, โomg your hairโs so cool can I touch it? I was like uhhhhhmmm, no. He made me feel like it was some type of weird, โcoolโ thing and I felt like I was on display. I didnโt feel good about it at all. Another white guy I know is genuinely interested, he asks questions all the time, how long does it take to do, how long is it when itโs… Read more »
They made a personal choice to do this, even if itโs viewed as a petting zoo. I personally hate when people play with my hair, It makes my scalp crawl and they might be the person that used the commode and didnโt wash their hands, etc. Itโs not black peoples job to educate ignorant people. I wasnโt offended when my teacher ask the black girls in the class how did they take care of their hair, it sparked a discussion about black hair diversity and it educated some people. Some people just donโt know how to be respectful. I had… Read more »
@ Rea I wouldโve loooooved for my teacher to ask me to explain how I take care of my natural black hair. I would have taken about 25 minutes plus Q & A session too. Yes,we do need to educate the ignorant folks black and white and brown and yellow about our hair and dispel the lies and myths especially in our own black community. Unfortunately, a lot of the โdirtyโ looks and negativity is from other black women and some men but most of the men seem to like it more. I can count the number of compliments I… Read more »
HHJ To you too! I agree. I just think some people are too thick to reach when you try to educate them. I think keeping discussions like this open is healthy. ๐
Girl, I WISH a teacher of mine had asked that question in school. Cause you know what? I wouldโve told them. Thatโs right, I wouldโve been a good sport and walked them through my hair routine. And then, I wouldโve said, โOk, now I have a question for all you white people. Why is it that when yaโll hair get wet, you smell like wet dogs?โ And Iโm pretty sure all jaws wouldโve dropped to the floor. How dare people feel like itโs ok to โtouchโ or ask to touch a black womanโs hair? This little โexperimentโ is degrading and… Read more »
I would have been like, but yโall donโt shower for 3 days at a time and think itโs cool. I know quite a few white people who admit to not showering daily. But then everyone wants to come out with this black women donโt wash their hair every day and its nasty. Iโm still trying to figure out how some white people wash their hair everyday if they donโt shower everyday. I feel like things such as washing your hair in the kitchen since sick as opposed to in the shower is something also culturally devised. But whatever. Those ladies… Read more »
You know what? Thatโs is so true. Itโs a lot of questions that could be posed to them. Like, why do they take showerโs without a washcloth? Just a damn bar of soap? Come on. I just donโt understand how they feel so intrigued by anyone thatโs different from themselves, like anyone not like them is a freak of nature or something. Wanting to touch my hair to see how it feels? Thatโs not curiousity. Thatโs freakin racism and ignorance.
yeah no she wuda got socked
We/I need not take it too personally. It is โtheirโ experiment. I welcome hair touching from my black and white friends (when they ask)and questions about my nature hair too. Perhaps we wouldnโt have to do this if we wore our real natural hair out more. All their hair looks beautiful. #askbeforeyoutouchmyBBA
I agree 100%. If the vast majority of African American women didnโt chemically treat or hide their natural hair under wigs, weaves, or scorch it to hell regularly with a flat iron there would undoubtedly be less curiosity and questions. I love and support this โ though some think it is like a โpetting zooโ i feel like it is most definitely a social experiment and an opportunity to interact with those that do have questions bringing a positive experience and association to our natural state. I trust those that have opted to participate in the experiment mostly because they… Read more »
So youโre saying itโs OUR fault that there are curiosity and questions???
Why are black women concerned about bringing โa positive experience and association to our natural stateโ?
Why is that OUR job to do??
Isnโt that already happening with the many, MANY natural women who are married interracially and have loving and supportive husbands??
Why the *$%& do I have to stand on a street corner like an ANIMAL and have STRANGERS touch my hair to help THEM understand it???
I swear, the slavery mindset in this country is NOT gone yetโฆ
OMG. PREACH ON!!!
It is definitely NOT our job to teach anyone about our โnatural stateโ, but we all know that fear and hatred stem from ignorance. 1st step would have to be on them, to have the desire to learn. Just FYI, my husband is Norwegian, therefore he has blue eyes and white skin. I think if they want to stand on the street and allow others to touch their hair, more power to themโฆ and regardless of the cursing and backlash youโve provided, SOMEONE is (weather we are liking it or not) having a positive experience. I have definitely cursed out a… Read more »
Thatโs right, because if we donโt step up and educate in sometimes radical ways, then who will? It IS our job to enlighten because people with no african descent will never be taught (or will ignore it) if left up to themselves. Stigmas will continue if weโre quiet (how else could we now sit in the front of a bus?). I support this experiment 100% because the honesty (of admitting they donโt know), sincerity (of wanting to find out), curiosity (without shame) and open-mindedness of individuals wins out in the end. They are definitely all the better for it and… Read more »
I kinda agree with you because it isnโt ALL our fault but โฆ It wasnโt just other races that attended the event so Iโm not understanding this slave mentality you speak of. It is however our job to teach our own โฆ Which is also being done by this exhibit, the positive experience and association to our natural state is necessary so other women may enjoy their natural hair one day too. After all there were many women of color present and touching the hair as well, I think this is a good thing.
OMG โ PREACH yourekiddingright!! Didnโt know โputting ourselves on display and educating people because they donโt understand usโ was part of the Black womanโs guidebook of living. Gee, I thought we were just supposed to live and be human like everyone else. Didnโt know we had the responsibility of explaining ourselves to others. And for those saying itโs just curiousity and we should allow it, I think itโs bad manners. Kids go up to one another and poke each other, not grown adults. Itโs MINDBLOWING to me that although our hair is different from other ethnicities, people donโt get that… Read more »
Regardless of what we do with our hair, it will always spark a certain amount of curiosity because it differs from the majority.
I also agree with the experiment, it opens the door to allow meaningful conversation amongst all .
That slavery mindset is for real. The need to justify or explain your uniqueness to other people in order to gain some type of acceptance is pathetic.
Honestly, because most black peopleโs hair is so vastly different than the rest of the world population, people would be curious regardless of what we did to our hair. Itโs the same way people refer to black people by negative stereotypes despite the fact that majority of us do not act the way. Adding this sense of blame is unwarranted,black women should be able to do whatever they want with their hair. I remember watching an episode of Oprah once (the talk show) and there was a white woman who is naturally brunette but dyes her hair blonde. The way she spoke… Read more »
But thatโs the difference TWA4nowโฆ it is your FRIENDS who are touching your hair. Friends who already have a relationship with you and appreciate you for more than your hair. Not STRANGERS on a street corner looking to have an experience.
@ yourkidding.โฆI had strangers touch my hair or ask questionsโฆI welcome the dialogue but I am more open to it. Yes, i was a bit werided out a out it but most are just curious 8especially other black folksโmost of the men like my hair better) and it produced some great conversations vice popping, snapping, and cussing folks out. Everyone has a different comfort level/personal space comfort level. HHJ 2 u #HHJ2us!
My irritation with the natural hair community is the assumption that people of other races have negative opinions about our hair, and while definitely dependant upon location, I truly donโt believe this to be true. When I BCโd all the positivity came from white people while my black family and friends seemed to have an endless supply of negative comments. I think it would be more beneficial to have this project, or something very similar, in black communities so that we as a race can appreciate and love our own beauty instead of trying to unnecessarily prove it to another… Read more »
Yeah itโs just ignorant/rude people in general. A lot of women have to deal with negative attitudes from their own family and sometimes itโs black people that are being the worst bullies. Some pass along the good hair/bad hair mind set to their kids, which I think is far worse
RE: Some pass along the good hair/bad hair mind set to their kids, which I think is far worse
Blacks are the #1 perpetrators of the good/bad hair BS. Speaking personally, I received my initial mind-set from my mother, who when I needed a touch up would snear at my new growth. That set the standard in my mind about my hair! It wasnโt until I saw other women with beautiful natural hair that made me curious about what grew out of my scalp. I agree, take this exhibit to the black communities as well!
@Lillian I think both societies perpetuate this good hair/bad hair but it all stems from historical attitudes. When you look at the power dynamics of race in the United States it is understandable why there is a hair complex in the black community. A lot of blacks wouldnโt have gotten a job unless their hair was straight. Iโve been told by white co-workers curly hair is unprofessional so I certainly understand the pressure to have straight hair. When kids look at who is in power they see mostly white, straight haired people. And the few black women who are CEOs… Read more »
Iris, I just want to point out that Ursula Burns, who is the CEO of Xerox and the only black female who is a CEO in a Fortune 100 company, has a TWA.
@mai
and ursula burns is a BLACK WOMAN. you will not mistake her for being mixed or whatever to make you like her or embrace her more.
and, she didnโt just change her hair when she got into that position. itโs been like that for years.
the company also has been doing well under her.
i admire her perhaps more than i do someone like oprah or michelle obama.
there are interviews of her posted on youtube.
Mai I think that is a great idea! I agree that something like this is more important to do within the black community.
Girl, please. Yes, WE know our hair is beautiful. But, how many little white girls are rushing out to the salon tryna get their hair to look like ours? You KNOW the answer to that. They DONโT envy our hair. They would rather have their silky, smooth limp hair than our thick sometimes coarse hair. Itโs not racism that I speak, itโs fact.
Iโm not sure why you are comparing white people wanting to look like white people to black people wanting to look like white people. The fact of the matter is, in many black homes, little black girls are being taught that their hair is bad. They are taught that, without long, silky hair like their white counterparts, they cannot be beautiful or successful. So no, we (generally speaking as a culture, specifically the black American community which I am familiar with) do not know our hair beautiful.
I agree! If we wore our natural hair out more, it wonโt be a mystery not only to others but our own black race as well!#enoughsaid4now
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this post. Without going into a lot of detail (for once, lol) I have spent a good chunk of my life being that representative/educator (obviously not just when it comes to hair, but Black Peopleโข in general) and at this point I am DONE. If other sisters want to go on and demystify what really isnโt that all that frickinโ complicated โ and in public, no less โ then good for them. I, however, am pretty much over it. And I REALLY have to applaud both the idea of repeating this experiment in a black neighborhood โ… Read more »
โA significant percentage of women in the natural community are married inter-racially. Which proves that it is possible for men of other races to form meaningful and substantive bonds with black women without these types of displays.โ
Thatโs the issue right thereโThe voyeurism that Americans already exhibit way too much of. People of other ethnicities arenโt walking exhibits from EPCOT. Form real, human relationships if you want the experience. Encouraging people to further separate individual human beings that are โforeignโ to them into a collection of characteristics is irresponsible.
Do I think itโs a good experiment? Not really. If someone (black, white, or other) decided to touch anyones hair, they should then be asked to fill out a survey or be contacted at a later date to really determine why they felt the need to touch the hair of person A B or C. If it was to be a more productive experiment there should be more of an experimental component that would add to the overall findings. On another note, I would not let anyone and everyone touch/ feel on my hair because who knows when those paws… Read more »
I agree with the writer of this article.
This can also look at why people on the whole think we (black people) are unapproachable and can only be accessible with โexperimentsโ such as these. That would be interesting for me.
Also .โฆ . I am curious โฆ What exactly happens once their hair has been touched? A general chat about hair practices? A little history provided on the politics surrounding black hair? Or do the people just touch the hair of silent hair models and leave?
YeahโฆIโd like to see this on video and observe the reactions as well as self-selection of who decides to come up and touchโฆreally curious which model gets the most attention too.
i have been askedโฆ can i touch your hair when it was long and i wore it out poof style pulled back in a hair tie. it was a colleague, and i thought he was a creeper, but i let him touch it. itโs so soft. he was amazed. i have also been asked how long it is stretched out by a female colleague at work. so i loosened my braid and we stretched it out almost to my waist. i cut it short, but itโs type 3 whatever hair. folks were curious, blacks and whites, when i cut my hair,… Read more »
My opinion is that the fact of people touching your hair is nothing negative. If you allow them to in order to break down prejudice and ignorance, then why not?
Difference are not negative they are beautiful and enriching. They become negative when they are used in a harmful way.
I believe that these ladies did a good thing. Instead of just let people create โmythsโ around black peopleโs hair they have engaged them in a way that could lead to talking about racial discrimination within society.
SoโฆI understand doing something that is shocking and/or usually frowned upon to gather some info/data but I donโt really understand what they were trying to achieve? Are they trying to figure out if โothersโ are still ignorant about black hair??โฆwhy not just walk to the street and ask people questions?โฆthis reminds me of the โAsk a Jewโ expo that was held in Germany(I think). A little weird IMO but oh,wellโฆ
On another note, if that were me, I would have bitten some fingers offโฆespecially the less than tender ones!!
The only way we can dispute the myths is by telling the truth and sharing who we are culturally with other people. Without people who are willing to openly introduce the culture we would maintain a constant pattern of exclusivity or even mysterium. True, I do not want a random person touching me, but for the parameters of what they are doing I think it is a good idea and I would actively participate ๐ When we were little girls how often did we โplayโ in each others hair. I grew up in DC, where the majority of the population was… Read more »
Mixed feelings about this. Makes us seem โexoticโโฆ like weโre alien to the rest of society that has โnormalโ hair. This exotic quality is good and it can be bad โ depending on the context. I dunnoโฆ
great article!!! im a central american woman, i have straight hair that i wear in braids down to almost my waist.. id get the same respond from people wanting to touch my braids.sometimes theyโd ask sometimes they would just touch.. think anything that looks exotic is open season for sone folksโฆ
Hello all, I visited NYC for the first time from London, UK, in June last year. I had a fantastic experience on the whole apart from one afternoon while visiting the Empire State Building. I had a white American lady approach me from behind and say โcan I touch your hair?โ. It was a surprise to say the least. I said โIโd really rather you didnโtโ and carried on with my day. Itโs only after the experience with the months between that I have considered the position of the women. From my perspective, I didnโt want to be petted and… Read more »
Whatโs wrong with allowing people to dip into black culture before returning home to safety? Thatโs what people do with things new and different. You checkout something new and take the experience home and share it. You begin to see and appreciate and value the differences as well as the commonalities. I think itโs unsatisfied curiosity that can lead to misconception and sometimes harmful speculation. That some feel diminished by this experiment tells me a bit about their life experience. Why do you feel so viscerally about what someone else is doing, because theyโre also black, because it reflects back… Read more »
This is why I miss living in New York, there is always something going on like this. As much as people think NYC is so Diverse, that doesnโt mean they arenโt curious. I never understood why people have a problem with someone touching there hair. Your not cutting it, you not washing it, and your not throwing something in it. sooo Why be petty about someone touching it. People play with and touch long straight hair on people all the time. It wonโt mess it up. Iโm the only black girl at my job and they are amazed at how… Read more »
@ Prina Iโve been to the Dakotas, the people will not ask you to touch your hair, they will TOUCH your hairโฆthey feel they are ENTITLED to touchโฆbecause you are just a little black gal to themโฆa little petโฆbeware of states that do not have a lot of black people, and even states that have a huge black populationโฆthis is STILL AMERICAโฆsome will get angry when you tell them no!
I was present and I would interesting was that everyone mostly touched the natural and locโd hair, people rarely touched the relax hair. I donโt see this as degrading, I find this empowering, I tired of black hair being a political statement, itโs just hair.
Your last question was โwhat are your thoughts on (these) ladiesโ? These ladies are beautiful and so is their hair but my thought is the whole idea of standing in the middle of the street as a mad woman trying to impose your beauty on WHO in particular???? The ignorant will of course stop and feel/touch your hair but the intelligent knows and would rather go by his/her day business cos its a waste of time. The headline of the exhibit is (YOU CAN TOUCH MY HAIR) and what happens next??? Maybe, I misunderstood the whole concept but this article is… Read more »
so i dont get it. why dont you want anyone touching your hair?? other than the petting zoo aspect i mean? where i m frm you hair in a good style or puffed and itโs like everybody goes fingers first.
and while only sometimes i dnt like it, i dont understand why so many other ppl dont?
because most people just stick thier hands in it , because the texture and kinkiness is honestly just fascinating, most of them are really not trying to be malicious and doont realize that we donโt like it
so Kalia P why donโt you like ppl touching your hair??
so i dont get it. why dont you want anyone touching your hair?? other than the petting zoo aspect i mean? where i m frm you hair in a good style or puffed and itโs like everybody goes fingers first.
and while only sometimes i dnt like it, i dont understand why so many other ppl dont?
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How is this a social experiment? What are they testing? How is this more than just a display or social *statement*? This sounds an awful lot like the Venus Hottentot to me, voluntary display that it might be. I see what theyโre trying to do, but I donโt think itโs black womenโs job to become a spectacle in order to collectively dispel white โcuriosity and questions.โ I mean, we donโt go up to a woman wearing a burqa and say โWhat are you hiding under there?โ Do we next walk around shirtless to show that our breasts look different and… Read more »
Very well said!
Exactly. Thank you. Took the words out of my mouth.
Cosign 3000%
you sound so articulate! Wow, iโm gonna go read now. ๐
My initial response to this project was that it looks somewhat degrading. I certainly wouldnโt do it. I get that the purpose is to showcase black hair to people who donโt know, but why not have a symposium? Why not have a conversation about it? Will walking by and touching hair really start the conversation that is necessary to expand peopleโs concepts of beauty? I donโt know for sure, but I just donโt feel that this is the way to do it. This doesnโt place black beauty on a pedestal. This so-called โexhibitโ makes black beauty look like something of… Read more »
I was thinking the same thing too Jesse, it makes black womenโs hair look like it should be in some petting zoo for the spectactors to come โoohโ and โahhโ and touch like itโs some kind of endangered species, or something. Do these women not have any shame or self-respect. Iโm sorry but they look like clowns standing there on the street with that stupid sign and Iโm sure most of the people passing by, black and white, thought that too. Sometimes I just donโt know what the hell is wrong with us as a people, SMH!!!!!
And I hate to say, but the imagery of black people standing in a line for white people on any people to touch and prod reminds be of what I read about slave auction blocks in Walter Johnsonโs Soul By Soul (AMAZING book!). It is just not flattering to portray blacks in this way. If someone wants to know about Japanese hair or culture, one wouldnโt line them up in a row to be gawked at publicly. One would read about Japanese culture, spend time in Japan, talk to Japanese people, etc.โฆ This โexhibitโ is just sad.
I am bi-racial and I have very straight fine hair. When I was going up (I grew up in the black community) friends and non-friends would want to touch or play with my hair. I didnโt like it then and definitely would not like it now. My daughter has thick, long, curly hair and her friends and others are always wanting to play in it. She prefers for them not to. Once, while we were out, a grown woman wanted to touch my daughterโs hair and I screamed, โDo not touch my child!โ My son wears his hair in a… Read more »
Ha! They all wanted to touch the big hair
I grew up in Africa and I remember the first time I saw a white person up close. I was curious especially about their hair and skin and eye color because their features were foreign so different from mine and what I was used to seeing. I did want to touch their hair to see what it felt like. People are just curious in nature. This experiment doesnโt bother if anything I am slightly amused and wouldnโt do such a thing. Iโve been natural for nine months. My family was indifferent but Iโve been known to do me. They touched my… Read more »
Being curious doesnโt provide you the room to be disrespectful. There are other ways to learn about other peopleโs culture without putting them on display. Google is a powerful tool. If thatโs not available to you, your mouth is just as powerful.
lets all rememeber, these women were not PUT on display, they willingly chose to INVITE others to touch their hair. They CHOSE to INVITE others to touch THEIR hair. We all know the difference between being forced to do something and choosing, without coercion, to do it. Also, asking someone if you can touch their hair is not in and of itself disrespectful, but the manner in which you do (or in some cases) do not askโฆ i gotta say i like that they are doing thi, it send the message that โyou donโt touch my hair when You want to .. you… Read more »
There a many non-Black people that have never seen or touched kinky/curly/locked/relaxer hair up close. I understand how this could be offensive โ petting zoo aspect, however, I think it is overall pretty great. This was simply an experiment worth trying just to educate. There are so many people ignorant of what the people in their society look like. Ignorance creates fear. Iโd rather not be feared.
Iโm a proud black woman and am also proud of my hair because itโs a part of me. I donโt get this project. We are not to try to make people accept us understand us and love us. We are all different and should be proud of it I donโt think standing on a street corner holding up signs trying to inspire curiosity is the answer. Other races donโt have to explain their hair neither should we. Iโve heard people complain because their boss wonโt allow them to come to work with certain natural hairstyles because they donโt like it.… Read more »
What is the point of this experiment? This is what I wanna know. To teach people about black culture/heritage? if thatโs the case then why do they need to touch these womenโs hair? It says nothing of the culture/heritage, only of their physical appearance. It would be better to sit and have an actual discussion. If the people are just coming up and touching their hair, and not doing anything else to follow it up, itโs pretty pointless โexperimentโ, and is more like a petting zoo, and in turn offensive because we are not animals. And how many people who touched… Read more »
I think people are judging this experiment prematurely. The writer should have not filled more than half of the article with their own opinion. Thereby taking the focus away from the reason behind the experiment and its results. I grew up in Africa and like Sana I too had one or two moments of wanting to touch Caucasian hair. I remember wondering if my green eyed teacher could really see me with eyes that color. Now that I have been exposed to people of all races and from different cultures, I not only have a greater appreciation of other human… Read more »
Thank you for this post, Belle! I agree and have had a similar circumstance in my upbringing. I am Jamaican.
โThe writer should have not filled more than half of the article with their own opinionโ โ I agree! The women labeled this as a performance exhibition, which is meant to provoke and engage the audience. Praise and intrigue on one side, eyerolls and uproar on the other, all typical reactions to performance art in my experience. Controversial, enlightening, silly, loaded โ they are common on NYC streets. Everyone carries anxiety about โthe otherโ and their own perceived โothernessโ. We live in close proximity, but some still lack an iota of awareness of friends and loved ones, itโs uncomfortable. And an… Read more »
I also think itโs more important to educate the black community more than anyone else and encourage a love for our hair, skin color diversity our race respecting others and being proud of who we are before we look to teach others about it.
I donโt know if social experiment is the right phraseโshe actually calls it an โinteractive public art exhibitโ which is probably more accurate. I think her point about exposure to natural hair being rare is a fair oneโblack women are about 6% of the population, natural black women are a significantly smaller percentage, so, especially if you arenโt from a major city with a large black population, itโs likely youโve never seen natural hair in person. Itโs true some peopleโs โcuriosityโ is offensive and condescending (I put anyone who just walks up and grabs in this category), but a lot… Read more »
As a white man I find black womenโs hair in all itโs forms beautiful to look at and touch. Luckily I found an African wife to put up with me!
We have a two year old daughter and being mixed race her hair is well on the way to looking like the girl on the left. Crazily unruly bu gorgeous !
How embarrassing. Social experiment or not itโs weird to stand on a corner and say, โGo ahead and touch meโ. Now all of the men and women can go home and tell the kids about their day, โAnd I got to touch a black womenโs hair!โ. I saw this image a few days ago and I looked it up just to add it to this post. The women are not comparable to the dog in the photo, itโs the sign factor and letting people know โOf course you can pet me!โ I know Iโm going to get negative comments but… Read more »
Although, yes, there are many other ways to break down barriers between races/genders, I have to disagree with this author. Hereโs why. Iโve heard that the first step toward good inter-racial and cultural relationships begins with (1) genuine curiosity and awe of something different then who a person is. Nothing malicious and purely curious. This is where the โexperimentโ comes in. This hair โexperimentโ provides a place for people who have had relatively little or practically no deep experience/relationship with blacks to (1) learn more about something as personal as someoneโs hair and (2) have open communication and start a conversation… Read more »
Touching someoneโs hair can be very sensitive, particularly if it is locโd. We are so accustomed to the mainstream loc culture that have no connection with the decision behind locโing. Traditionally locs had a spiritual motivation and the person with locs would take great offense to someone touching their hair. I do react negatively when someone takes liberties and touches my hair, regardless of its texture/style. It is an extension of my person and I do not give you permission, do not touch.
Think yโall are getting ruled up for nothing. These women are all smiles. If theyโre ok with people touching THEIR hair then Iโm fine with it. People are just curious. Anything different from us will spark curiosity. And itโs a fact that black women are known for โdonโt touch my hair.โ Hereโs their opportunity to touch.
So.โฆout of the 3 which one got the most touches?
I wondered the same thing. It would be interesting and perhaps revealing to know.
I donโt let adults touch my hair due to my known boundaries; no part of my body should not be touched without my consent. Period. The only time I find it permissible to let another human being touch my hair is when a child does it. Children typically donโt see racial divisions until later in their development and are curious about everything. My Japanese-American friendโs five year old daughter touched my hair for the first time a few weeks ago and exclaimed with overwhelming wonder, โYou have dragon hair!โ Although I am certain that dragons have scales, her limited vocabulary… Read more »
Thatโs kinda weird i donโt know what to think of this.
Why do you find it weird? Iโm sure it gave quite a few people the opportunity to touch natural hair instead of walking up to a random natural asking to touch hers. I would definitely have someone in a central location that agrees to let random people touch their hair, rather than the random people that stop me on the street.
it is weird. whats next being able to touch our butts,lips,skin and so more because its unique and different and others should be able to feel it.
A, except for the fact that our butt and lips are not unique to us like our hair is. There are plenty of women with fuller figures/butts who arenโt black and the same goes for fuller lips. Our hair is distinct to us hence all the curiosity that surrounds it. Although I can understand your concern, I donโt think your comparison is accurateโฆ
Why do you have to be extreme? It was about hair and hair only. Geez
I donโt see it is putting us on display of any sort. It is really just to create an environment of learning and growth. Often times a step back has to happen in order to make two steps forward.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/image-13.jpg[/img]
Why would anyone allow themselves to stopped on the street so that a stranger could touch them?
I like the idea of this experiment. I think it gives the power back to them (the girls doing the experiment) and to black women in general. And itโs a fun and easy way to get a conversation going. A way to break the ice, so to speak. I grew up in an area with very few black people. I donโt think I had any black friends until I moved to NYC to go to college. And yes, I was always curious about what black peopleโs hair felt like to the touch. Itโs not my fault I didnโt have black… Read more »
โBlack hair is unique. It requires different care techniques and routines.โ
White hair is unique. It requires different care techniques and routines.
Iโm just sayinโ.
You misunderstood what she was talking about. black hair is so versatile.In fact, the most versatile hair. Every black person is different and so is their hair. white people hair are all the same!
white people hair is not all the same.
Yet white people donโt have to stand on the street allowing people to examine them. I mean, itโs 2013 people. The age of the internet. Iโm sure most of us ladies here learned about our natural hair through the web and NOT by petting strangers. Moreover, Native-Americans are an even smaller and more โuniqueโ group in America. Why not put them on display to touch?
โI fear that a display like this allows some people the opportunity to dip into black culture for an experience before returning to the โsafetyโ of a significantly less diverse world.โ Wow. Itโs not like they are allowing people to apply blackface and โlive amongstโ us. Calm down. I donโt understand why people touching black hair is such a big deal. It is not odd to be interested in something that differs from oneโs own experience. People are ignorant because they do not know better. Give them the facts and they are no longer ignorant. Thatโs how education happens. If someone… Read more »
What the hell. whats next being able to touch our butts,lips,skin and so much more because its unique and different.You are not on display like a freak in a circus or side show. Silly women that signed up for this mess.
The difference is you are black too.
Random people DO ask to touch my hair a lot when itโs out in a fro and I donโt have a problem with it, as long as they ask first and donโt startle me. They usually give me a ton of compliments after they do too about how soft it is and how do I take care of it. Itโs like previous people have said, theyโre just trying to learn about it. With the whole natural movement we ourselves are learning about our own hair, I donโt see the problem with other people learning about it as well along with… Read more »
I went to college in an area where there were maybe 0.2% black people and came from Los Angeles. I wore braids, cornrows, afro puffs, and press and curls. People asked to touch my hair ALL the timeโฆsometimes I was offended sometimes I wasnโt. The few that I did allow to touch my hair made statements like โoh wow its softer than it looksโ Im sorry were you expecting it to feel like a coarse brillo pad??? I know our hair is different, but why must there be such a BIG fascination with it that people want to touch it… Read more »
They ask questions like how often do you wash it because the conception put out there by black people is that we donโt wash our hair frequently. Thatโs not made up its the truth. Some folks donโt wash for a month at a time. I wash every week and have been doing so for the past 10 years. Family and friends used to question me about that and say I was washing my hair to much. Also look at how many of us as children had our hair called hard by mothers, aunts, sisters etc. This is where white people got… Read more »
it is werid but again i dunno them . if they wanna them touch then go for it. it is their own hair, not mine. If they ask me, I will say no. Only my family can do it after I ask if they know how to handle it gentle and wash hands
I get more compliments with a wash n go. โhow did you get your hair like that?!โ I love replying โI just washed it and it driedโ. lol I donโt mind the stares & questions but donโt touch my sh*t!
I am Hispanic and have natural hair and I have random people come up to me and ask me questions/touch my hair. When I started going natural, I started dating an Asian man, my mother said that my bf was used to โgoodโ hair and would leave me as soon as my hair grew out to its natural state. Five years later we are still going strong, he loves my hair and canโt stop playing with it, and he can have a whole conversation about hair products and techniques.I think the important message to take away here is that we… Read more »
Reading this made me wonder if it was really 2013. Most people do not care about black folks hair. Most people do not care if your hair is curly, straight, big, short or long. They just do not care. Iโm natural and I wear my hair out 80% of the time in a wash & go, it is about shoulder length, un-stretched. No one, has ever asked to touch my hair unless we were talking about hair already. I donโt get odd looks. This article makes it seem like folks look at black women as some kind of science experiment and I… Read more »
Im sorry but how do you know what people care about? You sound ignorant. You do realize there are sooooo many racists in this world. People who DO care how your hair looks and will treat you according to how they feel about it. Open your eyes.
Soโฆwe need to put ourselves out there so we feel accepted why should we care that people care about how our hair looks. It is not necessarily the role of the black women to make ourselves be accepted by other races (or racists since you brought it up)for our personal choices such as how we wear our hair or the way weโre born such as our black skin. If I took what you said youโre saying all those people who care about how black womanโs hair looks let them have the opportunity to touch our hair because they need to understand… Read more »
I have to disagree Phoxxie โ non Blacks honestly DONโT care about our hair that much. I grew up in an all-white neighborhood, went to an all-white school and work in a predominantly white workforce. Sure, there have been some questions, but 99.9% in my experience couldnโt care less. All Iโve ever heard is โcool hair, wanna go have lunch?โ And if people mistreat me because of the way my hair looks, I doubt me educating them about my hair and letting them touch it would solve anything. Itโs not our job to let racists feel us up so they… Read more »
Seems like there might be a better way to introduce someone to ethnicity. So what happens after they touch the hair?
Iโm sorry, this just seems too much like a damn petting zoo to me. No thank you.
Relaxed or natural, I donโt want people(strangers)touching my hair!!! For me, hands in the hair has always been an intimate issue โ trust, communication, bonding, love โ much like a stroke of cheek or faceโฆ Strangers can not touch my hair.
Hair is apart of my body. To invite someone to touch my hair is the equivalent of inviting them to touch any other part of my body. Inappropriate for complete strangers, not to mention immature.
People want to know about how different cultures take care of their hair. Let them. I donโt see the big deal, as long as someones asks nicely and is respectful. I hang out with many people who donโt have kinky hair. They always wanted to know how I did this or that to my hair. They were shocked I donโt wash my hair everyday or I put oil INTO my hair, etc. Yโall donโt act like you donโt do the same thing to other cultures. This is a fun way to do it. Just cause we are black woman doesnโt everything… Read more »
I do not think it is is degrading at all, as the people out there are willing to showcase hair textures. It is more degrading when people when people touch without asking a person (invasion of personal space) or make false, ignorant assumptions or conclusions about Black hair as a result of not being educated. Being hostile towards exhibits like this can make naturally curious people be afraid to ask questions and learn because they fear getting verbally attacked and/or hostile stares. I have seen this happen. I think we need to need to TAKE BACK certain stigmasโฆ and be… Read more »
This is POWERFUL. Yes, take away the secrecy and fear around our hair. Not only amongst white folks, but for us. This, in my mind, is not for the white gaze or experience, this is for us! We must free ourselves from these worry of what โtheyโ think, and how it effects โthem.โ It reclaims something that slavery, white supremacy, self-hatred and media have taken away. Our freedom! The varied responses to this social experiment are intriguing to me. We live in a world that appears to be diverse, but we have very little real, tangible knowledge about one another.… Read more »
Why canโt this social experiment be pushed a little more and find out how many people touched each head?
I asked the same question. Also, what comments were made?
Sounds like a petting zoo to me.โฆbut what do I know.
I get what they were trying to accomplish with this experiment, but it just seems so weird to me. Itโs almost like a human petting zoo. Not trying to be funny, but seriouslyโฆ black women standing on the street and random folks come by and stroke their hair. How in the world is that not weird? Why do we always feel the need to make others comfortable with everything about us? Yes our hairโs texture may be unique and I understand other people being curious, but was this really the best way?
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. I understand that some of you never may have experienced this. I have locs and I certainly have. I applaud the ladies for their bold statement and acceptance of their own hair choices. As Black people, how others feel about our own hair in its natural state is a direct reflection of how we have felt or continue to feel. The โnever touch a black womanโs hairโ statements. Listen to what you say about our different hair textures and your own thoughts concerning our hair. We can not get angry if our own hair has… Read more »
Very provocative. Are we educating or putting ourselves on display once again?
I grew up in a mixed community but I never had the chance to ask those around me about their hair because of the fear of being rejected for not knowing something that was so common to them. I applaud these women for breaking the boundaries and opening a dialogue for those that may not have had that chance to ask. You can read all you want from books, magazines and the internet but hearing, seeing and feeling something in person is the best way to learn about almost anything.
@Jarmelia It depends where you live. I identify with those that have experienced odd looks and people asking to touch our hair. But then I live in the second whitest city in the U.S
Okayyyyy so what was the outcome? How many people touched each girls hair? I mean the whole point of a social experiment like this would be to note on peoples reactions and who they touched more right?
We are all being watched/studied and some twisted anthropologists is writing it all down.
Touched, too-once on the train coming from work, back when I had really long hair and wore a curly ponytail, someone behind me on the train started touching my ponytail, I guess thinking I couldnโt feel them doing itโฆI was too terrified to see what was up and just got off at the next stop and switched carsโฆ
Iโm opposed to strangers touching me period, hair or otherwise. However I think they originally framed this as and exhibit/art, the use of the word experiment already leads people to a negative space, which as long as their hair isnโt being touch shouldnโt really bother them. If these ladies are okay with it, and it may have educated one person then more power to them.
I donโt think the experiment is only directed at white people. Those are just the pictures provided. I think this could be beneficial for a black person to go and touch their hair. As person with natural hair. I get people of all races that want to touch my hair but most are black women who have relaxed hair. They are curious and want to know if it is soft to te touch. They tell me they are afraid to go natural because they think their hair will be hard or dry. But after they touch my hair, they see… Read more »
Also, this experiment could take away some of the negativite attitudes that SOME non black people have about all types of black hair. Some think people who have natural hair or locโd hair have aggressive or abrasive personalities and that women with weave are ghetto. This could allow them a โsafe environmentโ to see that these women are friendly and that our ethinic hair is not a sign that we will be โghettoโ. I am an actor and a lot of times when I go to auditions, people have preconceived ideas of my character โtypeโ or personality based on my… Read more »
Look, if individuals canโt see with their own eyes or through interactions with black women that we are normal human beings or through asking politely (and thereโs nothing wrong if a woman says no to having their hair touched; to each his own) about our hair or doing their own research to understand our hair then we have to resort to ish like this that would barely make a difference unless it happened all across the country (because non-black folks will not pay attention to a random story like this) and black women had to offer themselves up like this… Read more »
Hey Deb. Its not only non blacks who negative views on natural hair. I donโt have an issue with people who say no to hair touching. I let people touch my hair but thatโs me. I let black people white people anyone who isnโt creepy with how they ask touch my hair just because I I have never had an issue with it. But if you look at some other articles about this experiment most ppl that participated were BLACK WOMEN. Also, i was reading an article an one of the ladies holding the signs said she is opposed to… Read more »
And some things are not going to promote change or make a difference in the world but it opened up a dialogue. It allows you to understand both sides of the spectrum. It allows ppl like me who donโt mind to say why we donโt mind. I donโt mind because I love having it all over the place including all up in your face so you might as well touch it LOL I personally wouldnโt mind ppl allowing me to know why they WONโT allow others to touch their hair. I never understood it unless you are going for a… Read more »
Jessiebyrd, I could not AGREE MORE.
Iโve only had one non-black person touch my fro and I let her know that it was NOT cool and to not do that to anyone else in the future. But I have had SOOOO many black folks ( a lot of men too) feel comfortable with straight up touching my hair without asking. The color of ones skin does not mark how curious they will be nor give them a pass to invade personal space. They too should ask and Iโd be open to having a discussion with them.
This is so cool!!! Awe guys why does everything have to always be so political? I think we sometimes read waaaay too deep into things and make issues out of nothing! Black people are a minority in some areas and people are just curious! It doesnโt mean that theyโre ignorant or anything bc theyโre not spending hours learning about our hair.โฆ I mean how many of us have really spent hours learning about their hair? Iโve touched many of my white, Indian friendsโ hair out of curiosity and they arenโt the least bit offended but enjoy and invite questions! I… Read more »
I feel like some people need to calm down. Itโs not as big of a deal and as sacred as people are pretending. Itโs just hair. Its not like theyโre asking to cut a lock of it offโฆI think the experiment is great, although it would be more interesting to find out which head of hair received the most touches, which one was liked more the participating parties and why. Iโm an African American female who went to an international college and studied in Japan. I wore my hair natural, straight and braided. It didnโt matter how my hair was styled… Read more »
Iโm not really sure how to feel about this. I respect these women for their choice however I know I donโt like for people to touch me/my hair, mostly because it happens frequently without invitation. Right off the bat, it strikes me as making black women โpublic/common propertyโ.Asking questions and being curious? Awesome! Touching me and invading my personal space? Never ok. I know these ladies made their intentions clear (the signs) but Iโm concerned when so many people donโt necessarily need an invitation (this includes other cultures as well as blacks). So itโs not so much about race but… Read more »
Could you please tell me if there is any hard data out there about Black women with natural hair marrying inter-racially. I would love to see that if you have it. Thanks!
What do you mean? Iโm sporting semi- natural hair, it will be totally natural in a few more months after I cut out the last of the relaxer. And if I like the guy Iโll marry someone that is not my race. Actually I kind of did my husband is mixed and Iโm mixed, so I guess I did. lol
Lol, thatโs funny cause I live in San Diego and any time that I get my hair in braids or wear it out slightly natural, Iโm still transitioning, people always ask, โCan I touch itโ? Lol, always say sure unless they look unclean. It makes me laugh, but if it helps them understand the difference of my hair from their hair then Iโm ok with it. This was all volunteer for the women to allow strangers to touch their hair. If you donโt like hands in your hair then donโt volunteer, simple as that. I think its great.
I donโt care what ethnicity one is. If you arenโt a significant other, close friend or close relative, do not touch my hair. Even then, Iโm not going to let anyone that has touched this and that in public to lay a finger on my head. I donโt know where your hands have been, ew!
I commented on this on another blogโฆno thanks, canโt stand folks touching my hair (with rare exception-such as a question and answer dialogue which results in someone asking can they touch it). It makes me feel like someoneโs pet. The first 2 things that came to mind when I saw this concept was โpetting zooโ and Saartjie โSarahโ Baartman. On display for others to see and poke and prod under the auspices of learning. No thanks.
โAnd on an unrelated note, those colored locs and that curly fro are FIRE!โ
.โฆ. and the permed sister?
I love this idea BTW. If you did this in the country I now live, you would still be on the side of the roadโฆIt wouldnโt have ended.
For me, the most important part of this exhibit are the signs reading โyou can touch my hair.โ It is true that the onus is placed on Blacks to educate whites about who we are, but while I object to that on principal, I also understand that curiosity is natural. My concern is that, by indulging that curiosity, we further support the ideal of us as โother.โ (The world is seen as โwhiteโ and โother,โ rather than as a range of diversity situated in the voice of the experience of one. White people are not often challenged to recognize that,… Read more »
The fact that people are so obsessed about not having other people touch their hair is kind of scary. I understand people randomly touching you is weird but if someone asks, what is the big deal?
Although i understand what everyone is saying about it always falls on us to educate others about us as black people. My question is if we donโt then who will? I think in doing this experiment it shows people that our hair can be worn in different ways same as theirโs. There is no one way how a black woman should look and this experiment shows that. It shouldnโt be our job to educate them but i for one take is as my privilege. I love answering questions and in some cases i am not opposed to the touching as… Read more »
I appreciate the social experiment. We are so segregated in our daily lives, that we live in a world of stereotypes. These women allow others to approach them and learn that not all โblack hairโ is alike. It has different texture, waves, body, feel. It starts a dialogue. If you canโt access the experience in real life, how can you learn? Intellectualism only goes so far.
LOL, letโs be real, itโs not going to start a dialogue. Not a lasting, meaningful one on both sides anyway. Most of the dialogue is only going on in the female natural hair community.
I think their signs need an addendum like you can touch my hair โjust for todayโ because this behavior in my opinion too closely ressembles petting.
lol!!!! true, โand just mineโ donโt expect this to mean every black woman you see from here on outsโ!! lol
No. Uh uh HECK NO!!! I donโt know how many hands I have popped for touching my hair without my permission. Now yes, there are specific people who know they can just touch my hair without asking and there are those who I will most likely say yes to if they ask, but a random stranger just touching my hair and me being on display to let them touch it? Nope. Not going to happen! This โexperimentโ is dumb. Whereโs the data? What were they testing? I swear we repeat history too much. This is just a minor parallel to… Read more »
I am in complete agreement with all that you have expressed.
Thank you!! Iโm currently in class, but I canโt WAIT to see these videos that have been put up about the โexperiment.โ
I donโt agree with this experiment. Why do Black people have to explain everything about ourselves down to our hair? Why are we looked upon as a different specie? Itโs hair. Our hair comes in different colors, lengths, textures just like any other race. Iโm not downing the women who participated in the experiment. Maybe theyโre more open-minded then myself but Iโve experienced way too many simple-minded questions about my hair from other races. Itโs not my responsibility to explain how my hair can be curly one day and up to my ears (wash and go) and the next day… Read more »
nice
I think this is fine, because these women gave the strangers permission to touch their hair. When people just suddenly touch your hair because they feel like it, without asking, I think theyโve crossed a line. This is a forum designed for touching, so thereโs nothing wrong with it. A lot of people mean well when they touch hair, they are just curious, especially when the hair is not like theirs. Curly haired white women complain about the same thing. People donโt ask and just touch their hair, ruin the curl definition they worked so hard on and create frizz,lol. But… Read more »
It irkes me to the core that society treats us as if we always have to explain ourselves to them! No one whether black, white or purple needs to know anything about me. If I wanted you to know something, I would volunteer that information.
these women DID volunteer that information.I do think maybe they should have invited some white and asian curlies to participate, since its not only our hair that gets touched like that. But that said, I understand the fascination with black hair. We have a lot in common hair-wise with other races, or so Iโve learned in my hair journey, but not everyone knows that. Most blacks themselves donโt even know that, and know matter how much we learn about our hair, on the surface it still looks different than anyone elseโs. We are the race whose hair grows up, and… Read more »
yes, i was just thinking about that the other day. We project our own insecurities about how other people see our hair. Even myself! we assume that other people are assuming something negative about us and that shapes how we react to them; that shapes how we treat them before we even have given them the opportunity to make their own first impressionโฆ
I personally think it is extremely rude to ask to touch anyoneโs hair, no matter what the race. Why would anyone think itโs okay to ask someone to touch their hair, or worse yet, reach out and touch without asking permission? Bad manners either way. It reminds me of being pregnant and perfect strangers rubbing my belly. WTH?? Do people normally go around rubbing one anotherโs stomach? Thereโs something called personal space and boundaries. Donโt cross them.
This makes me sick. Just like animals at the zoo. Disgusting. And you actually have people not seeing anything wrong with this. Smh. Typical brainwashed Americans.
I personally love this, and think itโs a really quirky, fun idea. ๐ Iโm also kind of shocked by a lot the comments left underneath it. Iโve never found somebody asking to touch my hair rude โ itโs something youโd naturally ask if you were curious, right? And given the rampant popularity of wigs and weaves, โnaturalistasโ are still quite rare (at least in the UK, anyway), so a lot of people will have never seen things like twists and afros up close before. Why should they be made to feel bad for wanting to learn more about something alien… Read more »
We need to respect peopleโs individual comfort zones that are reflected in their opinions. It goes both ways.
I think this is a great idea. For those of you against, you all are the main ones who will appreciate this โsocial experimentโ once they explained what resulted from it. And itโs not even negative or degrading in my opinion. They volunteer THEMSELVES, so why are YOU offended?
[โฆ] we posted about the โYou Can Touch My Hairโ social experiment. The article elicited a lot of strong reaction โ from people who thought it was empowering [โฆ]
No other race โ EVER โ has to explain themselves like the Black race. No other race would ever think โHey โฆ letโs take the mystery out of my hair โ let people touch itโ โฆitโs ridiculous. How about other races who constantly reject, deny, dehumanize, humiliate, ostracize, mock and disrespect โ how about THEY start putting THEIR MANNERS ON DISPLAY.
Ok but ultimately I feel like this was a slight cooning. Itโs not my problem that people are either offended, fascinated or confused by my hair, so itโs not my job โmake themโ feel comfortable about it. Thatโs like me allowing white men to slap my ass all day at an Slap AโSistahs-Ass convention, because I want them to feel comfortable around me and not fetishize me, b/c my sexuality is still something they โwant to understandโ and experience. That JUST like my hair, is not my damn problem. I donโt give a damn how odd my hair seems and… Read more »
perfect.
I thought that picture was for my iconโฆ ugh.
This simply baffoonery and reminiscent of circus animals or going to the zoo to touch the caged animals!!! Sickening display!!!
Some black women still behaving like black bed wenches on the plantation!!
Those of you who are jumping this experiment as something bad and saying โitโs not our job to educate the ignorantโ are kinda hypocrites. So youโre saying that when somebody asks a genuine question about our race you automatically call them ignorant; you donโt bother to educate them on that matter so they can go tell there friends that what they assumed was way off and rude. You have to understand that even though their questions may seem dumb too us, its just curiosity since nobody really bothered to educate them on race and culture besides two pages out of textbook.… Read more »
yes, I agree with you. How can you be angry about ignorance, when youโre not interested in helping to reduce it? Makes no sense to me. If you think this idea is a bad one, fine, but what ideas have the complainers come up with ? At least these ladies are trying something.
i can see what you mean but at the same time i think that if they were really that interested they would take the personal time to educate themselves about somethings or use common sense. like with the do you even wash your hair question, if they were to educate themselves on the importance of washing your hair then they would never ask a black person if they wash their hair. even dogs bathe themselves in order to be clean. its also kinda like someone traveling to another country and that person expecting the locals to tell about all of the… Read more »
i agree 100%. I dont knock anybody for being curious about black women and our hair. but why should black women go out of there way to make others informed about it? if they are that interested, they can do their research. this whole thing really looks like a โseeking social acceptanceโ type of deal.
I am guessing the lady with the afro got the most touches.
Natural always the best
the thing is, is that *itโs not our job* as black women to educate them. thatโs the point people are making. i didnโt ever have to touch a white personโs hair to know about itโฆ none of you reading this did either. i watch tv and learn about it because theyโre hyper-represented and talk about it and have hair commercials for it, learn about it like itโs the standard for hair when weโre in science classes, etc. Think about it. if we got that same type of representation we wouldnโt HAVE TO let anyone touch our hair in public like weโre… Read more »
What I donโt know I fear.
What I fear I hate.
What I hate I attack.
So true.โฆ
it would be heaven if it could go both ways. black people have always had to adapt no one tried to experiment on themselves in order to educate us on who they are. and we learnt if we can why canโt the others learn the same way?
It actually IS our job. No one else is doing itโฆ NO one else is stepping up to the plate. At least where these women are concerned they are giving people who are afraid or ignorant of our hair a chance to gain some knowledge- hands on. Maybe just then those casual misguided comments other races would tell their children about our hair ( its greasy! Itโs dry! Donโt have children with a black or they will have ugly hair!) will stop! Because those people that touched it for themselves when they may never have had an opprotunity before now… Read more »
Our hair texture is very unique. Out of all the races in the world which have skin as dark as ours and hair as curly as ours. Since we are not getting the opportunity to represent black woman besides us being seen as โIโm a strong independent black woman and I need no manโ on tv. Wether you like it or not we have to make the first step in educating other races about ourselves. So what, youโre just going to wait for the day society represents black women in a bright light. Since civil rights movement weโve had to take… Read more »
I agree. It was unnecessary. I live in NYC and Iโve never really been asked to touch my hair. You said all I wanted to say.
This post makes me think about that song โWhy Donโt You Love Meโ. @but you bring up a great point, if the face of this country is really changing, (as per census data) then why isnโt this diversity represented more on TV programming?. I mean, in a positive light, not on the 11oโclock news. Iโm not trying to educate anyone whoโs not for me, but to each their own.
Itโs assinine that anyone would compare this to a petting zoo! When white folks ignore blacks, all blacks do is whine and complain how whites (and other non-whites) ignore them. Now that some ladies are taking a proactive stance to squelch a common curiosity, now blacks want to cry fowl. Unreal. Maybe if more black women got over their inferiority complex, the idea of sharing their ethnic differences might not seem so unsettling. From my experience (47 yrs of it), non-blacks have a greater appreciation of natural hair than the average black American. I think the reason this exhibit cuts… Read more »
Preach.
itโs funny how people like you are quick to say others have an inferiority complex when all we are talking about private space. not evryone likes to be touched by strangers if you do then fine. and no not all blacks complain when others races ignore them and not all black women have an inferiority complex if that was the case you wouldnโt see more and more black women wearing their hair in its natural state and educating the younger generations about it. those women are the ones who will help more people inside the community to see the beauty… Read more »
Unfortunately the road to CONFUSION is paved with good intentions This is really about white and non-black validation on the part of the black women who participated OR created this โsocial experimentโ and is the same thing as saying, โSee, my hair isnโt so bad, not as bad as you think and Iโm going to let you put your hands on my personal body to prove it.โ it is seeking ACCEPTANCE using โhairโ as the vehicle and this kind of behavior demonstrates that we do NOT understand racism/white supremacy and that racism (on the part of whites) has NOTHING to do… Read more »
Absolutely! Thank you for saying it so bluntly and honestly. This โexhibitโ stems from racism and white privilege. Brown (and yellow and red) people of all ethnicities need to stop trying to submit to white standards of beauty. This exhibit seeks to say โIโm not as different as you think I am. Iโm just like you white people.โ No, we have our own voice and it doesnโt always align with whites, but thatโs not our problem.
Thanks you both have eloquently expressed my uneasiness with these numerous โBUT YES ITโS OUR JOB TO EDUCATE THEMโ comments. This makes people inherently uneasy for a reason. This would work and actually spur meaningful dialogue if we werenโt inherently seen as inferior others and if there wasnโt a vast approval of and comfort in this way of thinking.
@ PamโฆWOW! There isnโt enough time to go into detail with you on everything you wrote and how I personally disagree with you at a 99.9% level! I donโt think it is per say acceptance as it is taking the โmysteryโ out of black natural hair. Right or wrong, our natural lack hair is very unique! It is a mystery to our own black people who barely see or wear their natural hair from all the: perms, relaxers, Wigs, Weaves, and fake braids. Donโt get me wrong weaves and such are great. I have a stand-by wig ready but I… Read more »
if our natural hair is beautiful and we really believed that why would it be necessary to have (probably white) strangers touch it?
why would that even be a thought in our brain computers?
definitely looks like weโre seeking some sort of validation by doing that
otherwise, what would be the point? what is really being accomplished by doing that?
yes at the core of it, itโs looking for validation and people need to cop to that. If you agree with it or not or think its worth it to start better understanding of our hair or โdialogueโ (which will lead nowhere if real self-love and acceptance is not in action on our part) , you got to accept that is whatโs going on here. Just because the audience might end up being black doesnโt change this either because honestly the Creatorโs intention wasnโt to aim it at other blacks so a lot of people here are projecting. She says โcuriosity… Read more »
To be honest, I had more black people ask question and reach out and touch my hair than other races. If we wore our hair out more, even within our own community, perhaps these types of experiments would deem unnecessary.
I wasnโt going to comment butโฆ โItโs not our job to educate other peopleโ So itโs not black womenโs job to educate other people on black womenโs hair. Then you tell me whose job is. White people. Asian people. This is most like the reason we have the myths about our hair right now. No, we as black women have to teach others about our hair if we want them to know anything about it. I donโt know about many of you, but if I have a question about my White or Asianโs friends hair, Iโm going to ask them,… Read more »
people would touch our hair anyways. one way or another. Its funny, I actually dont mind other people touching my hair. (as long as they ask first.) I actually like what they are doing here. Our culture is really obscure and misunderstood, which leads to the establishment and reinforcements of stereotypes. I think a lot of people could learn from this. We dont want to be misunderstood, right? Then we need to show people what the african/african diaspora is really like, and its not all what they see on MTV and the news.
But how will petting a black person teach them anything? The only conversations this has started are among black people. I looked at the comment sections of media sources with a majority white audience, and guess what they thought about it. โI donโt see the big deal. Iโm white and I have curly hair and people touch my hair all the time. Why canโt someone touch your hair?โ Yea, what a real cultural learning experience it was to them. All they think is, โwhy canโt I invade your personal space?โ To non-blacks, this has nothing to do with the history… Read more »
I avoided looking at this post until now since the headline itself produced a jarring internal reaction and after reading the comments I understand why. I must agree with the outlook that experiment is not helpful. It is not the Black communityโs responsibility to educate other cultures about our hair. No one else needs to do it either because it really doesnโt need to be done. Our responsibility is to educate ourselves about our hair and our beauty and after decades of neglect that is exactly what we are doing. I came to this conclusion thinking on my current environment, living… Read more »
This social experiment is definitely a great idea, not only for other races to understand black people and their hair. But for black people to understand that beauty does not lie in having your hair straightened. This exhibit displays the real beauty of the black hair, the fact that you can braid it, leave it natural or wear a weave. We have beautiful hair because unlike other races, we have a lot of options. Black hair is beautiful in its different shapes and forms. I have had my hair natural for over 6 years. I donโt criticize women who get… Read more »
i agree that thereโs still negativity among some black people and in my opinion ignorant comments almost always come from people who have self issues themselves. no one whoโs confident needs to tell to someone (specially someone whoโs from the same community) โyour hair is uglyโ or โyouโre pretty for a dark skinned girlโ. but again i donโt see how standing on a street and allowwing strangers to touch your hair is going to change that.
I agree with you. There have been white people who have touched my hair and they asked; but I have had my own black people who just touched my hair with out even asking. Once in high school, when my hair was relaxed; I had put my hair in a banana clip. While I was sitting down in front of the other black girls they were trying to figure out if my hair had tracks or not. This particular girl put her hands in my hair to see and I just turned around and looked at her like she was… Read more »
When I first saw a post for this social experiment, I had mixed feelings about it. One I am a African American woman who chooses to wear my hair natural in a work setting where it can be deemed unprofessional, and with in a week I get at least 6 questions on my hair. I read in many of the comments that it is OUR JOB to educate people on our hair. I totally dis agree with that statement, the only person whom I am personally responsible for educating on hair is my child. I will answer most questions that… Read more »
Sorry but I rather NOT be a part of a human petting zoo. Why is it that we as black people always have to be dissected and place under a microscope to be understood? If you canโt understand the basic concept that straight hair isnโt the default hair and like most physical features, hair comes in a variety forms then simply touching my hair will not make you understand that. You can be curious and ask questions but you donโt have to go so far and make yourself out to be an exhabit.
Of course it is our job to educate people about our hair. Obviously other people do not have our hair so how else would they be educated about it unless we tell them? Obviously letting them educate themselves on our hair has not been working and the reason why are having this conversation. Personally I think it is rather silly for people to say it is not our job. This is done entirely too much in this community. Seriously we do have to step up and take responsibility. BTW we also need to educate ourselves first. When you have women… Read more »
It looks like a petting zoo. I, personally, would feel like an animal standing there. I wonder what the viewers who got to pet the hair took away from the experience :s
This exhibit is another way of making us feel โotheredโ. I should not have to allow myself to be touched, poked, and proded by strangers in order to make them feel comfortable with my features. Instead, I would feel better if this exhibit was for black women who think they cannot wear their natural textures; as a way to educate other black women about the beauty of our hair. And if it is our responsibility to teach white folks about our hair, then this site and others like it should suffice, as there is a plethora of information in these… Read more »
I guess Iโm among the few who doesnโt care if someone touches my hairโฆIf they ask why not? Some people donโt even ask and Iโm actually not that offended, simple curiosity. And hereโs a little secret: I like touching White peopleโs hair! GASP!
Some of yaโll crack me up
I donโt get it. While everything in life isnโt worth getting upset over, how can you just tolerate and not bat an eye at a complete stranger deliberately touching a part of you without your permission. You donโt know where their hands have been and yet you have no qualms about them touching your head. Now if you donโt mind that kind of behavior, thatโs your prerogative, but I hope you can at least understand why others donโt like it.
never understood y ppl didnt want others to touch their hand till now but then again if u tek such an approach you couldnt live on walking on the road and having ppl bump into you and rub against your skin but tht is a bit paranoid in it self.
[โฆ] Black Girl Long Hair [โฆ]
I think people are taking this way too serious. Itโs a learning process, come on people!
So itโs MY job to dispel all white peopleโs misconceptions about blacks? NO! Do you realize that people have full time jobs where they teach about the meaningful aspects of black culture and history? Theyโre called teachers and professors. If a white person really wants to learn anything, they ought to take a class or read a book. If you think touching hair will educate a white person, then they must have been so foolish that they canโt grasp that straight blond hair is not the norm for hair, with all other hair colors, types, and texture being a mutation.… Read more »
This is so silly and stupid to me. The mindset behind these comments that itโs โour jobโ to educate people about our hair.โฆwhat the???!! Really? Itโs our JOB?? How so?!? I am telling you, for the most part white/non-black folks arenโt even THINKING about our hairโฆwe seem to think people are as hung up on our hair as we are, but itโs totally not true. If white folks were just so intrigued and cared so much, they would be visiting sites like these in drovesโฆbut alas, they arenโt and thatโs because at the end of the day I think most… Read more »
This display doesnt bother me at all.
In all honesty, what these women chose to do with their hair is just that, their CHOICE. If they choose to let people touch their hair, so be it. If you donโt want people touching your hair, more power to you. It is not our right to judge what they feel is maybe necessary. Emphasis on what THEY feel is necessary. Personally, I see no harm in it. I know plenty of not only white, but also some Hispanic and Indian people who are curious of what black hair feels like. They are often surprised at the softness of the… Read more »
Are you kidding me!? When I wore nothing but fake hair as a crutch during my childhood, letting someone touch my hair and highlighting how fake it was actually was the worst idea ever. Humiliating to say the least. Now that my hair is all mine, ainโt no shame in it! Having a man lightly grab the back of my hair as he pulls me in for a kiss was probably the HOTTEST THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. I wouldโve had a heart attack if he did that while I had a wig on. If asked, I let black people touch… Read more »
But I get it, hair is a sensitive thing for many black women. But people make it seem as though someone asking to touch their hair is like someone wants to poke a boobie, or a love-handle or something crazy. To me touching my hair is like touching my fingernails. Itโs kinda random.
i dont like the fact that there are 3 models on there and u only compliment 2 out of the 3
the 2 that happen to be natural
i get this blog is mostly aimed at natural hair but why not appreciate the shine or thickness of the relaxed hair model too
#justsaying
#naturalNaziNotCool
#Godislove
Perhaps because its a weave.
The women who participated in this experiment were simply trying to make the world a better place for black women by dispelling some myths about our natural hair. I personally would not feel comfortable inviting strangers to touch me, but I donโt think itโs right to talk so hatefully to other sisters when they were only trying to do something positive. Uplifting activism rocks! Self-righteous people who judge others too harshly while doing nothing, suck!
donโt mind if peeps want to touch my locs.โฆjust fair warning, please ASK FIRST!!!!
I think itโs a pretty cool experiment. Black hair is a very unique that of Hair which makes people curious about it. We (Black women) change our hair texture, length and color overnight which can really throw someone off. The fact that we have to go to Black Salons to get our hair done shows that most non Blacks have never really come in contact with our hair. I use to live in China, and i would always get Locals asking if my hair was fake, how I achieved the style I was wearing and if they could touch my… Read more »
Iโm a teacher & wore a fro in the late 60s-70s while still in school. I went thru this hair touching back then. Since my job was to be an educator I took such instances as teachable moments to educate white people about our hair & to dispel myths. Most were surprised that our hair felt so soft. Theyโd probably expected something like steel wool or brillo. I went natural again after years of curly perms & find the same thing sometimes happens today but not as much since there are so many mixed race marriages & kids.It depends on… Read more »
This experiment is pointless to me. At the end of the day, itโs my hair and if I want you to touch it, Iโll let you touch it. However, I also have the right to tell you to leave my hair alone because itโs MINE. Iโm getting sick of people thinking they have the right to shove their hands in my hair that I work so hard to keep healthy and looking nice and they donโt even know how to handle it. I ALWAYS ask before I touch someone elseโs hair. As for others that are โcuriousโ about natural hairโฆseriously,… Read more »
I think this was a pretty awesome idea. Since Iโve been natural Ive had many people- even other black people โask if they can touch my hair. Itโs no big deal. I prefer that they ask first but Ive had a few experiences- all male โ where they did not ask. They just reached for it. Admittedly, like L.u said.โฆ.it was a turn on. Lol
I understand the fascination and curiosity of onlookers. Itโs a beautiful thing to see something so out of the ordinary and unique. #ILoveMyHair
I read a first hand account of someone who actually went on Twitter. Guess what? She reported that most folks actually stopped and talked about their display and the people that were doing the most hair touching were other black people. Surprise! So those of you doing all that pontificating about the evils of this experiment should relax. Lesson learned: first person sources/first hand accounts are always better than hearsay.
I am not surprised it was more black people touching! #notsuprisednonotonebit
not surprised honestly. Non-black people are curious about our hair but not THAT curiousโฆthey donโt really want to learn if they donโt have to. Black people would be more curious because they can apply the knowledge and interaction in a much more personal way.
Why do ppl think youโre being โhatefulโ if you are not an advocate for the experiment? If you think this is a good idea then thatโs great but if others donโt, they donโt have to. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. I personally am neither for or against it. It initially sounded weird to me as I have never had a desire to touch others hair whose texture was different from my own.
Sorry, this hair โexperimentโ bothers me, a lot. Iโm sure a lot of Black women will see nothing wrong with this, and thatโs fine for them. But, for me to see Black women put on display and allowing random strangers to touch their hair as if theyโre in a petting zoo is dehumanizing and degrading. I donโt think it breaks perceptions (as in showing other cultures how soft and pliable our hair can be). Instead, it just reinforces the stereotypes that have played out in American culture where Black women have to constantly prove โweโre okayโ by demonstrating that weโre… Read more »
I live in the UK and I totally agree with Carla Phoenix for the reasons she states. I could not imagine any natural I know wanting to take part in such an experiment. When I decided to go natural I didnโt need to touch anyoneโs hair to convince myself. I went online and did research! I would object to any random stranger touching my hair โ black or white! If as an individual you donโt mind anyone touching your hair, fine, but to conduct such a public experiment to me reinforces the misconception that itโs ok to walk up to… Read more »
Iโm against this type of display itโs a disrespectful petting zoo sideshow theses women begging for white acceptance as mentioned before no other race feels the need to do this type of BS and being in denial saying its ok letโs me know a lot of people are really lost
I had SUCH a reaction while reading Carlaโs comment, because she hit the nail on the head big time! Do we not realize that when our ancestors where brought to this country in chains, that they were measured up, examined, and sold? This included having whites look into their mouths, ears, stretch apart their eyelids, and even โexamineโ the vaginas of the Black female slaves. Everything that made us Black (our skin, our kinky hair, our spirituality, our language, etc.), and everything that set us apart as different from whites was stripped away from us and pathologized as ugly, unattractive,… Read more »
I had the same reaction, Miss JoeyK. I didnโt want to come across as militant or like I was making this too deep โฆ perhaps I read too much, but my very first gut reaction was that this seems to be a watered-down, modern version of the auction block. How many strange men felt their hair up and asked them out after that? Iโm sorry under those circumstances, I wouldnโt take that as flattery. But thatโs just my opinion. Why canโt a Black womenโs hair journey and hair choices be her own? Besides this is 2013, we should be over… Read more »
I too find this โsocial Experimentโ annoying. There isnโt enough room in this reply box to list everything that bothered me, but the main reason is, As African- Americans, we have always had to make ourselves acceptable and accessible- to other races. Iโm so tired of hearing about racial โdifferencesโ, and all the ways we- as black women especially- try to โfit-Inโ. I will be glad when the day comes, when I never have to hear a black person tell another black person; โYou need to straighten your nappy hair!โ. And when our hair, or any of our other โAfrican… Read more »
Iโm much more interested about what this article doesnt say. What was the results of this experiment? Emotion seems to be fueling this article rather than what the experiment was meant to reveal.
Perhaps Iโm oversensitive and far-reaching here but this is akin to these women being circus attractions. Itโs hair not an attraction. I would feel better about it if there were bottles of hair products they were touting next to them and they decided it was okay for the public to touch the hair to feel how soft the product made their hair โ but I hate this. On top of everything, theyโre in NY. The โcapitalโ of America, lot of tourists there! I can only imagine how much they got felt up, especially the naturals โ the sista with the big… Read more »
SO TRUE!! Thatโs EXACTLY how I feel about it!
Just wow! 2013 and we are still a mystery to people that now we have come to Touch my Hair demonstrations? SMH. I see most of you think this is a fab idea. I just see nothing fabulous about.
Did anyone read where it said more blacks were gouching their hair than others.
I have been short long jheri curled braided with and without extensions bald straight natural and now loced. During all of those moments people asked to touch my hair. I learned more blacks were fasinated by my hair or were quick to question if it was all mine. This experiment, in my humble opinion, is just as much about the comments and conversations itโs created as it is about the desire to touchtheir hair.
Iโve never had a problem with people wanting to touch my hair. Iโve had this happen on occasion, especially here work. One guy, who is white, BTW, has asked a couple of times if he could touch my hair, and I said, โyeah, go ahead.โ One time it was in a twist-out, and another time, an afro. This particular guy is always commenting on my hair, and loves the way I style it. He really loves when I wear it in a fro, because he says it brings him back to the โgood ole daysโ, (the 70s). I can relate,… Read more »
Yay! The White man loves your hair โ_-
Petting zoo.โฆ :/
[โฆ] can touch my hair? http://bglh-marketplace.com/2013/06โฆal-experiment/ This was basically a social experiment meant to fight the racial stereotypes of African-American [โฆ]
I understand the need the respect personal space when it comes to hair. But these women made a choice to put their natural hair on display. Itโs their right just as it is our right to let someone touch our hair or not. There are people who come from countries where there may have hardly seen a person of color much less a person with Afro-textured hair. To be able to touch is a learning experience. No I donโt think it is a black personโs job to educate folks on our hair, but if someone is curious why not use… Read more »
Ladies, itโs really NOT that big a deal. These women thought they were doing something positive and helpful. If YOU donโt want people touching your hair then donโt let them. But stop bashing these womenโฆthey meant well. Human beings are naturally curious about what we donโt know. To bash these women is to say that youโve NEVER wondered what that hot guyโs muscles felt like, or your (whatever ethnicity)best friend with different hair than you in grade schoolโs hair felt like. Weโve all been curious at some time in our life, and have wondered. Itโs not petting like and animal,… Read more »
Well Iโm not sure what I think of what the ladies did, but I am not up for people touching my hair. I am locโed and live in a 95% white town. So I do get looks. Some are curious, some are loving it. At any rate my grandmother always taught my sister and I not to let just anyone play in our hair. Sort of a cosmos thing. Sheโd say you donโt know where theyโve been and what they are bringing. All the ladies in my family have had their hair done by the mothers and a few choice… Read more »
I find that the girl with the biggest hair in the photo is the most attractive of the three. The jawn with the fake hair on the right is the butchest of the crewโฆ thats just me but people want to touch the jawn on the left hairโs more just cuz she bad.
wth cares who you find attractive? Why do you scrubs keep showing up in websites for women anyway?
What the hell is a jawn? LOL, English, please..
I honestly donโt know what to think about this โexperimentโ, but I do hope those ladies washed their hair when they got home. Who knows what they got on it from those strangers.
I think how one feels about natural hair in general will affect whether or they are open to other peopleโs curiosity. Iโm a Nigerian living on this side of the world so a lot of the ladies I knew in Nigeria with relaxed hair chose to keep their hair that way because they felt it was easier to manage. Some thought it was a more modern look but (shrugs) everyone is free to form their own opinions. There are also a lot of African ladies with natural hair, some for religious reasons and others who hate relaxers & love their… Read more »
The same people who want to touch you hair are the same people who want you to CUT it all off before they give you a job??????
THE THINGS WE DO FOR SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE #SMH
I am not sure what this experiment was to reveal. I do realize that each person has a right to their hair journey. My journey is about self acceptance and owning my look. I know some people are doing it because sheโs doing it, fashion, attention.โฆfill in the blank. Why break down a box only to build another box. When I saw this link something in my heart frowned. They are owning their look and do not ask if you want to touch their hair so what are you trying to prove?
Itโs really nice that youโve taken the time and effort to aid those
out there who are looking for resources on this topic. You have put in an enormous
level of dedication into these solutions, and it has enabled students in our field to reap great benefits.
Your valuable help and advice will mean a great deal to me and much more
to my peers.
Curiosity is part of the human experience. Iโm not quite sure what to think of the experiment, other than perhaps the ladies found it amusing that different ethnicities would wonder what tresses like theirs felt like to the touch. My black coworkers had thought the same way about my โwhiteโ hair, and I was not insulted, only amused.
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Thatโs not true kinky natural hair, she is mix breed:)Thatโs why they wanted to touch itโฆLOL, Let me bring my thick kinky curls , they be running..LOL, I love knowing that our hair is one of the strongest if not the strongest in the world! It seem our natural hair reflex our life in this world sometimes good/ bad , sometimes I feel liking taking a scissor to it, but thatโs when I allow it to get dry before combing..LOLโฆ I have no worries, with or without relaxer or weaves I love me including my kinky curly afro:) Ladies we… Read more »
Just because she is Fair skinned doesnโt mean she is biracial. Her hair looks like it is stretched or blown out so we donโt know what her actual texture is. If her hair has no chemicals then it is considered in its natural state, regardless if its kinky, kinky-curly, curly, or wavy. Why must we separate and categorize ourselves instead of embracing all types of hair? Even if you were joking.
I donโt really know what theyโre trying to find out from this experiment. Donโt they already know thereโs a curiosity? It doesnโt make sense, but I do think itโs kinda sweet in a way by letting others feel comfortable expressing their curiosity without feeling like a weirdo (โHeyโฆcan I touch your hairโฆ?). There does need to be more coverage in the media about black women & their hair products, not so other races accept them, but so they can accept themselves. The media has a powerful effect on people, & when youโre not represented, youโre not going to feel as comfortable… Read more »
I do not think the exhbit was to assimilate but simply a way to welocme curosity and questions. To me it opened the door to understanding. Ie you never ask questions then how will you ever know or being to undestand? I read on Huffington post about to exhibit and one lady compared our hair to magic. We can do so many things with it and people are amazed. I have locs anf I get so many questions not only from my white counterparts but my black/brown people as well. There are so many myths and sterptypes that need to… Read more »
[โฆ] Black Women Stand on NY Street and Allow Strangers to Touch Their Hair as Part of Social Experiment Whether you approved of this social experiment or not, it achieved its goal of sparking a [โฆ]
Does anyone know what the experiment revealed?
As far as Iโm concerned this is extremely demeaning. What even is the experiment? Why are you letting white people pet you??????
[โฆ] vibe I get about black women who opt to put up signs and invite strangers to touch their hair. ~ Black Women Stand on NY Street and Allow Strangers to Touch Their Hair as Part of Social Experiment ~ Killer of gay Atlanta civic activist gets 35 years in prison ~ Georgia Group Invites White [โฆ]