by
Christina Patrice
A while back, BGLH posted about the trend of box braids gaining popularity among women with straight hair. Now, it seems that another aspect of natural hair aesthetics is catching on.
The video shows Eskimohair tightly wrapping her fine, straight hair around pieces of foil, then removing the foil and fluffing her now textured hair. The video itself is innocuous — 3 minutes long with no voiceover — but the comments section (which is 190+ comments deep, by the way) has some women (and men) up in arms.
Let’s discuss, shall we?
After poring through the comments, I’ve concluded that there are two camps: camp one, which consists of those who don’t think the video poses any considerable threat to women with natural hair, and believes that Eskimohair’s video is more of a tribute or homage to our dynamically textured hair. Camp two feels quite the opposite — that Eskimohair’s video contributes to a dangerous trend of natively natural and Black hair aesthetics being deliberately appropriated by mainstream culture. Who’s right? It’s a matter of opinion and perspective.
Camp 1:
“She’s not calling our hair nappy, ugly, or anything derogatory. She likes our versatility and texture and chose to emulate it. There’s no difference between what she did and black women that wear weaves, get perms, and flat iron their hair. At the end of the day, it’s just hair.” With my rose colored glasses on, I can understand the kumbaya logic that drives camp one. Many of them feel flattered and even honored to see their hair texture desired by a white woman (this in itself is problematic ideologically, but that’s another article for another time). I don’t believe that Eskimohair uploaded her video with ill intent or the desire to mock and denigrate natural hair. I truly believe her motive came from a place of simple aesthetics — attempting to emulate what comes to us naturally, for the sake of style or being on trend. It wouldn’t be the first time that this has happened, either (sips tea).
Camp 2:
Camp two believes that while not ill-intentioned, Eskimohair’s attempt at emulating our texture sends her down the slippery slope of cultural appropriation for personal gain. Camp two’s concerns do not go unwarranted, though. Just ask the top hairstylists and brands what all the mainstream rage is right now. In case you didn’t know, it’s cornrows and baby hair. Like, Chili from TLC baby hair. There’s no mention of the origins of these hair styles, although anyone with an inkling of an inner-city clue knows exactly where they came from. We’ve seen time and time again how the creativity and ingenuity of black women have been virtually erased from mainstream culture. The contributions are essentially stolen, repackaged and popularized without an ounce  of consideration or acknowledgement to its originators. Even more troubling is the reoccurring theme of black women enduring years of denigration and being told their natural features are ugly and unworthy, only to have white women adopt and surgically enhance what we’ve been told to be ashamed of for years.
The Bigger Picture
So again, we arrive at that point — what’s really at work here? What’s the bigger picture? Personally, my feelings are hybridized. I don’t believe Eskimohair is trying to stake a claim to #TeamNatural (like others have done). She’s not pretending to be “down.” Without knowing her personally, I give her the benefit of the doubt.
But we’ve discussed time and time again how although, biologically “it’s just hair,” for black women, that simply is not the case. Many of us labored against our own mental barricades, our loved ones and even our employers in a struggle to accept, embrace and proudly show our natural hair. So I understand how some feel that a white woman wearing Afro-textured hair as a trend for a few days cheapens our journey to self-acceptance.
At the end of the day, I believe there exists a teachable moment in this. Videos like the one Eskimohair created, present opportunities to engage in healthy dialogue around what it means to appropriately borrow from, share with, be inspired by and educate people around other cultures. The internet and social media make the crossing of cultural barriers inevitable. We can’t stop anyone from doing a twist n’ curl any more than we can keep Iggy Azalea from rapping. But what we can do is control the narrative surrounding our glorious crowns.
What are your thoughts? How do you feel about the YouTube tutorial and subsequent reaction?
314 Responses
She wants to look like me ?. I take it as a compliment, not an insult ?
As a white girl with stick-straight, fine hair i’ve always loved curly hair so I’m naturally drawn to afros. Hell my fiance has a “jew-fro” that I envy. I however have not attempted to gain an afro for fear of cultural appropriation.
Considering the article above itsself does point out women of color do processes to emulate “white’ hair, is it really so bad? I think it is, considering that the biggest reason women of color emulate white hair is because of the long trend of the beauty industry basically saying, “Black women are beautiful too but only if they look like white women.” This is obvious when you look at the typical models chosen. While that’ gratefully starting to change its still the fact that it was an issue at all that makes white women wearing these styles that are so defined as styles owned by women of color a problem.
Will I ever rock an afro? Maybe one day, but it’s not time. It’s insensitive and takes attention away from the very important natural hair movement and movements in the beauty industry in general, and that is something most people don’t understand or can’t put into words.
It’s the same reason why it’s detrimental for white people to march in #blacklivesmatter marches. It isn’t our fight, our face can’t be a part of it o it takes away from the message. I support from social media and the like I defend if I see someone being bigoted, but having my face there is not helpful.
I love the natural hair women of color (and men) are able to achieve. I think some styles shoudln’t be race exclusive (I disagree with dreadlocks seeing as there are white cultures, such as nordic cultures (the vikings!) who have had dreads as well. I wore box braids in middle school because I loved them, and we had a girl in my class who’d even gladly do them for you. Some styles though should, at least for now, be exclusive. Afros are one of them because of the symbol it holds on its own, as well as some other styles you keep seeing on white girls (“mini buns”. They looked like such crap on those models anyway. If you’re gonna do them, do them right at least).
I’m not posting this as some kinda “hey guys i’m white and i support you because you need it!” post either. I know it comes across that way and I know “allies” aren’t always a good thing. I’m just slowly getting into beauty and makeup and realizing the extrme amount of exclusion women of other races face has been shocking to me. I didn’t realize in my 24 years of life how difficult, how BAD it is until now. I found this site looking into the Allure magazine scandal as I’d only just heard about it. I want to help change how things are somehow but it’s difficult as a white person to know what’s appropriate for me to share.I don’t even know if I ‘should’ be posting here at all considering the target audience of this site. As I said above, I don’t want to take away from the fight by putting my face in the crowd where it shouldn’t be, but posting anonymously wasn’t an option here.
Ah well. I adore your hair and even if I can’t rock it I’m happy to see more women and men free to wear their hair naturally and without destroying it trying to emmulate my boring-ass hair texture or without pressure to look a certain way.
I also read below there’s a white people “natural hair” movement? What the hell does that even mean? Not dyeing it? Not using a hair straightener? Literally flabbergasted by this one.
Hilarious!
Ugh, seriously… I was already annoyed when I heard white women were starting their own “natural” hair movement (which makes no sense) -but really, now they’re sporting afro-kinky hair. Gross. Why can’t black women have one thing for ourselves. If we twerk, white women emulate, if we wear head scarves, white women copy that, not to mention braids, lip and hip implants. You know, it’s not even the copying part that irritates me, it’s the fact that we get crap for our full lips, full hips, braids, and Afro/kinky style hairs, but when white women and others steal our style they get praised for it — and then act like their new style has nothing to do with emulating black women. Not to mention how quick white women are to say we’re fake for straightening our hair and then call it “creative” and “unique” when they dye their hair blue, purple, and green, and get dreads & braids.
OMG…people are so petty. We relax our hair so that we can have “caucasian” hair. And yes, I understand that black women are now embracing their natural hair and are now wearing natural styles more than ever; but, when we judge this woman for wearing an “afro” style, what are we saying about those of us who still wear our hair relaxed? Are we now, and also in the past, appropriating caucasian culture?
I see what it is, when we do it, it’s not biggie; but when they do it, they are trying to “deliberately appropriate” black culture?
I think people only need a reason to believe that other races still don’t accept or embrace us, while embracing our culture. While this may me the case sometimes; it isn’t the case all the time. Stop making things bigger than it needs to be. Can’t somebody just love afro textured hair, just like we have loved straight hair for decades?
Anyways, some people’s lives are so bland that they need to pick on random people and judge them. Well, to each his own I guess. I just don’t see why this is a problem.
Your ignoring the fact that a lot Black women have and still do get slack for their natural hair. Everyday there is a story about a black girl or boy being sent home from school for their unprofessional/ distracting afro/braid/kinky natural hair. However, white women can do just about anything and everything to their hair and no one bats an eyelash. If a black woman perms her hair – it’s not cultural appropriation because in many cases she HAS to. I would love to wear my natural hair at work, but I know I would be fired for it. White women should not wear afro/ kinky styles because it downplays what Black women have gone through because of their hair, and turns it into a trend and a costume. I’m sorry, but I’m not Ok with white women sporting Afro-kinky hair, especially considering they wear Afro wigs as a “joke” or to look like a clown, and then ignore how insulting that is for blacks, and the fact they are quick to call black women “fake” for wearing straight hair (when we’re damn near forced to to get a good paying job), but then when they change themselves, they’re simply being creative and expressive. Nope not buying it… Tired of the “love the culture, hate the people” mentally of WW.
Ok for starters this is so disturbing. I mean natural texturized/afro curly hair is not properly represented in any mainstream beauty outlets. I have recently embraced my natural afro hair in public after years of relaxing and self hate. I think its disgusting our hair is NOT A COSTUME that you can just put on because you like the aesthetic. Black women wearing straight hair, blonde hair red hair ect. is not done to emulate white women especially since our hair can do that naturally depending on our genetics.(without being mixed) Also her name is “Eskimohair” which in itself is problematic since I’m assuming that she’s not of Inuit descent.(I don’t know for sure)
I have never in my life seen an India, Chinese, Native American girl or not belonging to the Caucasian ethnicity that tried to wear our Afro,box braids hair and all the black style! You Caucasian have really problems with yourself, when I see that your behavior you don’t deserve my admiration!
Last time I checked, when someone created something they are the rightful owners…
I don’t see the big issue. I think that its pretty. I think it is pretty on her and on black wemon and the many other ethnicities that have this style of hair. I love seeing black wemon with natural hair. I dont think it is culture stealing (I don’t think there is such a thing). Its like any other women dying her hair, wearing a bun, pony tail, braids or any kind, curls, waves streight, with clips in their hair, flowers, chop sticks, and any other thing you cam think of. Everything comes from some where else. Its not an Insult that a women finds a hair style that is naturally another persons hair style attractive. Unless that person has personally insulted your hair, you have no right to get on them about emulating it. I understand that in the past it was insulted and degraded but that is going away. I don’t understand why it ever mattered but I’m a different generation, things change.
You don’t understand because you have never dealt with it; hence you cannot advise us on how to feel about this foolishness. Stay in your lane, Amber.
Whatever, asians have been putting chemicals in their hair to make it look afro textured for years. No one gets mad when asian subcultures who really don’t understand american black culture at all (except through media) appropriate.
I have naturally wavy hair & I’ve always loved curly kinky hair. I embrace it all. We are all one. I understand both sides. However there are black women who rock straight hair,weaves, presses etc. simply bc they like the way it looks. If I could rock an Afro or some crazy curly hair everyday I would jump on it and not bc its “trendy” but bc I’ve always loved it. Every time I see someone with natural curls, Afro etc I compliment them and wish I had their hair & sometimes they wish they had my long straight hair. Sometimes you just want what you don’t have. This should just be about an awesome hairstyle but unfortunately to some it’s not. Shout out to all the strong women who do whatever they want and rock their hair however they want regardless of what anyone else thinks. There’s enough negativity in the world. Let us embrace each other as women.
I kind of understand both sides, but about the personal acceptance part. This would not make me feel any negative way about my journey or anything. I have come a long, long way to finally accepting my hair texture, and about 95% of the reason I didn’t like my hair was because of other people. Other people calling me and my hair names and telling me why I didn’t look decent, etc. But then I met people who did actually like my hair. The first time I met one of my best friends(who is white), I had a relaxer and I tried to explain to her what my natural texture looked like, and she’s like “oh that sounds pretty” (I was very surprised and didn’t even know what to say).That helped tremendously. Because no, I don’t want to care about what other people think but I do. The point of the story is, other people seeing beauty in what I had been told was ugly was a huge, huge help to me. So this girl thinking this hair is beautiful enough to imitate, would help me in the road to self acceptance because if she thinks it’s so beautiful she wants it on her head and has the hair I have been wanting for most of my life, then why wouldn’t I? There must be something to her point of view, no? That’s what I would think. But that is just me, I guess.
She looks lovely. It’s amazing how much versatility hair has!!!
its part of this whole system of abuse they are laying on black people ….police brutality, now they want to mock black people culturally …..because the system allows them to and they LOVE to get under black peoples skin!
funny thing is when people said Bo Derek started braids , white people took it and ran…so this is what makes what this lady is doing so dangerous…..people love to take from blacks, but never give back…smdh..and this women problably has 1 black friend if that…would makes this even more sketchy….i dont want my daughter having to battle this growing up…i want her to except her unique features and not feel slighted because some white girl is bored and feels perfectly ok mocking her
most of you defending her are NOT even black…but trolls..get over yourselves!
you thought???
kinky is not synonomous with natural…the article is pertaining to natural hair
how is she paying homage to black hair when she essentially posted a tutorial by which,was not directed for black to see and in fact had this blog not rebloggled it, MOST black,women would have never even know it was posted to begin with!….sounds a bit sneaky to me!
LOVE IT!!!!!
Hush up, Becky.
i’ll agree that she shouldn’t wish ill on the girl but she sure as heck shouldn’t be flattered. God made us all beautiful and our beauty is like none other, it’s understandable that she’d try to emulate it.
Its complete bullshit when people say its the same thing as black women wearing weaves and permimg. After all those years of being told our hair is nappy, gross, not proper to the point other black people start to verbally attack their own kind for an asset they were blessed with, Can you really blame us for doing so? Secondly, there are black people who are born with hair that is naturally straight as well as black people who are naturally blonde. Third, white people arent opressed by the system and their looks are considered the epitome of beauty. Even other cultures are scared by this way of thinking and despise blackness.
Are you surprised that we’re mad? We arent mad at the girl specifically it was probably an innocent jesture. But we are mad at society and white people who believe they are entitled to stealing parts of our culture, while ridiculing and abusing us for embracing it. I dont know how many times this has to be explained before people actually get it.
you are rightv100%
This is horrible. Isn’t the whole point of black people having afros is to accept themselves in their natural state? Why are we praising a white woman for doing the exact opposite ?
ditto
I am appalled by some of the comments made regarding her post!!! I get it…it’s more than just hair!!! However, she was clearly paying homage to the process and the beauty of natural hair. A Black woman with exceptionally fine hair could fine this post most useful. BLACK CULTURE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A HAIRSTYLE. Look around you, your households, communities, wherever. There are so much more to be concerned with. We have got to stop seeking out the negative in everything!!!
Why does she have to mimic to pay homage? Some black women do seek issues but ignoring the legitimacy of their argument is not wise. The argument is that currently “Afro” textured hair or attributes associated with Africa are often not regarded as acceptable or attractive. This CURRENTLY affects aesthetics yes but most importantly the work place and on occasion treatment of individuals with said hair. This is because our attributes are currently not viewed as equal or natural, but a mere aesthetic option. Therefore her donning the hairstyle for a few days as if afro hair is a purely aesthetic option is a no no. In conclusion she could have done without mimicking our hair.
I don’t think anyone who wears straight weaves or wigs or straightens their hair with heat or chemicals has any right to knock this woman for what she is doing. We are the ones who originally copied the Caucasian hair styles. We do not own the rights to kinky hair just as Caucasian do not own the rights to straight hair or the rights to blonde hair. If a white person told you you couldn’t wear straight hair because it didn’t look right or that only white people were supposed to have it you would be upset.
while I understand what you are saying, it is not the same thing. Black women adopted Caucasian hair styles because they were told that theirs were unacceptable. Some black women can’t get or keep a job without wearing a weave or a press and curl. While natural hair is becoming more and more common, plenty of people still have a problem with it. I can understand why a black woman who had been degraded for years because of her natural hair would be upset to see a white woman praised for the same hairstyle. It should just be about hair, but unfortunately it is not.
Its just hair.
True. But the politics and lifestyles behind that hair literally determine people’s way of thinking, therefore, hair is much more than hair in society. Alone, it’s just hair. With people, it’s a big deal.
Can you read? I said We are seen as, not we feel less than. That is why black women are discouraged from wearing their natural hair out and in certain styles, in the workplace & in the military, etc. because many people see it as unacceptable or unkempt.
I thought this was called a straw set, not an Afro set. Some people are very very insecure and you never know their full potential until they get over it.
I think it’s kinda cool.
Really hope this gonna ruin her hair , white girls so envious that’s pathetic please ! After mocking black girl for their traditional haircut they want to stole this hairstyle !
Lol really? Wishing ill health on another woman’s hair because she is imitating our natural hair. Shouldn’t we really just be flattered instead of badminded towards her attempts of wanting to be like us.. lol she particularly hasn’t mocked any black girl for their traditional hairstyles so why is this a problem to you? Perhaps you may need to learn WHEN to pick your battles missy.
As a teen that is heavily influenced by the technology around me, this gets under my skin a little. I understand for both points of view but what my heart is tugging at is the fact that it is another potential time for black culture to be taken into mainstream media. Although that sounds great, like we are getting some sort of recognition, we won’t and the white people popularizing it will get all credit for making it “edgy” or “trendy” while we all get criticized when we do it or it becomes “tacky” or “out of style”. As a teen I see trends come and go through my peers and I and one right now is a “street style” or “ghetto glam” type thing. It is white-washed yet “authentic”, completely derived from black culture. But if I wear it I look ghetto or like a stereotypical black girl while the white girl across the room gets appraisal for it. It just becomes another thing they can take from us and that’s what I don’t like…
Oh. My. Goodness. I wish I could say I understand Camp Two’s concerns, but I don’t. I find them outrageous. It hurts to read some of the comments below. It speaks to the deep need for African-American men and women to receive a deep healing. I believe more African-Americans need to travel the world to open their minds and their world views. We are not the only ones who have suffered injustices, even in America. What about the Japanese Americans placed in Concentration Camps? What about the Chinese Americans used to build the railroads out west? Native Americans? Irish Americans? And the list goes on… Reconcile with your hurts and get healing so you can enjoy your life. Stop putting a damper on others who are yearning for difference. Best regards.
and all of them except the african recieved reperations
That is so dope I wouldve never thought their hair could do that too
Yasssssss
Exactly. Enough is enough…
Both of you guys are being ridiculous. That’s like saying black people can’t straighten their hair because it’s not naturally like that. Just like black people and EVERY other race, whites have their heritage to, whether you want to believe it to not. I’m pretty sure a Scottish girl would be offended if y’all tried to mock one of their traditional dances. But, no, you guys only see those of pale complexion as white and nothing more. I know plenty of white people that can’t stand their stringy flat hair and have their hairstyles fall within hours. You guys are using excuses from long ago (I know it still happens, but you should get my point) to compensate the fact that white people CAN admire what the don’t have and want to incorporate it into their lives.
You are not thinking…
Historically, in Ancient Afrika we were straightening our hair and wearing straight wigs before there was European contact. Look up Kemet Egypt, so that was OUR heritage. You are so busy trying to fit in with everybody else.
Also, everything we do culturally is being mocked…don’t tell me it is cultural appreciation because they still look at us as nobel savages who know how to dress and look beautiful.
As soon as we start grasping our cultural identity it is a liberal white person or a bootlicking black person who wants to gang up on the REAL black people who wants to preserve their identities. So you can also have several sits…
This is how most black women interpret what you just mentioned..
“After many years of my ancestors raping and enslaving your people, and also stealing your history and culture, I can still dictate who owns a hairstyle after many years of your people being under the effect of Willie Lynch who told you to hate your natural hair and brown skin. I have white privilege, and I can take from whatever culture I want to benefit in many ways!” Have several seats….please.
Thank you ! They raped our women, took our music styles, body shapes (all of which we were made fun of for ) and now our hair !? But of course as always we’re “Over exaggerating” by standing up for ourselves
Ladies, ladies my oh my, no race or ethnicity “OWNS” a hairstyle. Why all this hate? Fitting in in society is mostly about finding common interests and traits and not deliberately making others uncomfortable. It’s about admiring the good qualities you see in others and enjoying their contribution that is unique and who they are. Hating at all on Eskimohair is just silly IMO. She has no ulterior motive and is not disrespecting anyone, she is showing how to get amazing volume if you want to with low volume straight hair. There is no money to be gained. You own your culture, she owns hers. No one can take away your culture, it’s yours, your birthright. Many seem so insecure, and maybe imature. Let her show presumably a mainly white audience what she does for volume and let her call it what she wants. I came here to learn what BGLH are using product wise and technique wise to moisturize condition and preserve my long colored hair and am grateful to have read a good deal of helpful tips
Actually we do OWN it since we’re the only race who grows hair like this, AND the only race that gets scrutinized for it . That hair is apart of our culture, and we can’t just wet our hair and it convert back to straight like hers. Its not just a costume we wear when we feel like it its our culture ! And what she is doing is basic culture appropriation . only Caucasians say that there is this “unwritten rule” “cultures are meant to be shared” Because you don’t have any ! Authentic white italians don’t go around picking in others cultures, because they have their own ! Its one thing to appreciate and this is not it
I’ve noticed a terrible trend on this blog in the past six months to a year. When there is an article about haircare or something innocuous, there aren’t many comments in the comments section. It’s like everyone is asleep. But, the moment the word “white” is in the title, it is the most popular article on the blog for weeks. The simple mention of the word, “white” is enough to get everybody up in arms and ready for a debate. Then, you ladies give so much attention to the issue, you make the object of your disdain even more popular or receive more YouTube viewerships/subscribers in the process.
I see a trend her on this blog and it not for the better! Meanwhile, in the Black communities there are violent crimes, unemployment, children born out-of-wedlock in large numbers, deadbeat fathers, drugs, women being physically, mentally, and emotionally abused, by men who look like them, a high imprisonment rate among Black men, etc, etc……
I could go on and on, but I think you all get my point. When we decide to “fight the power,” these are the issues that we should be more concern about!! Who someone is dating or the way a White woman decides to style her hair, should be the least of our concerns. These are some of the reasons why our people can’t progress, because we are too focused on stupid ish, instead of the bigger issues. I don’t care if anyone agrees with me. That’s my two cents!
All of those things you mentioned go on in every community my sister/brother… White on White crime is just as prevalent percentage wise as Black on Black, Brown on Brown, etc. So adding those extra issues are irrelevant to this discussion on a site that is very clearly about hair. So let’s keep this on topic, shall we?? IMO, I hope this “trend” doesn’t catch on. Black women, specifically, for decades have had to assimilate to European standards of beauty just to be acknowledged (Miss America, anyone?) or taken seriously. Now things are changing & women in general are becoming more accepting of their natural beauty – I’m down with that life. I just don’t approve of the “wish-I-could-look-sound-be-like-you” sh*t. Be your Self.
it is a black blog, most dnt come to hear about white people
I think she looks cute *shrugs*
So then it’s still a “slur” you just proved her point
The BLACK Truth!
I wasn’t about to watch that video. From the pic, it looks like normal matted dog fur to me. Nothing more and nothing less. This is just a ploy to get that white heffa paid. smh @ this site
this is so petty. while I understand the angst for some because of past examples of people emulating only the “desirable” traits of Black people.. I doubt very seriously that was the case here. stop trying to make something out of nothing. Everything COULD be Kumbaya if people would stop looking for reasons to argue
See this is a catch 22 I would understand if we all as black women where wearing natural hair, twist & braids then we can get get offended a little. But we don’t so we as black women can’t get mad at a white women making there hair afro texture when black women wear european straight Brazilian and etc hair. I can understand the mix feelings with us as black women because yes it’s like they don’t appreciate us in society as beauties and talk about our texture hair but, when somebody else do it then it’s something great I get it. But again before we come at a white women for trying to emulate us we need to stop emulating them. My opinion!!
Thank you !
I am white women who works at a salon and has two black children. I love my girls hair. I teach them to love it too. Why can’t we connect on this ? Please don’t take offense we mean no harm. Some of us,
simply admire you hair.
Because of white privilege. You can wear your hair like this without being seen as “less than.” We cannot. You can experiment with different styles and it is seen as edgy and fun, while we are judged as trying to be white or being political or being a Black Panther or being unkempt. Do what you want, but know that you have a responsibility to acknowledge white privilege when you see it.
You make it whatever you want to make it. You wear your hair like that and feel “less than” only because you tell yourself that. You’re restricting yourself. White, black, green, brown, yellow, purple… whatever colour you are WHO CARES!? I’m olive and my partner is brown… that tells you nothing about who we are.
Have you EVER in your life seen an article telling a little white boy or girl that they can’t wear their hair a certain way? Or removed from class b/c their hair is distracting like that sh*t plays music or something?? If not, this is recent & it’s happened more than just a few times in the last year. So if you think hair is not a big deal, people are overreacting, etc., you are obviously not affected by it. But just because you don’t feel the effect – doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Be open to seeing both sides of the coin.
Thank you Queen !
We don’t feel less than right out of the gate . you’re not even black so I don’t understand how you can even try and connect with us on this . oh, but just because your partner is Brown you feel obliged to speak out ? Byee
anon, I don’t feel “less than.” I said we are seen as “less than.” Please understand the difference because I will never internalize that ugliness.
We care because we are treated differently for our natural hair than someone with straight hair is for their natural hair. we experience discrimination solely based on our hair texture from numerous employers, the army, schools, right down to the bloggers and YouTube videos dedicated to saying that black hair is unkempt, unprofessional, not feminine, and unstylish. Denial is not okay. just because you are not the one being prejudiced against does not mean it is not happening. If you see yourself as a sister to black women, then really be a sister and understand that your hair is looked at differently than ours.
ALL OF THIS!!!!!!
If this is the case then, Miss Thang, you need to acknowledge your extreme inferiority complex. Not every black women feels less than. You need to remember that.
thank you ……we really appreciate the compliments a lot but unfortunately its a lot deeper than admirable comments as you can see by missthang’s comment below…so just continue be a positive influence to your girls 🙂
how do you have 2 black children? white women cant produce black children
E*skimo is a slur so I am already done with this woman. her name choice tells me that she is already untrustworthy and this situation is suspect.
since when did Eskimo become a slur?? sigh..and before you wiki it to me…here you go:
“The point is that Eskimo is a more general word than Inuit. All Inuit are Eskimos but not all Eskimos are Inuit. The two words aren’t synonyms. According to Wikipedia, the term is offensive in Canada and Greenland and not elsewhere.”
Do we know if she has an “eskimo” background?? Let’s not rush to conclusions.
If she did she would not use the term Eskimo, she would say her tribe affiliation, or use some variant of native.
Excuse my language…. But black people can’t have s**t. Now even our hairstyle is being copied! It’s all “ratchet” and “ghetto” until a white girl starts doing it. Then it’s ‘alternative’, ‘artistic’, ‘new’, or ‘artsy’…
Truth
then you need not EVER straighten ..blow dry or temporarily change your hair bc white, Latino, Asian, and whatever other race cant have anything either…
Black Egyptians were straightening their hair way before they came contact with caucasians. Don’t try it…
What if white women wore saris for fashion in France, while actual brown, Muslim women who wore them were criminalized. Is the problem more clear now to some of you?
I am not sure what you are trying to say. And I am not sure anyone is criminalised for wearing a saree. At least as a French citizen I did not see/hear such things.
But let’s say for a minute that people are right about the problem. What does it achieve?
I think you are referring to hijab, the head covering that Muslim women wear.
The false equivalences here are rampant! What we do with our hair in the form of weaves and flat ironing is, at its root, conditioning to believe our hair is ugly. While today it may be an aesthetic choice for a population of black women, pretending that there is no harm done by white people emulating us is foolish. Appropriation is a real thing that harms those who are taken from. We don’t have to ruffle our feathers over one girl’s silly tutorial, we should be having a conversation about how Afros can be “cool” for white girls but it’s unprofessional in my workplace. She gets to wash her hair and go back to being acceptable while I have to struggle to normalize my hair texture. I have to deal with whispers of my twist out looking “messy.”
We don’t have to put her on blast, but we should use this as a teaching moment. If there was appreciation for kinky texture as it is, if there was acceptance of our hair in all facets of society like looser texture, then and only then would this video be okay.
THANK YOU.
Some of you make it seem like slavery is still happening today all over the U.S. White people aren’t making us hate our hair. If you hate your hair then that’s honestly a problem within yourself because I think most of us have never been made fun of. Not all, most. I think that’s why you’re so bitter about this. Most of us straighten our hair for the heck of it not to be accepted by white people. I see no problem with this video.
Have you ever been bullied ? Have you ever been the little black girl with beautiful thick hair only yearning to have “good” hair like the pretty girls who all the boys have been talking to ? Believing you’re ugly because of your hair . to be told your hair has “too much volume” or “why don’t you just straighten it” by your Caucasian boss, or potential boss in an interview ? And then when you’re finally accepting your hair and ditched the weaves and relaxers, a Caucasian girl makes a tutorial for an “afro” & suddenly, miraculously! Afros are okay and acceptable and “trendy” . feels like a slap in the face
Actually slavery still exists. There is an estimated up to 36million people still in slavery today. Most of these modern slaves are usually illegal immigrants forced to work as “mammys” or sex slaves to pay their abductors the fee it took to smuggle them through borders.
Slavery which our Ancestors experienced whether in the Americas or the Caribbean is very relevant today with the long lasting legacy it left behind and the condition of our people. If you personally have never been made fun of because of your appearance doesn’t mean to say no one else has. You do not represent most of us. What are you going to say next, racism is just a figment of our imagination? I’m not saying that what this lady has done to her hair is disrespectful to black women but i have realised that with Europeans all over this world they study us hard in every aspect of our lives and are quick to adopt many elements of our cultures and label urban and give us little credit.
“Figment of our imagination” lmaoo yass
I see your point, but history as far as blk history is concern played out this strong hold, but thats ok somebody at sometime in our present future has to get past all of that, lets all try.
Who owns the copyright on cultural expression? Meanwhile world hunger and female trafficking persists, and here we are majoring in the minor!
Although this discourse is very interesting, I really hope we can shift the focus back to us. Let’s share tips and tricks for natural hair again.
What was her point though?
There was no point… she just wanted an afro. Is something wrong with wanting an afro?
If you guys really had disdain for this video you would’ve HELPED the woman who created it…she has under 300 subscribers and IG followers. By PROMOTING her and this video you’re literally putting money in her pocket as her video is monitized.
But…. this protective style is everything though 🙂
Honestly, I feel people need to make a big deal over “something.” If not this, then there will be something else. Yes I’m sure this has ruffled some feathers but there’s more to deal with in this world. This isn’t worth the time and attention to bash this vlogger for doing what she has a right to do…freedom of speech and styling her own hair.
Besides that, naturals and specifically women of color straighten their hair and do other things to their hair that would could construe as making it look more “European” yet I don’t see there being such an uproar in that arena.
I’ll bet if the title was How to turn Straight Hair Into Voluminous Hair, nobody would have a problem with it.
I get that not all will agree with how I feel on the topic either. that’s fine too. This is why I’ve practically divorced myself from the natural hair community. Too many opinions about what’s acceptable and not acceptable. Can’t we all just mind our OWN heads of hair? I’m just sayin.
I agree. I see nothing wrong with the video or someone with straight hair wanting more texture. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If she were Asian would it have made a difference. Why does everything have to be about black and white. If we see a hair color we like, or a style we try it. How is this any different?
Lol you’re “divorced” but still here, bye
I don’t give a shit. My hair is boring and fine and I just put a hat on it because I just don’t care. Stop complaining about non problems. Really have more important things to think about. Vanity is disgusting.
It is EskimoHair’s right to do whatever she wants with her hairstyle as an individual.
However, let’s stop pretending that she doing her hair in this manner is not going to reinforce the already major problem of hair texture discrimination in the “natural hair movement”. When women with looser hair textures do these natural hairstyles, their videos get more views, followers, and likes. Women with thicker hair textures are still fighting to get their hair recognized as accepted as normal and inherently beautiful. I will never forget the day when I went to natural hair expo in a nearby city. A fellow 4-c hair chick was essentially amazed by the fact that one of the presenters at this event explicitly said that she liked working with 4-c hair the most.
So I’m not necessarily happy and excited about a White female wearing her hair in ways natural to our hair. I bet if she went to the club or some other social event with a lot of Black males and women, a Black woman with the same hairstyle (especially with a thicker texture) would be overlooked. I think it’s safe to say she’d get more attention and praise over Black women wearing their hair straight. For a lot of us, White IS better, and we carry this mindset around us on a subconscious because that’s what we’ve been taught in this anti-black society.
Just like the last one did on CurlyNikki, this girl is using us. She posted a video she knew would be clickbait around the black blogosphere, is boosting her views and notoriety on the web, and once she gets the exposure she wants, she will go right back to ignoring us, our issues, and our hair texture. What gets me are the little black sycophants who play right into this shit in her comments section, actually discussing using HER method to create the look on THEIR Black hair! SMDH
I agree with so. Black women can be so gullible with this whole beauty standard complex. Why the heck do you need any complicated tool to make an afro, when you already have afro-textured hair?
1. We use weaves, relax our hair and wear wigs to emulate the white or yellow woman. Now a white girl loves our afro and wants to emulate it and then we are all up in arms. I think we need to relax about our hair. Yes our hair was not considered beautiful , probably isnt still considered beautiful by some but that is changing gradually.
2. We naturals need to understand why we are natural and enjoy it. If we are secure in our selves it doesn’t matter what white supremacy says. we know its not true else, why the tanning, search for bigger fuller lips and bigger bums etc by white people.
3. The Video just shows what has always been my experience with white people, they love the texture and versatility of our hair and the honest ones always say so.
ps: I am an African writing from Africa so forgive me if I feel we should be more confident about our own hair and see someone emulating it as actually liking it.
“We use weaves, relax our hair and wear wigs to emulate the white or
yellow woman. Now a white girl loves our afro and wants to emulate it
and then we are all up in arms.”
I totally 100% agree with you on this! I think it’s flattering that she even thought to transform her hair into something that resembles ours. I think it’s a positive step toward people embracing our hair rather than the oposite.
It takes a lot of skill for some of us to get our hair straight and likewise it takes a lot of time and effort for anyone with straight hair to get our curly tresses. So more kudos to her for taking what we have naturally and turning it
into an art form for people people with straight hair to achieve.
Who was the first person to come up with that technique? The first person I saw do it was Shamelessmaya with her straight purple wig for her Jem video.
During the early 70s, while I was in high school, the afro was the rage. White men as old as in their 60s and other whites of all ages emulated the style. Never did I know that this behavior was irritating to black society. 45 years later I am learning people doing what they like with their hair wounds blacks because those people could do so “with white privilege”. Now I do “hear” what black women are saying about how it makes them feel. I acknowledge white privilege. Yes it’s real. But now what? I do feel sorry that many blacks don’t appear to love what god gave them genetics wise. There were so many proud African American women sporting natural styles in th 70s and just want to say I’m sorry many with beautiful fullness, texture and curls feel uncomfortable rocking what they have naturally in today’s American society. It’s a travesty that some have been made to feel inferior due to hair type, and color of skin /genitics. But, again I ask, now what? What can be done. I acknowledge white privilege, but I did not create it. I see the problem, but for blacks to make the solution hating on unknowing whites rather than including whites who do not want to further white privilege . . . I see the white privilege card as a way that blacks will keep black society separate, like a way to say we blacks have our culture and don’t touch. Most whites who are not particularly ugly racicists then are taken aback thinking blacks on a whole do not just want to have an equal place and fit in, like me they are thinking this sh*t is much more difficult and complex and the grudges will never end.
Once again, “it’s just hair” minimizes and dismisses the pain and emotional damage that Black women have endured by the oppressor.
And whatever her intent whether consciously or unconsciously reinforces prevailing fact that Whites decide when & what is socially acceptable or not. She’ll still be more likely to get a job with “Afro textured” hair then Black women with their ACTUAL natural hair. That’s a fact not “just about hair”.
I am flattered she likes our hair enough to want to do this. Maybe she appreciates the kinky texture and likes it versus her own texture. I’m not offended. In fact I am amazed it even turned out to look that way. Lol
We don’t necessarily have the monopoly on afro textured hair. Lots of people from different ethnic groups have afro textured hair. I suppose that I’m missing the point here…idk. I know a lot of people on this thread are way too young to remember Babara Streisand’s character from the movie “The Way We Were” (this movie used to be one of my fav love stories). Her character straightened her hair with an actual iron to be more appealing to her love interest in the movie, however he preferred her natural fro…to her surprise. I digress. This vlogger started here from what appears to be an extremely straight hair texture…seems like a lot of trouble, but to each their own. I wasn’t impressed with her finished look, but she seemed satisfied with the results.
Ethnic group =/= Race
I think this was blown out of proportion. I’m sick of hearing about it. WE relax our hair, get weaves, get lighter contacts, etc and no one says a word. A white girl wants an afro and its a problem? And stop using the argument of slavery and white supremecy for EVERYTHING. SOME of us just like loose waves and straight hair so thats how we get it done. It has nothing to do with wanting to be validated by a white man or otherwise. Some of us havent had people bash us for our hair, or we have and we chose to ignore it because we as WOMEN ALL get berated for something or another. How about we stop attacking eachother and own up to our own mess.
1.issue is blown out of proportion (not surprised) 2.it’s just hair for christ sake do whatever you want with it 3.black people straighten their hair and wear weaves A LOT so why are people attacking this innocent girl for deciding to try something new with her hair 4.point 3 really completely destroys any basis for this attack 5. attacking this girl is absolutely ridiculous
I understand perhaps why some Black women would be turned off by this. You know it’s the usual taking something from our culture, imitating it, and then presenting it as if it were part of their culture originally.
But honestly, her hair looks nothing like the tightly coiled afros of Black women. Just like Black women with straight hair don’t really have that straight hair look of european women. Maybe it’s just me, but if I saw this woman on the street, I would never think, “She’s wearing an afro just like me!” I would think she was just a white girl with frizzy hair.
But honestly, her hair looks nothing like the tightly coiled afros of Black women. Just like Black women with straight hair don’t really have that straight hair look of european women. Maybe it’s just me, but if I saw this woman on the street, I would never think, “She’s wearing an afro just like me!” I would think she was just a white girl with frizzy hair.
All of this!!!! When I look at her, I don’t see afro, I just see frizzy hair!
There are plenty of YouTube tutorials from black women flat ironing their hair or perming it to straighten it. Are black women ranting about that? I fail to understand why black women are so concerned about what other people do to their own hair. There are 99 other things of more importance that could occupy your brain space. I am a supporter of “natural” hair, but why can’t we react just as passionately to less superficial matters?
Your comments are based on your own racial biases and prejudiced beliefs about Black women. You’ve got a nerve to talk about Black women when White women spend thousands of dollars for colorists, Japanese perms aka “relaxers, flat irons, volumizers, moussemizers and much more to straighten,bleach, maximize their ways to live up to their own trumped up ideals of White beauty. Once again, “it’s just hair” minimizes and dismisses the pain and emotional damage that Black women have endured by the oppressor.
And whatever her intent whether consciously or unconsciously reinforces prevailing fact that Whites decide when & what is socially acceptable or not. She’ll still be more likely to get a job with “Afro textured” hair then Black women with their ACTUAL natural hair. That’s a fact not “just about hair”.
Black women aren’t ranting about that because straightening is adherence to a standard forced upon us that WE did not set in order to appear more acceptable- appear being the operative word.
Other matters? Do you live under a rock? Black Lives Matters- got ignorance? By the way, only 13% of White people have a college education and Black women surpass any other racial group in terms of college admission. We’ve got 99 problems and your ignorance is one of them.
Lastly, when you feel too weak to fight the oppressor, you resort to fighting your own. reality and truth “sista”.
And yet you do well to reinforce this lady’s point- you focus on others too much.
Right on my sistar!
Click bait but I’ll bite & respond.Sure women with natural hair struggle to be accepted in the community at large, get a job etc However, at the end of the day, it’s a woman sticking a couple of rollers in her hair to change the texture of her hair. Do i think it’s offensive? No! Because everywhere I go i see black women who have straightened their hair, curled it or weaved it up to emulate straight hair. She’s exercising her right as a human being to change up her style. I’d have a problem if she started the video saing that she’s invented the afro. THEN, we can talk, until then let the poor girl enjoy her 2 day hair, wash it & go back to straight at about the same time my newly straightened hair will frizz up or i’ll get rained on & go back to my ‘fro.
That whole thing went right over your head didn’t it? Po dat.
Her point, dumbass, was that everyone needs to stop comparing a white woman manipulating her hair into an afro to black women straightening their hair and getting relaxers (something that was forced on us and is STILL expected). It’s not the same thing and shouldn’t be treated as such.
Bye you wont be missed!
Why are people so surprised by this? Hasn’t there been a trend for Japanese men and women to emulate afro hair. Didn’t stop at hair either, they regularly visited tanning salons to get browner skin. Then you had curly perms back in the day for white folks. I even remember an old college friend of my sister(she’s white) back in the 90’s braiding her hair and taking it out for the braid out look. The 90’s is when i first saw white women wearing bantu knots and all kinds of braid hairstyles. What i have learnt is whatever we do will some how see itself as a trendsetter but we are not usually the ones bringing it to the mainstream.
Girl…weaves, relaxers, and especially skin lighteners are a result of white supremacy. We’ve been told that our natural hair and dark skin was unattractive so many times that we literally had to conform to society’s warped beauty standards. omg.
And what started black women doing that
How is this any different from myself or other females from my family and community straightening our kinky hair? i don’t see the issue. Let it go and start paying attention to real problems
We have real problems in our community. This is NOT one. It’s just hair. Self acceptance shouldn’t be controlled by your hairstyle. It’s exhausting to debate on things that don’t further our community. This vlogger wasn’t attempting to mock anyone.
Hair is actually important though. It’s cute to say “Its just hair” but you’re completely generalizing how hair has been part of the things on the black women’s body that we’ve been attacked and harassed about for years. This harassment forced us into committing acts of self-hate like applying cancerous,skin abrasive chemicals on ourselves (skin bleaching creams,perms,etc). As much as we would like to say “hair is an accessory” and throw it to the wayside, its much more,its part of our identity, something that we have been and still are being harassed and slandered about. But…
How refreshing it is to live in this time where you have black women finally saying no more and accepting our natural attributes that are constantly appropriated while being mocked when on us. We’re taking our story back and leaving a better day for little black girls. Womanists like Alice Walker would be proud.
I agree and thus I am from Camp 2! Maybe black women wouldn’t weave and straighten their hair if we WERE NOT TOLD that our hair is undesirable, ugly, and unhygienic. It’s interesting how our lips, our behinds, and our hair has been mocked as being less desirable, but then when it’s adopted by white women, it suddenly becomes “a trend”. For those of you singing Kumbaya and saying it’s only hair – you are clearly ignorant of your history and white America depends on your acquience and complicity as they continue to appropriate our culture. Slaves were sold to white enslavers by Africans who thought “a slave is a slave, right?” Until they learned the depth of the brutality and genocide of slavery in America, but it was too late to rescind. The damage was done. We need to speak up about this “theft” of all things black by whites (who ironically call us thieves!) Don’t you know that black women are still considered the least desired and least attractive of all minority women by mainstream society?! Wake up!!
It’s also worth noting that all those countries were colonized later on anyway.
Thank you! Crappy schools and unemployment, but we only have in depth discussions about hair.
Uhm…BGLH IS a HAIR blog.
Haha! But by all means, let’s discuss board of education policies instead. Seriously, let’s stick to the topic and stop trying to derail.
There is a time and place for everything! In this case, this is a hair blog so all topics will be hair related. There are many other black owned bloggers that focus primarily on the topics you mentioned. If you are not interested in hair then go elsewhere. Also, people can still care about the more pressing issues while still showing a great interest in hair!
Camp 1. When I look around at the diversity of our hair in the natural hair community: texture, length, color, and styles (shrunken afro, twisted, braided, blow out, etc.), I think that there is just no way the essence of what makes our hair great can be co-opted. Our hair is so versatile–it can’t be duplicated. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I’m not threatened by this at all.
that is pretty darn sweet! i wish i could get that volume with my hair, but i know i’d never recover from that much manipulation. good for her, though! sure, they’re going to say it’s epic and ground breaking, but what do i care? the way i see it we’re one stop closer to our natural hair texture being accepted just like it grows out of our heads and that can’t be a bad thing, right? if we want our hair to be main stream then we shouldn’t be trying to limit who can rock it! jmho~
I remember an article where madonna said she used to used thin wire/pipe cleaners to make her braids stand up like her black friends… might never make it but if you want fake it, do u.
Well Madonna has also called her black adopted son a nigga so Madonna is a racist piece of trash.
well its too bad all that work and its going to just last for five seconds. When I can just wake up and shake my hair and go. I WOKE UP LIKE THIS!
these clickbait posts and their messy comment sections have me at my wit’s end, and this post in particular (even with the moderated comments) has been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. so long, BGLH, and thanks for all the fish.
black jesus be a fence between me and the whites
I wasn’t surprised to see this post get over 100 comments in less than a day…
…let me get this straight… its okay for us to spend thousands of dollars… billions of dollars on weaves to hopefully achieve the looks of white women. but its not okay for a white women to try to achieve the hair texture of black women? we (black people) are doing the same thing every time we by a pack of remy or put a relaxer in hair. i am not against relaxers, weaves, natural hair, no hair, too much hair. lol hair is hair. do you. do whatever makes you happy. but I am really sick of people with “I can do it but you can’t do it because I will get offended” shit. its getting pretty old. the girl basically did a braid out people. i guess because she is white its news.. *yawns*
Camp 3 here!
Not only do I not feel that Eskimohair did anything particularly praiseworthy, or indicative of admiration or other positive feeling about our hair (culture, aesthetic, etc.), in styling her hair that way, I also do not feel that she did anything particularly egregious. Creative though I think it is, I believe I have seen a variation of that before, somewhere else, by another non-black person. I know I’ve heard, and had, the conversation about it—how, for instance, in order to get the size curls they want, they set their hair on something down to half the size—with non-black women. It’s possible, maybe probable, that she did, too. To say so is neither exoneration nor condemnation.
If there’s one thing I learned about white people from world history, it’s that they are great at adapting practices from outside their own culture for their own uses. Their perception of the peoples from whom they adapt as equals/not equals is immaterial. For example, English privateers ran blockades set up in the English Channel by their own armies who were killing, and being killed by, French soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars because English nobles still liked and demanded French brandy, clothing, and everything else they could no longer as easily get their hands on. Probably half the English language is adapted from nearly every country England ever colonized or even visited, most of the rest is Greek, Latin, and Germanic derivatives. The only other language I know of that is more derivative of other languages than English is Esperanto, which was purposely created to be that way. And the English weren’t the only ones adapting. Except for the odd cases of Xenophobia such as we have in some remote parts of some rural or mountain communities, in every epoch of history wherein white people are participants, they adapt stuff.
But lest you think all the rest of the world’s a white man’s victim, I also know that some of us have our own ways of “getting back”. Without going into detail, the one place I hear it a lot is music, and Christian music particularly (particularly to me because that’s what I listen to). There are others, and I’m sure a little thought will bring up numerous examples.
And, just something I noticed, there are four links at the end of that video to other white people doing something similar. I think the word “afro” is in the title of at least two of them.
Yes, we have the right to write our own narrative and to dictate to the world what we want them to know and say of us. Let me know when you find a way to also make the world parrot the narrative back to us :-/.
Until then, I personally refuse to subscribe to the concept that what Eskimohair did with her hair, or that what anyone else, of any ethnicity, does with their or some other culture’s aesthetic, somehow diminishes my natural hair journey. The nine-year-old who was let loose at a boarding school with a comb, brush, shampoo, hair grease, and zero instruction for how to properly care for her own hair was I, not Eskimohair. She was not the 16-year-old who, after two years of unwillingly getting new length chopped off with every Jheri curl redo, refused to have another one just to “cut it in a style” I never asked for in the first place. She didn’t spend those next long years of my life trying, failing, trying, failing, trying, and failing again to return to natural; the one to go through several cycles of gaining some length only to lose it to two relaxers that I ended up combing off onto the bathroom floor, or to electric straightening combs and flatirons too vigorously and hotly wielded to create styles other people liked more than I did because they only saw the aesthetic they wanted to see, but I saw the hair that crumbled off in strawlike splinters in my hands, even as I tried to keep pleasing people who didn’t get what I was putting my hair, and my self-esteem, through to please them, even when they weren’t there to see. She wasn’t the one who, after one especially contentious war of words with my own mother, followed by one more strip-wash/blow-fry/flatiron session (I still have the pictures they took of me on the night for which I submitted to all that. My face was beat, my fancy gown was pretty, my hair was silked out and hot-curled, and I was valiantly trying not to sweat. I smiled for the camera. They loved it, especially the hair. I especially hated the hair, because I knew what was coming), followed by another week of heat-shredding my hair, finally put my foot down for me, assumed my power over my own head and the hair growing out of it once and for all, and decided that, long-haired or short, I was going natural, and I—not they—would decide my hair’s aesthetic!
No, Eskimo hair didn’t go through any of that with or for me! I did! And nothing done by her or anybody else to their hair unhappens, cancels out, or devalues in my estimation the things I suffered and experienced to get even to the start of this phase of my hair’s journey or any of the things I’ve experienced and learned since then till now. A lot of the hair I lost was due to improper technique; but, knowing what was at stake, it was technique I would not have applied if I’d valued my right to and responsibility for my own aesthetic and hair health more than my need to please others in order to not have them displeased with me. White people’s adaptations of our cultural and aesthetic practices of the day had zero bearing on that. I started slowly retaining length and learning to properly care for my hair when I started valuing my hair enough to protect it, not from white people’s cultural fancies and fascinations but from the opinions of my own loved ones and my own need to please them rather than myself. And white people had, and still have, nothing to do with that, either. Each must answer for herself how lightly she esteems her own journey; I esteem my own highly enough that mine is by no means diminished or discounted because a white woman somewhere crinkled her hair with some foil and a flatiron and called it “afro” textured. God, not Eskimohair, made me, awesomely and intricately, and if I must answer to another than myself for my aesthetic, it will be to Him first. And if white people want to adapt that, too, well, that’s just fine with me.
okay yeah it’s just a hairstyle but looking at the bigger picture, watch how white women are going to start rocking fro and the media will call them beautiful and exotic and all that jazz, meanwhile black women have been rocking fro forever and gotten nothing but ridicule. Same with asses/twerking, lips, corn rows our music etc etc. When black people do or have something it’s always put down when white people do it it’s the greatest thing ever.
But yeah, it’s just a hairstyle.
I don’t see an issue. Maybe it’s because I was raised around mostly Caucasian and Latinos, but They would always do things to add texture to their hair and they would ask me how do I do and I would laugh and say, “Ask God”. So this isn’t an issue for me. There are a lot more serious things going on in the world then getting upset at someone adding texture to their hair that is not Black. Like the beheading of all those christian people. She’s not taking away from me and my Mocha-latte with a sprinkle of Cinnamon what so ever. I think that people are being too sensitive. Every ethnicity is getting weaves and extensions and it’s not a big deal neither is this. People just want to be pretty and to change up their hair. No biggie. Also with the name of Eskimohair I would assume that she is Eskimo which isn’t white. Maybe she is half, but I could be wrong.
My opinion is that the white vlogger meant no harm. In fact, it appears that she likes the looks of the braid out and wanted to wear the style. I really do not think this was something to get up in arms about. The fact that other races would want to emulate a twist out is great. Also curly kinky hair has historically has been difficult to take care of. Some Jews have the tight curl too. The option of straightening just made handling easier. Not everything a black person does or does not do stem from slavery – I’m black and old and I truly relaxed because it was easier to get ready and out of house in the morning. I never hated myself. Sometimes too much is read into some stuff. I would never think a sister with blond hair hates her dark hair – I think she is just exercising her options. Just my humble opinion
afro hair is a thing in Asia. so for those who are well travelled and exposed, this isn’t new.
http://www.coilsandglory.com
People need to grow up. Women acting all bent out of shape and offended as if ‘Natural hair’ is something new. Our Natural hair is the norm it’s the,weaves straighteners and relaxers that are the extreme ascetic absurdity of our modern community. It’s our own lack of self love as has that lead to the decades long establishment of straightening our hair and rejecting its textured state as attractive. Its ‘our’ hair after all. I have always received the most interest and admiration of my hair in all it’s various guises over the years from whites and non blacks. If you’re upset that someone who hasn’t had to deal with the struggle of growing up black, wants to emulate your hair texture, it’s upset at not admiring your own hair in the first place. If you really want to cry cultural appropriation you need to look back in time. Even white men wore perms in the 70’s to emulate afros. Half the complainers don’t even know their born imo.
Let’s get something straight. Black women relax and straighten their hair because our natural hair was often seen as ugly and unkempt. Why is this so freaking hard for you idiots to understand. Relaxers were literally FORCED upon us. Comparing a white woman emulating black hair to black women straightening their hair to avoid ridicule and to keep a job IS NOT THE SAME THING. And obviously not every BW that gets a weave, relaxes, or straightens their hair is ashamed of their hair or is trying to emulate white women, but far too many BW absolutely HATE their natural hair. Why else do you think there’s a freaking natural hair movement in the first place? Why do you think this website even exists? To embrace our natural curls, kinks, and coils in a society that thinks that natural hair is ugly and unacceptable. I swear some of you in these comments are so dumb.
As your comment states womem WERE forced to do this. No one is forcing now so…. your point was????
becky this is a half-hearted attempt even for you
Wish I could hire like ten+ times. Really.
Right now we see more and more women embracing their natural hair loving it and even encouraging friends and family to not only love her hair but to love theirs as well! That’s exciting! Natural hair is so versital as we see everyday. Many naturals, including myself, sometimes straighten our hair… For no other reason than to see ourselves with something new, to change up our look, to show how versital my hair is and simple because I want to rock straight hair every once in a while… That all said, why can’t this woman do the same? If we as naturals can straighten out hair, not because we are “forced to” but because we want a change of our style… What’s so different between that and this lady curling up her hair too? White women are allowed to manipulate their hair just as we manipulate ours. We shouldn’t throw them under the bus because they want to change their style as well.
Really ‘Forced”?! Was someone holding a gun to the heads of black women and men? Maybes you haven’t been around long enough to truly appreciate what this ‘natural hair movement’ today is all about. When I was a kid all the black women around me had natural hair, we didn’t need a movement. They were gradually moving to relaxers and weaves as they became cheaper and more available. Before relaxers Black women wore wigs outside of their homes. However, most still new how to take care of their natural hair. The Natural hair movement that exists today has come our of a need for black women to appreciate the hair that grows out of their heads, because we are 2-3 generations deep into people who no longer accept their natural hair as acceptable. That is down to the very people who produced the relaxers who were all black in the beginning. So one needs to question where this FORCED and EXPECTED belief comes from. Relaxers became popular in the 80’s. Prior to that there were plenty of BW who didn’t use them. Things didn’t become relevant just because we have access to the internet. Things have changed a lot for BW in my life time alone. 25 years ago BW wouldn’t have even been considered for these Jobs that they are now apparently ‘expected’ to relax their hair for. What the freak do people think BW did before Essence magazine and Oprah? Things should be kept in perspective. Look up Bo Derek – this ish ain’t new
So people are claiming hairstyles now? Hmmm interesting. Some people need to get a grip. Race should not be brought into just anything.
The natural hair movement is about race. Its abut BLACK WOMEN (and men) embracing their natural hair and rejecting white standards of beauty.
It has everything to do about race.
This is nothing to negatively discuss. She made a video on how to turn straight hair into afro hair. Cool! So… Black women can “straighten” their hair like “White” women, and even further…”buy” european/brazilian or what ever kind of hair, and wear it as their own, and yet that’s “Not” considered disrespectful to the white race??? This is some mess! Come on people? Stop hollaring “Fire” where there is none. Good, Grief!
Really now is this worth deep thought. I can see some discussion on what other people/groups are doing, but why boost her post on the least important aspect of the journey, the side show. Stay focus on your road, advice Eskimohair needs to follow, no really, she can’t be a star where we are going and I like that about us.
One last post. This photo is of a woman in the 19th century who used beer in her hair to make it look like this. She was called a Circassian beauty. If you Google that term you will see many white women with afros. This praise of this type of woman was done when black people were treated as chattel and as less than human. It’s interesting that the “other” type of beauty these white women had was practically worshipped while our ancestors were being dehumanized. All that to say that I think there is something psychologically off with a culture that secretly admires the other, emulates the other while subjugating the other. I often do not know what to make of it.
Read Nell Painter’s “The History of White People”. “Circassians” were Eastern European girls that often traded by white slavers because of their “remarkable looks”.
During several expositions about Race and Culture in the US, they wanted to display “pure, Circassian women” as proof of European aesthetic superiority. The problem was actually finding girls of this description who fit the bill.
Most of the women traded came from poor backgrounds and werent physically gifted, and America had a hard time associating slavery with a race that wasnt “Black”.
So to compromise, they found girls with exotic features: very light skin and very frizzy hair. This satisfied the conventional notion that to be a slave, you had to have lesser, inherent qualities associated with the lower races (like hair, for example) but their extremely light skin and Slavic features played to European sensibilities of beauty.
To be clear- it wasnt the hair that made them beautiful, just “strange” and “uncommon”.
Your comment about extreme cognitive dissonance is otherwise very spot-on.
I’d rather a black vlogger be getting most attention for her afro/twistout etc….maybe that’s just me.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Do you boo!!!
And I do want to address that I have spent some times discussing black Americans and our “issues” with Africans. And I really feel it is unfair for some Africans to talk about black Americans issues in a derisive and dismissive manner. As if, by sheer virtue of being on American soil, we are just silly and hung up. Of course, life is different in Africa. By sheer virtue of your ancestors not being put in the bottoms of ships and sent to be slaves for four hundred years. I have actually had it with the depiction of our PTSD from slavery and Jim Crow and present day manifestations of racism as silly “issues. “And for BGLH to not allow me to respond accordingly to that is hypocritical & repressive. Black Americans, for all of our issues, are vanguards on so many fronts and in so many ways. We are leading the world, the entire black diaspora in the natural hair movement or whatever you want to call it, precisely because of the introspection caused by the catalyst of our tortured and troubled past. And it is true that the biggest sales of skin bleaching and weave is in Africa. So, it is a bit galling to deal with some Africans laughing at our “issues.” We are not merely having a knee jerk reaction to this simple little woman afro-ing out her hair. We are having a vigilant, nuanced, introspective discussion of something that has many dimensions for us as a people.If a member of the dominant culture laughed off black American discussions as “issues”, this whole blog and all the readers would be up in arms. But when we do it to each other, it’s fine. It’s still a real show of ignorance and cultural insensitivity. And if my post is again censored, then shame on you BGLH. I will disconnect.
Since my other post was deleted, I will post this. If we lived in a perfect world, where cultural exchange was simply that, I would not have any problem with what this woman is doing. It’s a hairstyle, for pete’s sake. Right? It should be. We are all human beings, we are all different and it is natural for us to emulate each other’s differences. But the reality is, we have a very particular history. One filled with brutality, cruelty and terrifying debasement of all that is black, especially but not limited to the unsung beauty of the black woman.
Cut to:
The eighties. Bo Derek wore corn rows in her hair. Which would have been fine, had there been black woman one posited as a beautiful, desirable icon, running on the beach, being looked upon as the epitome of beauty, a Venus if you will. But, there was not. There was no black woman like that. We black females were surprised and shocked that white people had even noticed our hair enough to imitate it. But imitating they were, without ever considering for three seconds to cast a black actress as the “ten”. We were like – the negative two’s as far as the dominant culture was concerned.
So, as a black actress, when I was rocking my ‘fro in Hollywood in the nineties, my agent straight up told me that what “they” wanted was the mulatto girl, and all that that implies. My hair stood straight up off my head. I was not a mulatto girl. And my agent wasn’t just some weirdo spouting nonsense. The television shows consistently affirmed what he told me. I got work. As the crazy, the inmate the weirdo. Not the beauty queen. Even though, we, chocolate afro’d sistas were always told we were beautiful. By everyone on the set. But somehow the televised fiction could never reflect the actual reality. I did a movie playing a deranged person. And when we were not shooting I was dealing with at least two of the white producers and ad’s having a crush on me. I was considered beautiful – white people told me I was beautiful every single day- but they could not weave an afro’d black looking sister as an object of desriability in a film. And this happened to many other black actresses I knew- especially the natural ones.
But somehow, my beautiful afro could never be chosen to be represented as beautiful. Now, I think we as black women are changing that landscape. But it will be very upsetting if somebody does Ten the remake and puts an afro on a white woman and calls her the most beautiful woman ever. And I think, things have not progressed enough to not make such a thing inevitable. It’s not wrong at all to exchange hairstyles. But just wait until the media picks up on this white face black woman. And she gets money and play and airtime for being so interesting. And your little black daughters will not even think that having a real natural afro is good enough if it’s not on a white woman.
Dang. So much truth. People need to listen up.
Your insight and experience as an actress in Hollywood is SO profound. Thank you for sharing! This nature of Hollywood surely is BIZARRE…
You are awakening and enlightening via TRUTH. That is powerful and many are too AFRAID to acknowledge it. Keep shining the light of our people!
It’s 2015, rise above this crap. She styled her hair, she likes this style, and she happens to be white, woopty friggin doo. Black woman don’t own a hair type. In this day and age we (black woman) are usually the ones copying them. Why not enjoy a moment where they (white women) are copying us?
What do Black women copy from white women exactly?
Weaves, bone straight textures via relaxers, skin whiteners, contouring our jaws & noses to the extreme with makeup (or better yet, plastic surgery nose jobs) in order to appear to have more “Sturctured” faces (which are naturally found in the genes of non-black women), wearing colored contacts of lighter shades… just to name a few…
Whether one wants to call it beauty, accessories, having fun, no problem. I don’t have any issue with that.
But, yo, let’s call a spade a spade.
I really don’t know one black person that goes around saying we copy white women. You either must be white yourself or in desperate need of white validation.
Also, let’s not pretend that white women don’t copy us ALL THE TIME. Butt and lip injections, fake tans, black hairstyles (dreads, bantu knots, cornrows, box braids, “baby hair”), our fashion, our music, our slang…
I really appreciate all the growing public discussion about natural hair and cultural appropriation. (I’m white) Until a few years ago, I had NO idea that women were essentially bullied over natural hair and discriminated against for jobs bc of it and that THAT was why weaves and straight hair were so “popular”. I had no idea that it wasn’t actually a choice most of the time until a news anchor woman raised the issue and switched her look on TV to bring up the discussion. I’m horrified that white privilege LITERALLY kept me from even knowing about this. Lately cultural appropriation has become a larger and more public discussion as well and I’ve had my eyes opened there, too. I hate that white america is so ignorant about this that you’re forced to talk about something that you shouldn’t even have to be dealing with in the first place, but, I thank you for raising awareness and I’m glad the discussion is becoming more public. I hope more and more people listen. Thank you for talking about it!!!!
If we all did not have complexions that scale a multitude of brown I would say yes mainstream is trying to steal our ideas. However, what is beautiful starts at home. There are many black men raised by black women ( not an interracial home) that put women of a more African descent down. On this site we have discussed having a more relax curl is preferred over a more kinky texture etc. this is not the first time I have worn a style and my place of business or people around me thought it was inappropriate. But let someone lighter or white wear the same thing and it’s gorgeous. I don’t applaud her nor do I consider her waves or crinkles Afro textured hair. I don’t even think if she was black we would label the style that way. I do hate the labeling. White women wore box braids in the mid to late 90s and early 00s. There are white women with this natural hair texture anyway. Just because one blonde and blues eyes start wearing something don’t make it mainstream.
You know what they say. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. And guess who made natural, afro-textured hair have a come back for the first time in the new millennium. It wasn’t Becky.
But watch becky get all the credit for it lol
Nice try – “A” for effort, but we don’t need to do all that for our hair to be beautifully styled. It just comes, “Naturale.”
I don’t understand why her video would bother black women. I don’t see white woman up in arms when we relax, flat iron, and/or wear weave that doesn’t make match our God-given texture or color.
It IS appropriation! But more than that: it looks a hot frizzy mess! And I find it both offensive and highly insulting for her to refer to her mess as an ‘afro-textured’ style. This is an old, old attack tactic on our culture (it looks a mess, and we all know it’s a mess AND a misrepresentation of our hair, but since ‘miss ann’ did it, it must be okay and accepted). Her noting her frizz as ‘afro-textured’ is also known in general society as ‘being damned by faint praise’ –what we today call ‘throwing shade’. This tactic was perhaps unwittingly engaged; for under white privilege, many ignorant acts are often employed. However, someone else’s ignorance is no reason we should give them a pass on any blunder that reinforces a negative stereotype on any segment of our culture; i.e. afro-textured hair equals frizz. No, afro-textured hair equals afro-textured hair! Be ever vigilant, people.
Jeez you black people live in such a microcosm of hatefulness toward yourselves and others!
It’s not cute and doesn’t look like an afro….maybe next time try straw curls, chic
I agree that it is no different than black females straightening our hair. What’s the big deal? Do we forget that there are white people out there who are born with naturally curly almost afro-like hair! Black folks ain’t the only ones with afros! My word! Everything has to be an argument about race and who stole what from who! It’s just sad.
People are too damn sensitive. How can black women say ANYTHING when all we do is wear weaves and wear blonde hair. Come on. Its just hair at the end of the day. We wear blonde wigs and you dont see white women up in arms over it NO. STFU!!!
I think ppl are getting up in arms just because she’s white and trying to ‘jack’ our style. (Rolls eyes). I see nothing wrong with this. If we can straighten our hair, which for the majority of black women is not the natural texture that grows out of our head, why can’t she curl hers? Anyone who’s making a big deal over it needs to stop being petty. And I hope none of these ppl making a big deal straighten their hair. Besides, I don’t feel like she meant any harm. I’m actually flattered that she thinks our hair is cool enough to want to emulate it.
Let the whole world appreciate, love and emulate what most of us sista’s have naturally!!! In My post picture My hair is Blonde and flat ironed, with curl!!!! I look fine with Blonde hair, to ME!!! It’s called FASHION!! I wear My hair natural now!! Mostly braided!! I don’t wear weaves but
I used to, straight curly, etc. No one can steal the fact that black women’s hair is GAWGEOUS in it’s natural state!! Or the fact of who the originators of braids or anything else are!! It seems the worlds people realize our natural beauty and want it!! More of us need to realize it and embrace it ourselves. There are still a large population of black women who would not be caught dead with natural hair, they think natural is ugly!! I have no problem with any none black woman paying homage to our beauty, she knows what’s up!!! Do many of us??!!!!
They may know who the original creators are but they never credit us. If anything, they like to mock our natural features and hairstyles calling it ghetto, ratchet, and ugly then copy said hairstyles and all of a sudden it becomes cool and trendy. To put it simply, they like our hair and features when it’s not actually on us. That’s hardly something to get excited about. Also, why do you need validation from a white woman that our natural hair is beautiful? Who really cares if she’s “paying homage” to us? Honestly. One white woman copying a black hairstyle doesn’t mean society suddenly embraces our natural hair & features and it’s really naive of you to think so.
Her hair looks really cute!! We can’t stop anyone from doing anything. My only current question is why would she want to look like that/us? The only bothersome thing that concerns me is that I don’t want something that we have fought hard for in this society, with getting acceptance for being our God made self to become watered down or instantly accepted because a white woman has done it. We fight and get nothing, but a white woman does it and now all of a sudden it’s noticed, accepted and encourage? That would be a slap in the face too me. Just my opinion.
Let the whole world rock our beauty!! No matter how it is re-packaged, people have eyes, they can see who these people are emulating!! The world sees and knows women are intimidated by our beauty and want it!! We are the most beautiful and exotic of ALL HUMANS, so of course others want what we have NATURALLY!!! We must embrace what we have naturally!!! And ROCK IT LIKE WE MEAN IT!!! I am so happy GOD gave Me naturally what others crave and often have to pay for!!! Peace!!!
Yep. It makes me feel good too. It’s flattering imo.
It makes you feel good that a white woman is copying a black hairstyle? Really? The need for white validation from some of you is really sad.
🙂 We can look at it from different angles. Let me elaborate so you can understand a little better, okay? I feel great as I am, but to know someone thinks our hair is cool enough to emulate it is also great. I don’t need whites to ‘validate’ how I feel. It’s really no deeper than my explanation above. What’s sad is the fact that my comment apparently struck a nerve with you. Sorry, but everyone isn’t going to have a problem with what she’s doing. I give her props. Have a nice day.
I’m sorry but I didn’t think the end result looked good. Just my opinion on that. As far as appropriation is concerned….I would say we have to give it time and see what happens. But if a bunch of white people start wearing afros on the red carpet……. Need I say more?
No. Our little girls and boys have been kicked out of school because of the natural state of our hair. Women have been fired ands ridiculed at work for the state of our natural hair. Regardless if you think this style is clever or cute it is cultural appropiation noNE the less. Her doing this hairstyle and claiming it as an afro is disrespectful to people with actual fros who have to fight everyday to embrace it.
exactly.
And Blacks wearing weaves and wearing their hair like white folks isn’t…so called disrespectful?? This is frugal.
I can tell you’re white.
Blacks wear weaves and straight hair like Malaysian/Brazilian girls
Ive never in my life heard a black women say “im going to the beauty supply store to pick up a pack of German” lol
lmao you sound so white
That hair looks really good on her.
She even correctly labeled her video “afro hair” tutorial instead of saying “big crazy / messy / wild / curly hair” tutorial, like too many Caucasian women have been saying on blogs and vlogs.
It seems like very many other Caucasian women who have done tutorials on similar hair will mention or title their video in such a way without realizing what they are saying is… Awful.
I really appreciate that she titled it correctly and I really appreciate that she likes the style.
I feel like anyone that feels its an honor for “white person” to like our hair is a problem within itself. I don’t understand why we need validation from white women, that in the end, sooo desperately wants to be us.
Cosign 100%. It’s not about needing validation at all. That is wrong.
RIGHT ON!
I watched the video and it’s nothing new under the sun. I understand that most black women of this generation may not have seen movies or rock videos from the 70s and 80s but that’s what I see from this video – a white girl volumizing her hair with tin foil the way white people did in the 70s and 80s. I don’t understand the negativity nor do I feel she should have to “shout out” black vloggers because it’s not necessary when it’s been done ages ago. If you’re mad, get over selves. She owes you nothing, it’s a cool tutorial, and as soon as I’m done detangling this new growth I may give this a try. Drama for no reason. Claiming a hairstyle that they’ve been doing before most of you were even in middle school, is ridiculous and petty.
Good grief! If people have a problem with her then I suggest they never go to Japan. They have been adopting black hair stiyles for years. They even have a process to give them afros.
Yeah but Japanese people do it with admiration. Whites do it with maliciousness and non inclusive undertones.
You clearly haven’t heard racism from Japanese people.
Like with every ethnic group there are those who are ignorant and those who are racist.
I notice this video is silent.
Japanese will say where they got their inspiration.
lol you’re acting as if ppl never call out the “b-style” culture in japan…
The true Japanese were blacker than my range top. Study truth and don’t embrace lies. The mixing of wheat and japanese or wheat and anything is what causes unnatural “natural” hair that needs to be altered.
much ado about nothing…
I really dnt see an issue. Why make a big deal out of it. Black women (and men) get perms to get straight hair so why knock her if she likes black hair??…like seriously? Not everything a white person does is “stealing black culture”…jeez…
I mean… whatever. The video by itself is not an issue but when you look at the bigger picture it’s pretty problematic as you have someone trying to emulate (and being praised) for a hair style that still isn’t widely accepted when a Black woman does it. Even though it’s what our hair does naturally. I’m also not here for how this has the potential to be lauded as trendy because White people finally caught on to the beauty of afro hair only to be eventually discarded when they find something else to copy.
Also you have to be a special kind of dense to think weaves and straightening Black hair is the same thing. Lol. Forced assimilation is not the same as cultural appropriation.
She’s white and she’s accepting of it. So why should she be judged so harshly? You can’t make everyone love everything about you. Some blacks don’t even love afro hair, but she finds it adorning.
I didn’t even read the article. I just want to say 1) there are videos like this out there, so I’m not sure why this got attention like this 2) why does it have to say “white vlogger” when we mention black women do we say “black vlogger” ? 3) controversial articles just cause unneeded uproar especially this one.
She manipulated the texture of her hair So What? What is flat-ironing, twist-outs, and braid-outs then? Don’t we all put in work to do a style? I’m not condemning just saying that this just wasn’t necessary.
You know, I think African-Americans have the longest list of issues when it comes to cultural appropriation. Yet, they wouldn’t think twice about having silky smooth straight hair.
I find this completely ridiculous. This constant nagging of putting someone down just because they tried something that “represents” the black community. It’s called hypocrisy. She didn’t say or do anything bad. For all we know, she could actually like the way afro kinky hair looks and just wanted to wear her hair the same way.
In Africa, we would have laughed, smiled, found it ridiculous and some people may have even been honoured that a white person is trying a black style. Anger would not have been one of the reactions.
So unless, she offends, insults or say something negative about our hair. I think she rocks.
I am sorry but I get a little irritated at the superior tone many Africans take about African Americans. If you are so baffled at our “issues” read a history book. And maybe show some compassion. There are real, compelling, concrete reasons for our “issues” and considering the weight of those reasons, we are doing pretty well. And on top of it and our issues, we are not the biggest consumers of weave and skin bleaching, Africans are.
Who told you we didn’t read the history books? Now tell me how you have not just played the cultural appropriation card right there by thinking I was an ignorant african?
Most Africans know your history better than you know theirs.
This is what I mean, you just became angry because I stated an opinion. And I can go further if you want, ALL blacks suffered, where do you think slavery started? You think America was the only country with Slavery and Segregation. Ever heard of Apartheid?
And of colonisation?
I never said you were the biggest consumers of weaves and skin bleaching. This just proves my point. You had to put Africans down to make a point. If your statics are rights, then okay, we are the bigger consumers. I still don’t see what that brings to the discussion.
Also I fail to see how I am showing lack of compassion. People are “hating” on a person for a hairstyle and am lacking compassion?
Oh god please of course our people would be honored at something like this, of course we are so good at treating whites better than we treat each other. Am I lying? I’ve seen it with my own eyes too many times. Here and especially in Africa.
I’m tired of replies like yours from fellow Africans. If an African American person wants to be offended about something, we as Africans who came over here by our own will have little to no right to say how they should feel.
I feel like your post was condescending (which seems to be the norm when we Africans address African Americans) and short sighted.
“We as African who came over here by our own will have little to no right to say how they should feel”
I am not in America if that is what you meant. However I have lived there in the past and I am not talking out of “superiority” or anything. I have lived it, seen it, heard it. So this is from my experience.
If it sounds condescending then I am sorry, but I don’t see how “I am tired of replies like yours from fellow Africans” is not as well.
I am not saying they cannot be offended. I am saying that in this case in particular it’s ridiculous, simply because we relax our hair and we were straight weaves. And when I say we I mean black women. Irregardless of natural hair or not, some of us still favour straight hair.
That is simply my opinion. Cultural appropriation is EVERYWHERE! And I do believe that there are some cases to be angry about, but this video is not one of them.
But I will add this. I find it funny that the reason people focus on my comment is because I created an example between African-Americans and Africans. When I myself could be both. Would it be okay then for me to have said what I did?
How about you only comment on African peoples. Doesn’t matter if you move here you still don’t get it. And a lot of YOU PEOPLE make A CHOICE NOT TO GET IT. Stop comparing yourselves to us we are not you. And you don’t live our experience as Black Americans.
You will never fully understand on why Black Americans are so angry, sensitive and have a complex over “the longest list of issues when it comes to cultural appropriation” because our whole existence is having people purposely take from & destroy us.
I don’t care if you ever seek to understand us or pick up a book, honestly. If you’re going to be CONDESCENDING then don’t half ass it. Be 100 with it. Include the arrogance turn your nose up at us. DON’T address us ever act like we dont exist and most importantly stay your ass in Africa and the fuck outta of America.
One of the wealthiest counties in Africa got their Independence off of piggybacking us and your people still come here today and leverage themselves off of us.ONE THING ABOUT IT, we never needed you or have gotten help from Africans or have benefited from you. SO WE DAMN SURE DON’T NEED YOUR 2 CENTS NOW
I am sorry if my comment took you to a dark place. Because that is a lot of anger with all those cap locks and whatnots.
And thank you for insulting Africans and Africa. I do hope it made you feel better. I will however advise that you do open a history book to see that Africa too has had it’s dark period. Or don’t, it’s really up to you.
I will however say this. I believe that it would have been more productive to share that list or the knowledge you believe I do not possess instead of this, but it is what it is.
Now, also the next time you want to make a point about black americans and hatred in the united states, perhaps you would be more credible if you did not yourself start to spread that hatred onto others. I am not sure what it achieves.
As for one of the countries that did get piggybacking from America, well it’s only normal since America takes natural resources from Africa. Ah without forgetting that they took from Africa the slaves that would later on give birth to the African-Americans. And ooooh, also the fact that they colonised us. I think it’s a fair trade. Don’t you?
As for Africans helping you, I am not sure if you mean African Americans or America? Either way, true we haven’t but as you just pointed out, you don’t need us. You (America) did however benefit from us, but it’s okay, we won’t shout it on rooftops.
So to summarise. I still think that this girl’s hair rocks. Thank you for the lovely comment, it was a pleasure exchanging knowledge with you and don’t worry, the fact that you were disdainful didn’t make me angry.
My takeaway: by using the technique she used in the video, one gets more uniform curls from root to tip than with braids and twists (b/c they tend to get thinner at the bottom). I LOVE it and especially love the look with her hair color.
All that other drama, you guys can have all to yourself.
First let me just say that i love what she did and think that her hair looks very cute. Now it seems that people are confused about what cultural appropriation is. Cultural appropriation is when a dominant culture adopts or borrows from a minority’s culture that originally has a deep or impactful meaning. Afro textured hair falls within that definition. When a minority, in this instance a black woman, adopts or borrows from the dominant culture that is enculturation or assimilation. The difference is that the former is done strictly for aesthetic reasons while the latter is done as a means to fit and blend in within their societal norms. Unless that vlogger, Eskimohair, lives in an area that is not predominantly white then she is very much so appropriating. Cultural appropriation is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can have negative effects. A predominantly white culture, in general, has a very negative history when it comes to appropriating any minority’s culture so i can understand if anyone is apprehensive in regards to the posting of this video. I for one am very glad for the dialogue that has sparked from this video and i do hope that she is not being harassed or discouraged due to the discussion.
While I agree with your definition of cultural appropriation, I disagree with you saying that to be white and give yourself an afro fits the definition. Afro’s are not a result of “culture”- they are merely the way SOME people’s hair grows. There are blacks who have even naturally straight hair. Sure, black women to this day are struggling to have others accept their afros but I’m sure there are plenty of people who don’t want to see a white girl with an afro either. I agree with the first camp. She likes and admires afros, and just like black women who perm or flat iron their hair, she went through a process to look the way she wanted to look. And just like how perming or flat ironing your hair as a black woman doesn’t automatically mean you want to look non-black, her wanting an afro doesn’t mean that she wants to be black- it just means she wants an afro. She doesn’t need to “cite” black people as the first afro-havers, especially when there are lots of Middle Easterners and Eastern Europeans who naturally have “Jew-fros”. No culture can own a hair style. I say that people should do whatever makes them feel beautiful as long as it isn’t harmful to themselves or anyone else.
Well put.
I think you are misunderstanding me. I never said that she wanted to be black. I never said she needed to cite black people either. it is clear that she is merely reproducing a hairstyle that she simply likes. However she is appropriating since she herself called it afro textured, not jew textured. While blacks are not the only people with textured hair, it is most definitely an aesthetic that is associated with black people. In fact, jew fro is a derogatory term that is used mostly as an insult to jewish people for having afro textured hair. I find nothing wrong with her wearing an Afro. I simply understand why other people are sensitive to the fact that she is wearing an Afro.
Also afro’s do fall into the category of appropriation since it has both an impact currently and historically within black culture, which makes it meaningful. It is not merely a fashion statement for SOME people.
Thank you so much. My thoughts exactly. Black people are not the only people with natural afro hair so why must it be turned into an argument of who is stealing from who.
Well defined. ..
Thank you?
It’s not the cultural appropriation aspect that is the most bothersome for me. It looks okay, I guess. I am more concerned about this slippery slope of the desire for white acceptance. The need for us to feel that if whote folks think it’s okay, then it must be okay further dictating our beauty choices. I feel like white acceptance is what got us here in the first place with the relaxers and “Kim Kardashian – inspired” weave tutorials and such.
Her hair looks like shit, but good try though!
Looks dry…needs some type of lightweight oil…
If a White said that about a Blacks twist out effort there would be outrage
it’s popular and now they want in on the action. Same as it ever was. I’m looking at track records and social/cultural patterns. We create something, or celebrate something that was traditionally marginalized, it takes off, then here come folks trying to emulate it. and if we’re not careful, they then (try to) make themselves the standard for that thing and take us out of the equation altogether. Case it point: Please note how she did not shout out any blogs/youtubers/Black women that she’s clearly been watching or were inspired by. Did she plug any of the natural hair/ afro hair focused blogs? Nope. Par for the course. I’ve seen a White woman do Bantu knots and gave 0 credit to the Black/African women & culture that inspired the style. Just straight presented it like it was her own original style. That is the pattern. It’s vey subtle but it’s no less arrogant and deceitful. I’m not one of those “imitation is the highest form of flattery” ppl. Just give me my compliment and be on your way. You want some of this here shine? Cool, but be gracious about it. Don’t just come in like you originated this style. Nope. Not here for it and I don’t applaud it.
and as an afterthought, you know what would be dope? It’s probably not the most practical but if Black natural hair bloggers/advocates/Youtubers/ etc could pool resources and trademark certain phrases so that people can’t just come jacking and profiting off of terms like “Afro” “Afro-textured”, “nappy” or “kinky” without consequence. It may sound extreme, but this is capitalism and we are a people that is always stuck in this perpetual and aggravating cycle of being victims of it and not winners, partly because ppl just take and take and take and give nothing back. Cause if they keep this mess up and we keep allowing it because we don’t want to hurt folks’ feelings, mark my words, in about 10 years we’re going to see billboards for products for “kinky” or “afro-textured” hair and NOT see our faces, NOT see Black models, and NOT see that money in our communities. And at that point it’s too late. We find ourselves right back to being marginalized. I think we just gotta play more offense in this game. We should not feel bad defending and protecting what is ours and holding people socially & financially accountable when they’re feeling all United Colors of Bennetton and want us to “share” (read: steal and pretend like it’s theirs and not expect us to clap back ) with them.
I actually don’t have a problem with her trying to achieve afro textured hair…hey girl do you! My only critique is, she should curl the ends next time so it blends better, because its throwing the look off. Otherwise its kind of cute, go on white girl.
I prefer her hair in this state,has more oomph and volume to it,its a sexy looking Afro,don’t have a,massive problem with it apart from the fact that it’s true when white people emulate something that is considered black,it turns from ugly to acceptable.
There is nothing wrong with her changing her texture. It’s her damn right. I can make mine straight and she can make hers kinky. Those up in arms need to find a seat. Take all the seats and get over it.
I seen this a while back. I actually liked it. I find the process interesting. She had to put in all that work when we wake up like this ????
Yeah, we wake up like this!!!
My thing is if black women can wear straight hair, why can’t white women wear textured hair? Let’s all wear each others hair types because hair is that versatile!
Black women wear thier hair strait a lot of the time because we’ve been told our hair is ugly, because ther is barely representing from media of our hair , and little girls are kicked out of school because of thor hair. She’s doing it because she thinks is cool or trendy. There’s nothing wrong with her doing this, but claiming it as an afro is wrong.
….I’m going to ask you to look at the comment directly below this one (the comment by hmm) so that you can understand exactly how wrong you are.
I think a lot of girls here don’t get it. Black girls permed, straightened etc, because they were pressured to. It wasn’t a fun quirky thing for them – being who they naturally were lead to ridicule, and SERIOUS consequences like not getting jobs, being bullied, etc. So don’t give me that “black people can’t complain because we appropriate” bullshit. A certain beauty standard was pushed and everyone was all but forced to adapt to it. That’s like someone
being bullied for dressing a certain way every day, so they finally switch to tshirts and jeans to avoid being treated like crap, and then finally say “f this” and switch back to the way they dressed originally, only to see the bullies copy their style. Then when they go “What the hell? You’re dressing like me now?”, everyone goes, “OH but you dressed like us when you wore those tshirts!” as if it’s the same thing.
I think the problem girls that dislike this have is not that this particular girl is making an afro, but because of the history of what HAPPENS when white people start trying to copy us. Time and time again, we are ridiculed and ostracized for our natural features, and then when we finally accept ourselves, white people copy. And what happens when they copy? Society, TIME AND TIME again, decides they somehow did it better. Dreadlocks are quirky when a white person wears them, but a black people with dreadlocks have to go through a world of nonsense. Rap is trashy when black people create it, but when Iggy starts her mediocre rapping she suddenly “changed the game” and people that hated rap are suddenly fans — but ONLY of her. Miley started twerking and suddenly society is acting like she invented it. Black girls are called ugly, but a white girl that uses that weird lip plumping thing and overdraws her lips and gets butt implants and tans herself to a crisp is suddenly the ideal girl. Solange was called unattractive on her wedding day because she rocked a fro, but just wait. When white celebs start rocking afros, they will be celebrated as if they’re creative gods.
I concur. BUT, the masses knows who it’s architects are!! Who cares about what recessive gene thieves think!! People know
that white people steal everyone’s culture!! Maybe we should STOP taking ours for granted!!
I think that may be the whole crux of the issue – we take ourselves for granted, our hair, our skin, our culture. We gang up on each other, divide ourselves. How can we claim someone has taken (stolen) our culture when we deride it ourselves?
Exactly. People seem to forget the context of it all. Thanks for laying it out for people to understand.
OMG! Thank you! Lets see what these heifers have to say when the representation of “afro hair” is some white folks. The issue is not that some random white person alters their hair texture. The issue is once again they will receive credit and praise for the very attribute that we are ridiculed for. And for all you new blacks talking about “black girls straighten their hair” show me some black women that have been placed on a pedestal above the women with naturally straight hair….i’ll wait.
Sadly it doesn’t help that we are even giving this chick more attention. When she ends up a Youtube sensation for “afro” hair lets see if these new blacks say anything.
I agree with just about everything that you said.
But it all leaves the question, what should be the proper behavior of a non-black person who is wants emulate something that is common for us?
We can’t ban white people from dreads. We can’t keep them from tanning or rapping. What should this vlogger should have done if she wanted to do her hair like this? If she had done the video, but not titled it as she did, someone would have still said that she was stealing and not attributing, in a worse way. If she had linked to a black vlogger, but showed how it works on limp white hair, there still would have been a problem.
We can’t just say “you don’t get to do your hair that way.” We can’t have it both ways.
I’ve been wondering lately, what are non-blacks supposed to do so that it’s not appropriation?
this is so ridiculous to me…everything cannot be cultural appropriation it just cant …like stop stop and stop
so every single time any non black person eats, enjoys, emulates a piece of something considered “black culture” its appropriation?? *sigh* on top of this why why must everything be so read into …the girl seems to be a beauty vlogger, posts a video of how to do a hair style … the end…
if she is culturally appropriating from her one video then there are THOUSANDS of videos appropriating white culture seeking straight hair, this is just silly.. not to mention i read all the time about wanting the mainstream to accept “black beauty”and then when they do its appropriation ..i just…. im done…
White people are not the only group of people who have straight hair… also accepting black beauty is not letting white women take it from us. It’s have BLACK people with black traits being seen as beautiful.
????????? this is so silly lol
straight hair occurs because of genetics. there are a lot of black people out there who naturally have straight hair. how can we appropriate something that is not even exclusive to a particular group of people?
also dont get cultural appropriation confused with cultural appreciation. no one’s gonna get angry if a white person wants to enjoy some pounded yam and egusi. but if a white person wants to emulate styles that have been done by black ppl for CENTURIES, if they want to wear styles that have had black ppl excluded frm schools, styles that have kept us frm getting jobs, styles that have made others call us “dirty” and “unkempt” – and be PRAISED for it then becky we have a problem
This is totally cool! I have so many white friends complaining about how straight their hair is and how they’d love to have hair like mine. I say, why not? We straighten our hair when there are white/asian women with bone straight hair. No one says anything and there is nothing wrong with doing it. So why do we have a problem when those same women want to emulate our curls? Shoot if she discovered a way to do it, I say enjoy them curls because I know I’ve enjoyed mine.
wonder if white people praise blacks for copying them and give them a platform …doubt it but whatever yall
Sure they do. Her name is Beyoncé.
Black people don’t own kinky hair texture just as white people don’t own straight hair texture especially since hair texture is NOT indicative to race because race is a social construct.
Lol black people have been doing this for years with weave tutorials – lmao
Am I the only one who’s loving the curl pattern she achieved and thinking of trying her technique on my 4c tightly coiled hair?
funny. When people with afro hair straighten theirs I don’t see straight haired people being offended.
Yeah here’s why: Black women with straightened hair are not given top praise and credit above the women with naturally straight hair. Because straight hair could subject one to ridicule and/or being deemed inferior….o wait…that’s never happened.
Can I just say that I love this video. I think it’s fabulous.
Our people, Black people, need to realize: we can’t have our cake and eat it too. In order for us to not be seen as the “other,” not be treated as “them,” not be discriminated against because part of our culture is “odd,” “not understood” “not mainstream,” we need to learn how to SHARE parts of our cultures with others who are not Black. AND IT’S OK TO SHARE. That’s how people of other cultures can learn about us, the TRUTH about our histories and our perspective of how we see the world, and the REAL BEAUTY that is Black Beauty. These are the positives of globalization; an example of this is how American culture and American ideologies have permeated other countries: because we as Americans have SHARED parts of our lives via movies, story books, games, children’s toys, songs, holiday traditions, etc. (From the various cities in Europe, Africa, and Asia I have lived in or visited, I’ve been able to turn on the TV and find an American show/movie on. The power of sharing; the power of influence!) So why can’t we focus on doing more of this with Black culture?
In many cases, we don’t want white people rapping and winning hip hop music awards or hip hop magazine spots, yet we don’t want our music to be called “Urban” because we feel doing so labels us as the “Other” or the “Outsider.” We don’t want major department stores carrying our clothes (i.e. clothes with African-inspired fabrics such as ankara or kente cloth), yet we don’t like when their fashion collections are completely Euro-centric and devoid of African-inspired-anything. These are just a few examples; I can go on and on.
If we continue to live this contradiction, we’ll find ourselves 20, 30, 50 years down the line, still arguing about who is and who is not allowed into the Black People’s Club, who is and is not Black enough.
That’s not positive. And it doesn’t help us as a people move forward. In this day and age no one can take something away from you if you fight for it (and the fight may not be easy, but that’s were perseverance comes in).
And fighting for it does NOT mean only talking about it (nor does it mean being physical about it). It means being about it; it means making sure that we are at the FOREFRONT of the evolution of having Black Culture touch the lives of other people outside of the Black community. It means staying true to who we are and forging the bridge between “Us” and “Them.” Sharing doesn’t mean “wiping us out” and it certainly doesn’t have to mean “stealing from us.” Not if we don’t allow it!
Whew, I wrote a novel. My bad, ya’ll! Lol
I COMPLETEY agree with your analysis. I’m tired of the “embrace me as I am, but stay on your side of the street” mentality.
Your analysis is spot on. I had to share
EVERTHING you said was perfect! More people need to realise it
Why is it that us Black people are always obligated to include literally everyone in everything we do? White people aren’t worried about including us in mainstream beauty/media so why do we have to share? We can’t have anything to ourselves. White ppl steal everything we create, bring it to mainstream media, whitewashes it, while simultaneously judging us for participating in our own culture.
This video is not in the same context. The majority of white people will not (can not) wear afro hair, nor do they want to. It is different from a white person claiming they are team natural.
Unlike black people, white people aren’t going around shaving black women’s hair for a style/versatility/profit. But when they do I’ll join you!! But for the forseeable future it’s not happening my dear.
They may not be shaving our hair for profit but they definitely steal other things that we created for profit. Let’s be real.
This is precisely the point. They are NOT shaving our head for a style of for profit. So this WHOLE discussion is irrelevant & out of context completely. They may be copying other things (some of which I wonder why you want to be defined by eg big butts, misogynistic rap music & twerking) but this girl is not doing that! So these comments are simply attacking her for being white and trying an afro. Which I said earlier will blow out in the wind as soon as she steps outside. Ridiculous
White people are going around getting lip and butt injections, twerking, and tanning. Dont even get me started on iggy azalea and eminem….
I think anyone that feels like a “white person” so call loving our hair is flattering and a honor, is a problem within itself. Why do we have to have validation from a white women, that at the end of the day wants sooo desperately to be us.
Why are we the ones that have to share when others (e.g. Latino, Asian) don’t and manage to maintain their identities and cultures. Girl please. You can go ahead and settle. See where it gets you. The sharing they adore is the reason why so many of my darker-skinned sisters are on t.v. because of the sheer appreciation of our diverse beauty. Oh wait. Never mind. That hasn’t happened.
It’s very discouraging to see that there are many women upset about someone who is emulating a hairstyle that she deems beautiful & worthy due to the pigmentation of her skin. She didn’t say anything derogatory about the hairstyle; she was able to figure out how to achieve a hairstyle she was excited to display to the world, without having to alter the state of her natural hair. and what do some black women do; condemn her for “copying” our natural hair. Please! After all the perms, weaves, and wigs most of us have sported? The black community has been screaming for natural hair acceptance and when someone with fairer skin embraces our kinky coils and displays it, there’s an uproar from some black women. I will definitely try Eskimohair’s tutorial. I’m anxious to see how this will work for my hair, just like I’m anxious to watch ALL vids on perfecting the beauty of my hair, as I see fit. If Eskimohair’s vid tutorial has you upset, you may need a class on extreme sensitivity.
Can I just say that I love this video. I think it’s fabulous.
Our people, Black people, need to realize: we can’t have our cake and eat it too. In order for us to not be seen as the “other,” not be treated as “them,” not be discriminated against because part of our culture is “odd,” “not understood” “not mainstream,” we need to learn how to SHARE parts of our cultures with others who are not Black. AND IT’S OK TO SHARE. That’s how people of other cultures can learn about us, the TRUTH about our histories and our perspective of how we see the world, and the REAL BEAUTY that is Black Beauty. These are the positives of globalization; an example of this is how American culture and American ideologies have permeated other countries: because we as Americans have SHARED parts of our lives via movies, story books, games, children’s toys, songs, holiday traditions, etc. (From the various cities in Europe, Africa, and Asia I have lived in or visited, I’ve been able to turn on the TV and find an American show/movie on. The power of sharing; the power of influence!) So why can’t we focus on doing more of this with Black culture?
In many cases, we don’t want white people rapping and winning hip hop music awards or hip hop magazine spots, yet we don’t want our music to be called “Urban” because we feel doing so labels us as the “Other” or the “Outsider.” We don’t want major department stores carrying our clothes (i.e. clothes with African-inspired fabrics such as ankara or kente cloth), yet we don’t like when their fashion collections are completely Euro-centric and devoid of African-inspired-anything. These are just a few examples; I can go on and on.
If we continue to live this contradiction, we’ll find ourselves 20, 30, 50 years down the line, still arguing about who is and who is not allowed into the Black People’s Club, who is and is not Black enough.
That’s not positive. And it doesn’t help us as a people move forward. In this day and age no one can take something away from you if you fight for it (and the fight may not be easy, but that’s were perseverance comes in).
And fighting for it does NOT mean only talking about it (nor does it mean being physical about it). It means being about it; it means making sure that we are at the FOREFRONT of the evolution of having Black Culture touch the lives of other people outside of the Black community. It means staying true to who we are and forging the bridge between “Us” and “Them.” Sharing doesn’t mean “wiping us out” and it certainly doesn’t have to mean “stealing from us.” Not if we don’t allow it!
Whew, I wrote a novel. My bad, ya’ll! Lol
Honestly, don’t care. White people don’t deserve this much attention.
Its cute. It doesn’t bother me.
I don’t understand… It’s just a hairstyle she created, just look black vloggers create new styles all of the time. .with all the real issues out there that we can get upset and blow up over this is not one of them.. her hair looks great, it becomes her.. most importantly she likes it and that’s all that matters.. stop making mountains out of mole hills!!!
She didn’t “create” that hairstyle, she copied it.
She very well could have created the technique. I remember doing this to myself back in the 80s, well before I could have seen anyone else on a Youtube video do it. It’s not rocket science. But that’s also why she shouldn’t be getting this much attention one way or the other.
Y’all are too sensitive. Haba!
Tell them! Haven’t black people been trying to copy white hair for decades?
by choice or forced assimilation? i was told to straighten my hair or be fired when i was in college. am i trying to copy white hair? bishhhh please. read.
Absolutely not.
Like I said no. No one buys white hair. Now that pretty indian hair is a different story lol
I KNOW RIGHT?!!?!?!?!?
black women are the FIRST to emulate ERRBODY’s hair, but when ERRBODY’s down for the cause,…. NOOOOOO!!! GET YO OWN SH*T why you ridin ours?
Haba now!
Well, I don’t sense ill intentions in this video. I think she just wanted to try something different and fun for her. She just probably didn’t take into consideration the possible backlash she might receive. I think she probably saw someone with an afro and thought I wish my hair could do that, let’s figure out how I can get my hair to do that.
On another note…I have never seen this technique she used before. I like it, I think I’ll try it to define my coils. Plus it doesn’t look uncomfortable to sleep in.
Does she really need an intention to do her hair ? I mean she found the style beautiful and she did it ? Why make it a controversy ? How about white or indian women raising controverses about the fact we perm, relax, wear wigs, lace fronts etc etc to have our hair like theirs ? We are prompt to condamne mainstream vision of nappy hair is ugly…we have an example of someone outside of the community embracing our hair and we make a fuss about it…the black community will never be happy, will always feel as a victim of slavery, a product of colonization, just a subculture in a mainstream one…I am the first to affirm we need to debate identity, aesthetiscs issue but this vlogger should be supported not criticised…
The entire time I’ve been natural white women have asked me how to get their hair like mine. I think it’s a compliment. I never knew what to say because I didn’t know they could imitate it without a perm of some sort so that video was cool. I don’t see why anyone would be offended by this.
Heck, I’ve actually had a white woman jokingly ask me to trade my hair for hers. I was like, nah! Lol.
We have a culture where a majority of our women have straightened their hair, worn light contacts, completely changed out voices for work, bleached out skin or insta-bleached with ridiculous IG filters, when it comes to appearances we’re in no position to whine about cultural appropriation. Every other Blsck girl on IG refers to hersekf as a China doll. Talk about throwing rocks from a glass house.
No one knows her true intention of posting this video. She may live in an area where curly hair is very popular. She may have an adopted sister and want to help her love her curly hair. We can’t jump to conclusion of her intentions. When the afro was popular, straight haired people wore afros, also. They wore it to show support. The afro then was of a different meaning, which is the reason for the fade out. People can be so critical and negative. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I’ll start by saying I’m a white girl who follows this blog, because I think natural hair is beautiful and I want to better understand how my black friends deal with this important topic. I have learned so much! Strangely, I’ve been waiting for a post like this. I’ve been wondering what the reaction would be if a white girl chose a natural hair style. I think white women feel differently about their hair in general than black women. I don’t want to speak for all white women, but I think for the most part hair is our accessory. Our heritage or other symbolism about our hair isn’t what we think about. But like black women, we fret about our hair all the time, battling conventional beauty standards that are thrust upon us, hating our curls or hating our stick straight hair. The struggle is still there, but with different origins.
I also give this vlogger the benefit is the doubt. I think she is trying to recreate something she feels is beautiful. I think if mal intent is read into her video and she receives condemning comments it only further deepens the racial divide. I’m thankful for this blog post posing a thoughtful discussion on the topic with a goal for better understanding all around. In the end, we want the freedom to be beautiful. Eskimohair is simply trying to do just that.
Jaclyn, you sound like a beautiful person with a beautiful soul!
Sure thing Becky. Has anybody told you that you need a perm because of your hair? Have men turned you down and say, “I dont date girls with nappy hair.”??? Have you ever been told to straighten your hair so that you will get a job? Have you ever gone to a hair salon to have a hairdresser turn you down because they dont deal with nappy hair? I guess not. Those are what Black women go through with their nappy hair, please do not compare our struggles because honestly, they are very different. Also, there are multiple different Black hair types from 4c to beyond not all of Black hair is curly, shows how much you know……bye bye Becky.
With the name-calling alone, you took away any credibility you may have had.
Maybe you should do something about your bitterness.
No she is correct, Becky is the name
Please look up the definition of the word “correct.” Let’s turn the tables and have me comment on something. Would it be correct for someone to come behind and respond to me as “Shaniqua?”
I don’t understand why people can’t just express a reasoned opinion in a mature and straight forward way. Simply saying that the struggle, while there, is nowhere near as difficult or intrusive for white women as it is for black women would have sufficed.
If you’ve been reading this website like you claim you have then you should already know that our struggles are not the same. No one should have to explain this to you and certainly no one is obligated to cater to your feelings. It seems like you don’t understand that this is supposed to be a safe space for Black women. Please take your entitled ass somewhere. Your opinion is not needed.
Please read what I wrote. What are you talking about? Where did I make claims about reading the site? And where did I say our struggles were the same? In fact, I said the EXACT opposite. “Nowhere near as difficult or intrusive for white women as it is for black women.” I completely agree with what she was saying, but said that the tone and name-calling was completely unnecessary. It takes away from the important message.
Please improve your reading skills, but feel free to stick around (not that you or I have a say in who reads this site).
Why is she bitter exactly? Everything she’s saying is correct. White women aren’t condemned for having straight or curly hair unlike black women who get so much shit for daring to wear their hair in it’s natural state. We’re getting forced out of jobs and the army and children are getting suspended from school because their hair is too “distracting”. Pretty sure white women don’t have to deal with that. Your only concerns are keeping up with conventional beauty standards. Our concerns are trying to keep a job. Christ, the amount of privilege you have to come to a site exclusively for Black women and their hair and compare struggles as if it’s the same is disgusting. A white woman’s “struggle” with her hair is nowhere near the same as a Black woman’s struggle. Ugh why are you even on this site?
I’m not really sure if you think I’m white. Your comments are unclear. But, I’m about as far from white as you can get.
I get to worry about my hair at my job (even not one of my white bosses or co-workers has ever cared). I also get to go home for the holidays and have family members tell me my natural hair is the wrong texture. Or I get to meet relatives who tell me my skin color is too dark. So, yeah, I get the struggle. But, I’ve matured enough to not let it become bitterness. When my aunt mocks my hair, I give her a reasoned argument as to why she’s wrong and why did thinks the way she does. I don’t do it with names. I don’t put her down and I move on.
I’m just sad that a person with great points, had to muddy them up by throwing around a names.
To answer your question, I’m here to learn to take care of my 4C hair. That is all.
Thank you. I stopped reading after she/he/it referred to Jaclyn as ‘Becky’. She/he/it does sound kinda bitter, huh? If that person went through all the struggles they listed then that’s their personal problem. But name calling and taking their frustration out on commenters trying to give a different perspective is so immature.
Wow! Why are you so upset? She did state that black women hair issue is different from white women hair issues,” I think white women feel differently about their hair in general than black women.” I think she just wanted to highlight that inspite of those differences there are some commonalities.
Why is your opinion even needed?
I get the impression from your post that you’re a white girl with a black boyfriend/partner & or mixed-race child, with strong desires to be more black, in order to emulate what you admire/envy about black women. You don’t (or can’t) truly appreciate what it’s like to experience rejection as a black woman/person but you’re hanging around the people and want some of the more enjoyable experiences – like having a black man. Just a guess. I’ve had so many white ‘friends’ with similar spoken and unspoken aspirations as this.
I don’t why people are reacting this way to your post. I don’t think they fully readnit ’cause there’s nothing in your comment that was offensive.
honestly, what is the point of all these “controversial” articles? I am a teenager and I used to love this website for the hair features and the great info. now all you guys are focus on are the page views and ad clicks and brushing over the real issues. if you are going to try and copy a Jouelzy type of convo, at least be real about why you are starting up these convos (tea sips).
In our nearly 7 year history, we have always discussed controversial issues. Click on the ‘controversial topics’ tag you’ll see more than 100 articles dating back several years: https://bglh-marketplace.com/category/controversial-topics/
Our tagline on FB is ‘beauty, culture and natural hair’. We’ve always discussed the broader natural hair culture, in addition to featuring women and providing hair care and styling information. Also, our cultural pieces aren’t always controversial. In this past week alone we’ve discussed afro-Brazilian women using carnival to promote natural hair, and dollmakers who make black, natural-haired dolls.
I do agree it has become pretty dominate on your site and often pointless. Still a fan but just offering honest feedback.
yes, obviously, but what is the point of having this conversation? the woman is not trying to barge her way into the community and show off like waterlily. do you want us to attack this woman? that is what I don’t understand. this is not helping anyone or furthering us as a community. this is a cheap swipe at some youtuber to cause some “controversy.” By watching her video and spreading her around, you are being COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
I enjoy your controversial articles as much as the next naturalista but as of late they haven’t been used to further the community. they have been used to turn to focus away from the BGLH making mistakes, such as with the white boyfriend/kitchen article. when I say controversial articles, I am talking about the ones tagged “controversial” by the staff.
Agree with the last paragraph. I still value this site alot, it’s been greatly informative over the years.
Chi – While yes, some of the articles may not be of use to you, they are to the other people commenting on the article. If you don’t like it, then move on. I am a bit tired of people berating BGLH for having “click-bait” — I’m sorry, how many stupid ass things do you click on because someone put it on your facebook feed? This is how the internet works, something has to pay for Leila and her husband to have a home and raise their child and honestly I would rather my clicks (seemingly “controversial” or not) go to supporting this BLACK owned site by this BLACK woman. Or what you tryna pay for BGLH, Facebook, Instagram, youtube or Tumblr??
Even if I don’t like an article I’m still adding to the pageviews that will help BGLH sell to advertisers because I don’t mind supporting my own.
Also, where were you saying good job on the articles that BGLH mentioned (meechy, brazil etc.)?? I too am a long time reader and haven’t seen you. It’s soooo easy to criticize!
The only thing is it’s not really controversial is it. Not if thousands more black people are culturally appropriating White hair, and then you have this one white woman who is doing a style. It’ll blow out straight again in the wind anyway no doubt. These topics are really immature.
Actually it is considered controversial. Of course it’s easy to see why you’d come to such an erroneous conclusion since the premise on which you base your conclusion is wrong. You seem to have your definitions confused.
First of all, women who relax their hair aren’t culturally appropriating anything. Straightening your hair in order to more appeal to the dominant culture is not appropriation it’s assimilation. Your misuse of the word completely negates the power differential which is extremely important when discussing what is and is not appropriation. People who use elements of cultures that they are not a part of (without giving credit at that) are appropriating. People who change themselves in order to appear to be more like the dominant culture are assimilating. It is not the same thing.
Having straightened that out (pardon the pun) you then go on to claim that this is one white woman doing a style. It’s not really one white woman. There are many white women who have been using the language of the natural hair movement. A good number of white women have been creating their own you tube pages teaching other women techniques based on what black natural-haired women have been doing. Which would be fine if they actually acknowledged it. They do not even going so far as to change the names of things like calling Bantu knots twisty buns. This is a problem given the number of black women who are disrespected and otherwise maltreated for doing the same styles that these white women will appropriate for their own use and have the same dominant culture praise them for their “edginess”
That said, I think I don’t know if this particular style is going to be a thing. If it does become a thing, and we start hearing praise for these white women whilst black women are still having employers and others give them a hard time about their hair, then yes there’s a problem.