by
Black Girl With Long Hair
No, this isn’t a headline from The Onion, it’s an actual piece Essence Magazine chose to post!
The article has since been taken down, the only vestige of it is the screenshot below (originally spotted at 4C Natural Hair Chicks).
And this URL showing that yes, the piece did exist (see gallery for larger image):
The opening paragraph (which is all we can see) states that because 60% of African American women are relaxed, there should be more representation on the red carpet to provide styling inspiration for relaxed women.
The article is surprising because, although relaxers are on the decline (because of natural hair *and* weaves), relaxed hair is still very much the standard for black hair, and has been for a long time now. I suppose the argument could be made that weaves have taken/are taking over as the standard for black women who want a straight look. And obviously weave care is different, leaving relaxed women without resources or information. But even that explanation feels far fetched. If you step into the average black hair salon, they could do a relaxer with their eyes closed. But ask for a set of twists or a flexi rod set on kinky hair and you’re most likely to be met with a blank stare.
Could it be a bit of saltyness that natural hair got a fair amount of attention at the Oscars? Particularly Viola Davis’ gorgeous shrunken fro…
And Lupita Nyong’o in that stunning Calvin Klein pearl dress #slay…
Essence magazine caters to black women as a community — whether they are relaxed, weaved or natural. Their beauty and hair section is evidence of that. But it can’t be ignored that, up until a few years ago many naturals felt that Essence was not providing adequate representation of kinks and curls. That seemed to change when they brought on popular natural hair bloggers CurlyNikki and Afrobella to do regular segments. They also included a popular street style series themed on natural hair. In light of this, the piece feels… odd. At best someone was ‘in their feelings’ about the rise of natural hair on the red carpet — although we naturals know very well that our kinks and curls are faaaar from mainstream. Fashion Police and Zendaya Coleman anyone?? At worst someone has taken issue with the increasing number of women embracing their beautiful, natural kinks and curls, and wants things to go back to the way they were.
I appreciate Essence for taking the piece down. And hopefully the conversation about the shifting beauty standard among black women can be had in a more meaningful way.
Ladies, what do you think?
65 Responses
Smacks head because the majority of black female celebrities on the red carpet have relaxed hair and long straight weaves. There are only a few natural black woman on the red carpet . They sound stupid a heck .
It makes sense they would run that article. Their advertiser are relaxer companies who need their help increasing their sales.
how did they come up with that number that 60% of black women are relaxed? ?
I gave up on Essence 24 years ago, along with every other “fashion” mag, when I had my daughters. Essence never really showed black women with “some meat on their bones” and I didn’t want my daughters influenced by the images in print (and t.v. for that matter).Regardless of who owns the publications, the ad agencies dictate content. And THEY are white-owned. I relaxed (25 years ago), Sister locked, buzzed at the barber, manicured locs, buzzed again, and am now blow-dry-and-flat-iron “natural”. My hair is soft so to blow and iron makes it look like I’m relaxed. I’m keeping my silver hair, too. Just argon oil. No color, no chemicals. I am all natural, imho. But I digress…
Essence has not represented women of color (i.e. black/African-American/black Latina) in decades. I’m jus’ sayin’.
I disagree with the meat on their bones statement. I noticed the ladies were rarely as small as I was, 5 (or smaller depending on my level of active)
Not saying that I haven’t seen elegant straight weaves because that’s the majority of the “straight” styles that I see on the red carpet as far as black representation goes but in my everyday life I see people walking around like naptural85 with beautiful styles and I see a lot of girls with permed/Straight hair looking ratty and thinned out. The article itself is contradictory…you say that 60% are permed/straight which amounts to more than half (not to mention you wouldn’t have to count for very long to add up the amount of black representation in Hollywood) but you still want to see more?
I havent had an Essense subscription since high school.
This natural vs relaxed thing is GETTING OUT OF HAND. Listen both are beautiful and though I understand the history behind this, no other race defends what they do to their hair. ALL RACES STRAIGHTEN THEIR HAIR. HEAT DAMAGE, KERATIN TREATMENTS, JAPANESE HAIR STRAIGHTENING ARE CHEMICALS TOO. HOWEVER IT CAN BE USED IN MODERATION IF WANTED. LET US STOP TYING THESE THINGS TO RACE. RACE IS A MADE UP CONSTRUCT TO SUPPRESS THE PEOPLE. LETS LOVE ALL HAIR THE WAY IT WAS MADE OR IF YOU WANT TO DYE AND FRY IT. SO BE IT!
Essence is no longer black owned…not surprising
Its really very sad how badly they want us to hate ourselves. I mean, nobody in their right mind could approve that foolishness and not at the very least see it as divisive (if not down right ugly self-hatred). Money always talks so I’m gonna assume so many naturals on the white (whoops I mean red) carpet must be really scary to corporate interests that pray off the insecurities of Black folks. As for the so called “blogger” who wrote the piece (if they even really did) I think its so sad someone could be so bitter about other folks being comfortable in their own skin. Like natural hair is nothing to be jealous of, anyone can be natural its just about loving urself
Sometimes the status quo see the self loving affair a Black woman has with her natural hair as a threat to their control of being a bully who can’t allow other people views of beauty to shine. Or the prevailing culture is afraid of money lost on products that advance the negative mental state women of my culture have to touching & loving their own hair. or the inability to fixate on a perceived weakness of our culture of women a loss of control distracting women from more independent goals. Prevailing beauty pundits see Black women embracing their kinky locs as a loss of their clout and/or influence, and they see it as a culture of women they can no longer make feel bad about themselves. Furthermore it is witnessing “Truth speaking to power”. Some cultures who have not wanted to admit other cultures are quite beautiful, the prevailing culture has to admit they don’t like to share in the idea of what is truly beautiful. But, overall Prevailing pundits or experts on what is so called beauty must face the inevitable. There are more people of color in the world the their out-reach of negative stereotypes can replace. More images of positive dolls and role models in the acting profession and other fields that they must remove that guilded cameo from it’s alabaster profile pedestal and truthful realize their is nothing wrong with allowing other views of what is beautiful to co-exist, hey we have grown up to see Beautiful ladies with Down syndrome, plus size beauties, & vitiligo skin to bless the runway. That is our humanity growing up with a heart.
@Sabra Hardy…you touched my heart…thank you, for those beautiful words of inspiration!
Essence mag is white owned. Just goggled it to make sure.
Most of the black fronted things we have are white owned. That is no new news
Isn’t Essence now white owned??
Yes. Essence is now owned by Time/Warner. Enough said .
Lupita and that dress, tho…….
Can we get an article on that? I mean, I know this is a hair website, but c’mon: That DRESS tho!!!!!!
Bringing it back to the topic at hand, I think the fact that they pulled it so fast proves that they know trying to present that to us at this time (especially post-Zendaya) is actually ASKING for it. What I want to know is who approved this post in the first place?
What has angered and disappointed me about Essence for years is that even though the magazine is geared towards a black female audience, the hair care and makeup products they showcase have always been created by predominately white owned companies. I have rarely seen makeup or hair care products by such old staples as Fashion Fair, Flore Roberts, Black Opal or any of the major or struggling black hair care companies. Everthing they showcase on their pages (before and after the sale) has been products created by expensive white owned companies. The makeup they use on the models is always MAC, Bobbie Brown or some other white owned makeup company. Every once in a while (like a special edition) they will promote or showcase black hair and makeup companies. The rest of the year, its white-owned companies only. We all know that the white owned companies are scrambling to create products for natural hair. And as soon as they do – many of the black hair care companies will be put out of business, just like the black owned companies were that made perm and products for straightening black hair. We must continue to support the black natural hair care product lines and stop thinking that the “white man’s ice is colder.” The white owned companies don’t care about black hair, they’re just looking to make a profit – and if they can make off of black hair all the better. When we stop buying hair care products made by us, that means fewer jobs for our people, and fewer opportunities for our chemists, product scientists, marketing, factory workers, etc. We can’t build corporations if we don’t buy from each other. And who knows black hair better than black people.
OK that’s what hair magazines are for lol, plenty of relaxed women in those.maybe the article writer is just secretly jealous of us naturals.
Essence is from the old school mentality when black people thought being equal to whites meant being the best imitation of them. We don’t look at life like that anymore, in fact many whites copy what we are doing now. Essence is not in step with what is going on with modern black people and in a lot of ways I feel the magazine tries to hold us back.
All I have to say to that is “uhhh… no”. There are still relaxed looks out there. Its what the star wants to wear on her head when she is walking on the carpet. Besides relaxed hair has been around since I don’t know how long now, so if people haven’t put a couple of styles in their repertoire then that’s on them. Open up an magazine of just hair, there are plenty of inspirational styles.
I haven’t read Essence in years…don’t plan on reading it in the future…too black male identified and outdated.
The author of the article is relaxed hair blogger named Sunshyne (in case anyone wants to know). She’s written other articles for Essence
They may have took it down but how did it ever go up? Someone wrote it but someone else approved it smh. Why can’t we all just get along?! Can they live and have their slay/fly moments?!
I’m not surprised. We finally get a HANDFUL of natural hair celebs on red carpets & relaxer companies start sweating, phones start ringing, emails & texts start being composed to protect their eroding investment. Do we realize how much $$ media makes from advertising? MILLIONS! We’re not just talking abt paying for a page…we’re talking abt the LOCATION of that page in a mag! the better your placement, the more you pay!If I were a relaxer comp I might demand Essence support me and suggest that their articles affect my business. having that article make past the editors desk was no mistake. It just proves theres a bias that reflects just who pulls the puppet strings at Essence.its beyond ridiculous to suggest relaxed hair representation is somehow lacking. I’m all for a balanced presentation of all hair types but as it stands it is so clearly STILL all abt perms so what NEED was there for such an article? This is about $$ and power..the power of Viola on the red carpet loud & proud. She’s showing what our beauty is in all its many facets& somebody’s not happy! This wasn’t an unbiased article.it was an attack plain & simple. But I ain’t mad. I haven’t bought an Essence since the 90 ‘ s ..the only exception being their Obama cover.They don’t influence me bc i figured out what their end game was looong ago! Bye Felicia!!
Spot on sister!
I just wanted to add, that Madame C.J. Walker (God rest her soul), did something that she felt was needed at that time during her generation, when she created the perm. Assimilation was the ultimate goal of her era, for many, but, for the love of God, it’s a new day now and I truly wish and hope that more of us would start embracing it. If this Essence article has any truth to it, 70%?…wow…it is just still too high of a number of us that continue to perm and relax.
Madame C.J Walker never invented the perm/relaxer a man by the name of Garrett Augustus Morgan invented the perm/relaxer.
Thanks @Beauty for the correction…I appreciate it! The sentiment in my comment however, remains the same.
Madame CJ Walker did invent the hot comb though. Maybe that’s what you were thinking about? I still hear that ominous sizzle in my ears to this day… Plenty of love and respect for Madame Walker though lol.
I never knew who invented the perm… Thank you for the bit of information.
I’m so glad that I don’t purchase their trash rag anymore, they’re always trying to woo with images of black celebs on their covers…when all the while the information (or lack thereof) within their pages is just subliminal self hate…UNACCEPTABLE!!! Please (Essence) don’t start no stuff won’t be no stuff!
When is someone who gives a damn finally going to do the research and find out whether or not perms/relaxers are linked to fibroids?…but who am I kidding, (even if it could be proven that chemical relaxers are actually bad for our health and that they just don’t murder the vibrancy and elasticity of our hair) some still wouldn’t give them up…SMH! Hmm and after seeing this article today, I regret even reading Essence while sitting under my stylist’s hair dryer just to pass the time…no mas!
Agree. Is the editor of Essence African American? The content over recent years makes me wonder.
That’s a good question @Lv…idk…but I’ve washed my hands of Essence altogether…everything changed when they sold out.
Stay blessed!!! 🙂
The opening sentence on the app graphic shown in this post references “the Hair Care Survey, conducted by The Science of Black Hair”. So I googled “hair care survey by science of black hair”.
The first link I clicked that mentioned such a thing was https://blackhairscience.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/were-doing-a-super-survey-on-hair-attitudes-trends-practices/ This linked to a blog by, I believe, a name some of us probably remember: Audrey Davis-Sivasothy, author of a book on the science of hair. The blog post is to inform readers about a survey being done and provides a link to it. There is also a link to NapturallyCurly.com dated 8/15/2013 which makes reference to this survey. When I looked briefly for survey results, I found https://99designs.com/infographic-design/contests/infographic-hair-care-survey-results-438013/brief, which, considering what kind of site it is, actually gives some good information about some of what the survey uncovered. But I haven’t yet found the full survey results.
I did read enough of the information I was able to find to grasp that respondents were encouraged to be honest in their responses to the questions, so if Essence used these results to write their article, then they were only telling us what survey respondents told Ms. Sivasothy when they took her survey. And if this what they told her, none of them knowing that Essence would get ahold of the information later, then the only fault, if there be one, is that Essence made the information known and drew a conclusion based on it. So, if there is some part of that survey wherein people indicated that they want to see more relaxed styles on the runway, in keeping with what is still the majority hair care method for black women, then it’s not Essence we need to be confronting so much as it is our families, our friends, our associates, and ourselves.
I think it’s a time for change, heck it’s BEEN a time for change, and not a lot of people deal well with change . They better get used to it .
Yeah again let’s chill with the Nazi term. Say zealous or something. Funny we can’t say permies but Nazi is ok.
I’m not suprised they Essence is white owned and even when it was black owned they printed very colourist articles. Like “Are negro girls getting prettier” with pictures of basically light skinned, light eyes, permed hair, white passing girls . Most black American aimed magazines have a history of this so.
That’s a horrible article to write
It is a horrible article to write but it was actually by Ebony February, 1966. Here is a link to some of the letters they got about the article: https://books.google.com/books?id=kUBLURuzOxEC&pg=PA18&lpg=PA18&dq=%22Are+negro+girls+getting+prettier%22&source=bl&ots=-JKLNCyMyQ&sig=vDwPqmKZC-cwpUCI008dVYdTBUA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gO_1VJWaMIrBggTP_YKYCg&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Are%20negro%20girls%20getting%20prettier%22&f=false.
It didn’t go over well with readers, which is awesome.
Essence is still trash but not for that point.
Thank you for correcting me 🙂
I’ve been sick of Essence mag for years….with their love of Black Male Celebs who have verbally stated their preference for white girlfriends/wives and then telling their black female subscribers to stay racially loyal and wait on thier black Kang. They are out of touch with “today’s black woman”.
Essence is owned by Time Inc. My people why does shade towards from white owned companies us shock us? This is not the first time they’ve been on BS (such as the featuring of irrelevant people that I will leave nameless). I don’t have to say much because a lot of us know the jig is up. Beware of the black image controlled by white hands.
#truth
This could have been a hack. Lord knows part of me hopes it was. The idea that anyone would believe this is extremely disturbing. But, if it was genuine than Essence should have left the article up so we could discus it at the source. It is cowardly not to stand behind your word.
This is why I don’t do Essence anymore…such ignorance.
Shady, shady, shady….
Essence was fishing for clicks and they got it….Like come on Essence I legitimately expect more from yall, and here you go posting articles that are at best foolish. “Why we need more relaxed styles on the red carpet” Now if that isn’t white propaganda standard of beauty trying to tell us our natural hair isnt enough I don’t know what is…Essence bye.
Wow Essence. This is why we should never give up ownership of our institutions. Essence is now White owned and now more like Glamour magazine dipped in chocolate. Consequently, the tone of this piece suggesting that relaxed hair is a more acceptable form of our hair – more “mainstream” is not a surprise.
Although the sales of relaxers are declining, natural haired women are still the miniority. I really didn’t understand this article. It was about 3 slides with very, vague captions….poorly written at best.
Then read the article over until you comprehend it. The article is quite clear and easy to read. The part where the author writes ‘the article is surprising because, although relaxers are on the decline (because of natural hair *and* weaves), relaxed hair is still very much the standard for black hair, and has been for a long time now.’ This statement is quite clear and correct!
The point is why would there be a need for such an article by Essence when relaxed hair is still more likely to be seen or the norm for black hair, and this occurs despite the fact that relaxers (purchasing or use) are on the decline. I could not find anything to disagree with this article about. The one by Essence may have not been vetted and they knew the consequences of leaving the article up, not because of the ‘natural hair Nazis’ like I saw someone write but simply because the implication or the inference of the argument Essence was attempting to make was weak.
Sweetheart, cool your jets. I was talking about the essence post that was 3 slides long and was terribly written.
Take ya neck rolling and snapping somewhere else.
LMAO!!!! why neck rolling?
I have a hunch she was referring to the Essence article since in the picture it is shown to only have 3 slides.
Some women have beautiful relaxed hair, but I know for me when I realized that perm smelled like Nair because it WAS Nair was enough for me. If I ever decide to go straight full time, it would be through a different method.
Essence has a lot of relaxer companies to keep happy. I’m surprised there aren’t more articles like that.
This right here. Its a harsh chemical linked to god knows what. I understand women are grown and can make their own choices when it comes to something like hair care but come on now let’s not be naive about relaxers and why many are giving them up. Honestly I think many thought this who natural movement thing was a trend that would go away but now that its hitting Hollywood- the official mainstream folks are starting to feel some kinda way.
Well, the history of relaxed hair hasn’t always been in the best
interests for black women. In conception, it was another means by which to avoid being
classified as a second class citizen by imitating the beauty standards
of white people.
To this day, natural people can be refused entry
into colleges and universities for wearing their “unprofessional” and
“untidy” hair. Relaxed hair is to this day encouraged not simply as a
fun alternative style, but a “better” style, a “prettier” style and
overall a style which perpetuates a culture that with the freedom to dismiss
and label natural hair as “ugly”.
Relaxed hair IS beautiful, but
it is also a style that benefits disproportionately in a society that is run
largely by white people, and it is never going to have to fight for the
kind of representation the way that our natural sisters have and still
do to this day.
Thank you! You summed it up perfectly. There is something wrong with not being able to wear THE NATURAL HAIR that comes out of your head in certain evironments, but chemically altered hair is welcomed everywhere. But perms need MORE representation?!??!–Unreal!!
Some black women still don’t get it. The brainwashing has been going on for so long, and they don’t even know it.
I wonder who sponsored the piece.
Seriously. There’s another screen shot floating around featuring J Hud (who is wearing a lace front in the pic, by the way) and talks about how relaxed hair can be “Stylized” and “toned down” for a natural look. Those are not words that most people use to refer to their hair but it most definitely sounds like something I’ve read before on the Dark N Lovely website.
And the language used in this one relaxed hair needs to be “Represented,” that sounds like it was lifted straight from a natural hair website. Who talks or cares about the representation of relaxed hair? Relaxed hair is represented in the mainstream just fine. There are no little girls running around wondering why their relaxed hair isn’t good enough or why they don’t see enough pics of relaxed hairstyles in Hype Hair.
This thing was sponsored to death.
I think that thinking they posted it was because someone was “in their feelings” is a stretch. I don’t understand why people can’t just wear their hair the way they want to and let it be that? Why does it have to MEAN something if you choose to wear your hair relaxed or natural? This is just another divide amongst us as black women that we do NOT need. I’m transitioning out of relaxed hair because I actually love natural hair and my mom relaxed my hair when I was a kid. It’s a tough transition but I’m going to try to stick it out. However, if I decide to go back to relaxed hair it will be because it’s a time saver and not a statement about my life. It’s just hair and honestly either way, we are beautiful with, without, kinky, straight, whatever. I wish we could stop making this argument amongst each other because it all stems from what people OUTSIDE of our race don’t appreciate about our culture and they personally can kick rocks.
Lol! Some naturals just need to……relax! Bet you never heard that one before…..I think the article was referring to one own’s hair relaxed rather than adding weave
lol nice pun!
The same argument could be made for relaxed women as well. Go onto youtube and you’ll find all kinds of ‘natural girls make me sick’ vids. Essence hasn’t been Black-owned for years, therefore, they’re going to cater to what they’re TOLD to cater to, and that included relaxed hair companies, which are ALSO majority white-owned, and also happens to be some of the mags biggest sponsors.
I hate they felt the need to remove the post. Black women wear their hair in a multitude of ways, what’s wrong with wanting a spotlight on both? If the article had read “more naturals needed on the red carpet” would anyone have taken issue? If not then what makes the article so offensive? As a black woman who has been natural before, currently stretches her relaxer, yet still chooses to relax Her hair, I can respect that everything written about black hair doesn’t have to be TeamNatural. Variety is the spice of life. Without reading the article in its entirety I would say the NaturalNazis strike again if the post had to be removed.