by
Geniece
During my junior year of college, I approached my professor and discussed my interest in studying the rise of the natural hair community as a topic for my senior thesis. This professor was perplexed and gently directed me towards another area of study. I had no idea when I initially approached the professor in 2004, that the natural hair movement would explode over the next decade. Blogs, Youtube channels and a global network of women around the Diaspora* would play an important role in reclaiming the beauty of natural hair. Despite all of these advancements, I found it surprising that there still remains a lack of social science research on the natural hair movement. Although research that examines the complex perspectives and profound impact women of color have on representations of beauty and identity exists, it hasn’t been given the attention that it deserves. Why? I have a few guesses and I welcome your perspectives, whether you agree or disagree.
The Existing Conversation
The discussion about natural hair is typically framed around the general topic of tutorials. Books on natural hair primarily provide instruction on how to style, wash and care for the hair. When I first explored the idea of going natural in 2004, I found guidance in one such book, titled Plaited Glory by Lonnice Bonner. Other books such as The Science of Black Hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy and Marti Dumas, provide tutorial guidance as well as valuable information about how and why afro-textured hair responds to certain products. The books have done a lot in regards to helping women learn about their hair and therefore have made the transition to wearing natural hair easier. However, the question still remains: Why have women made the decision to wear their hair natural in such high numbers in such a brief a time? The answer might seem pretty pedestrian if you think about your own experience. You and those you know may have simply gotten tired of relaxers and felt wearing your hair in its natural state was a more practical option. While this may be true, I would argue that the speed with which thousands of women have embraced wearing natural hair and the response by hair companies (have you looked in “ethnic” aisle at Walgreens lately) qualifies the natural hair care movement as a social movement because of its international impact on culture and the beauty economy.
Why the Silence in Scholarship
There has been some academic research that documents the powerful impact of the natural hair movement over the last decade. However, the most popular work has been in the form of journalism that focuses on one or two aspects of the movement, such as the role of bloggers and vloggers. I would argue that one reason for the dearth of academic research on the issue is an unfortunate trend in social science that focuses on the problems faced by some groups, rather than their revolutionary successes. While I believe this is limiting, I think it also provides an opportunity for women of African descent across the Diaspora to control the message about a movement that we have created and will continue to sustain. In social science, women of color and specifically black women, are often studied in the position of an oppressed group. Case in point: I can barely go one week without reading a study or citation that discusses the high rate of single black women/black women with children born out of wedlock.
What about the significance of black women, who in the span of decade, have harnessed social media, created blogs, vlogs and hair products in order to self-educate and challenge a standard of beauty that reigned in our society for hundreds of years? The natural hair movement, I would argue, is much more than “just hair.” It is not just about individual style choices. Collectively, this movement demonstrates the ability of a so-called “oppressed” group to mobilize cultural, economic and technological resources to define their story and shape their movement. Therefore, the relative silence in academe is due to in part to the challenge of reconciling the empowerment of a group that has long been characterized as weak due to racism, sexism and classism.
The advantage of this is that we maintain ownership of this story and are in a position to frame the movement based on both our personal and communal experiences. As a social scientist, I know that if I ever endeavor to formerly document the impact of the natural hair movement, it will not be without the voices and perspectives of women from all walks of life and from different parts of the African Diaspora. While our stories are often framed by the media and co-opted by other groups, it is my sincere belief and desire, that this particular movement remains centered on the contributions and impact of women of African descent. If and when academic scholarship attempts to change that focus, “we” (I’m also pointing a finger at myself) should challenge the honesty and truth of that scholarship.
Do you view the “natural hair movement” as a broader social movement or is it simply just about hair preferences?
Do you agree or disagree with my conclusion that scholarship on natural hair should be focused on women of the Diaspora?
60 Responses
Natural hair movement can be a social movement, but the needs of Blacks are so far beyond the curls (and baldhead).
Original Beauty by Ayana Haaruun and Melodye Watson is the first academic paper turned book that highlights the rise of the natural hair blogging and vlogging among black women.
I’m so sorry, that’s just horrible. A research study about black women and our attitudes towards our hair and physical exercise would be interesting! People create surveys and projects on almost anything and everything–why not natural hair?
The natural hair movement has greatly affected me, I have learned so much that I never have before. Social media has probably fueled the movement beyond what it was. I didn’t have many black friends with natural hair as a teen, therefore I found my tips on youtube.
As for academia, maybe there are not as many black women in the academic fields that would write about natural hair? I am sort of an academic, but I’m in a stem field with a background in lit. 🙂
There are a few reasons why academia would choose to ignore the movement. Some disciplines (anthropology and sociology, perhaps even economics) may see the value in such a study. On one end there is the surface argument that being natural is not new and so is not a hot topic to study. The other is whether or not the natural movement is significant enough to warrant such serious attention? Further there is the very old and ugly truth that would have to be confronted. The historical placement of the black body and black beauty into subjugation and not worthy of this kind of attention. These kinds of very deep and dense studies are often turned away for serious academic consideration because they are problematic. They are unpopular because they contain the potential threat to upset the otherwise fuzzy status quo. It is easy to thread the line without resistance and to do otherwise would require some level of bravery. It is interesting how black pride is interpreted as opposition. The reality is that a real and true study of black hair would need to uncover the historical foundations of social, political and economic factors at the cross sections of race, class and commerce. It would have to delve into the creation of the black image and the origins of commerce that sought to change that image. It would ask piercing questions that could rip into a fragile social fabric. What is interesting to me is how similar the experiences of all women with very coily or curly hair actually are. Perhaps the historical experience is different but the socio political undertone is much the same. There are still many questions that remain unanswered. How would we tell this story? Every contribution whether positive or negative continues to expand the bounds of the discourse. Perhaps we need to start asking more questions. This history is in the making and we are writing it at an unprecedented pace.
Well, since I have yet to see a book written about this topic, why not get some ladies together and get to writing before some white person does? Self publishing is a real option today. If we want to be in control of the narrative about our personhood, we have to take the opportunity to do so.
I can attest to the fact that this is indeed an issue. When considering topics for my PhD dissertation, I approached a white female professor about the possibility to investigating the connection between black women’s hair and health issues in the black community (the fact that obesity is an major health concern for black women and a reluctance to ruin our hair is an impediment to exercise), and I was discouraged. The professor told me that would not be a “legitimate sociological area of inquiry”! How wrong was she?!!! Unfortunately, there are not enough black women in academia who serve as advisors on graduate degree theses and dissertations so the awareness (and interest) is miniscule. I suspect that this is changing quickly as natural hair has seen a boon unlike any other.
I think the movement is the result of many women coming into a higher level of consciousness: preferring to look more like “themselves”, being concerned about what chemicals are going into their hair, wanting to be an example of self-love for their daughters. Not that unnaturally straight haired women cannot and do not value themselves; there are many reasons we straighten our hair (economics/ to keep or get a job; time and convenience).
This research should focus on women of the diaspora; we are the ones who started it! At the same time, a big part of me doesn’t really care about what the academic snobs will look into; we can do our own research without their approval or recognition. To hell with them and what they deem scholarly.
omg! i would be the first one to sign up for a “history of afro textured hair” class!
Hey, This is an interesting and debatable topic. I think it deserves its place in African American studies too. Black hair does have history and I think alot of women don’t realize the real reason behind the aversion for their hair/texture because they don’t know the story about the European standard of beauty teachings that were passed down from generations. I read a timeline on “Thirstyroots” called “Black hair history” about two or three years ago and I was impressed. I think I was 16 and I’m 18 now so it deserves a place in the class so women can know the aversion for their hair. I also think Black british studies deserves a place in AA studies too. Most people, especially English people still believe they (Black british citizens) were not living in England during the medieval times. I’m off topic so I’ll stop there. Here’s an idea, how about some of you start a club during school like lunch and name it “Black hair history” or “African American roots” club. That’d be something.
The old addage..power in numbers here is what it is. WE ARE A POWERFUL group. They don’t want to celebrate that. That will in turn debase EVERYTHING they’ve taught from generations on.
We don’t need the recognition. We are making waves using technology and we will CONTINUE TO PROGRESS!
EMBRACE HOW GOD CREATED YOU!
Also, just wanted to say that research takes time and funding! It’s really expensive to do a Diasporic approach justice. Further, if you care about where and who publishes your work (for career and tenure purposes) you are most likely trying to convincing groups who see no importance in talking about black hair that the work is worth printing and sharing. Of course there are more topical journals that would be more likely to publish, but they are usually less highly ranked This is probably one reason why there are so few academic publications and so many blogs/journalistic pieces. It takes very creative framing for proposals and articles to be successful. Hopefully after some time navigating through academic red tape we will see more scholarly work!
I actually feel that academia has assisted me by both educating me and allowing me to take the first step towards social change and the acceptance of natural hair from a scholarly perspective.
In the 90’s I came across a book in one of the newly developed courses for African American culture in a Philadelphia University (sorry but the name of the book escapes me) which educated me on how sodium hydroxide, lye (the base of chemical relaxers) was found to alter the texture of African hair. It stated that slaves had had their heads pushed into vats of lye as a “form of punishment” and when their heads emerged and they began to suffer burns from the chemicals, they noticed that the state of their hair was altered. I am so sorry that I do not remember the name of the book for citation purposes, but the thought that we took a form of punishment placed upon our ancestors and now support it as a billion dollar industry horrified me. I went natural within the year of reading that book and have been natural since. As an undergraduate, I did a presentation on social change, using natural hair as a topic and a paper on colorism, which suggested the linkage between colorism and hair texture. I am fortunate to have had the support of my professors for both of these projects and I need to emphasize that neither of them were Black, so when I provided a proposal in which I had to explain the history, culture and theory to gain acceptance, they understood that this was an area of concern.
I will say that with research, the goal is to identify new forms of intervention, which is why it is easier to note a form of pathology. How do we disseminate natural hair care? Is it a choice, a necessity, our birthright? Is relaxed hair a form of pathology? With the many women that I look up, who have relaxed hair, i.e. our beautiful First Lady, Michelle Obama, how do I openly create a scholarly project which takes a critical look at those who do not wear natural hair? I hypothesis that self-hate is part of the equation so you can see where this would lead if I pursue this. I would love to conduct a scholarly project on this subject, but to do so would lead me to criticizing our First Lady, Beyonce (who deserves a highly critical view) and many others. Also, what is the intervention to this pathology, and yes, this is my belief?
The biggest issues with tackling natural hair on a scholarly level are the formation of arguments and the intervention required. The former and the latter bring criticism upon our sisters, at least from my perspective, so this delicate issues needs to be considered and formulated in a way that provides education and understanding of a ‘learned behavior’ placed upon us. This argument can also be developed fully with colorism, the value system of aesthetics and in other creative ways which I have begun to identify. It is already suggested in scholarly literature regarding colorism and I predict that this as a scholarly issue will be very large in the future. I hope that the issue is driven by Black female scholars!
I agree with you Geniece!
This post is somewhat broad and I’m not quite sure what the specifics are of what the author would like to see in an academic study.
To answer the question I think the “natural hair movement” is more about preferences. Woman who want to wear there natural texture are and women who want relaxer are doing just that. And to be honest, I haven’t seen much of an impact in society as a whole. I still see relaxed women on tv and/or a racially mixed woman with bouncy curls…same as always. However, I will say that communities of naturals and meet-ups have formed, and I think that deserves some recognition but I’ve yet to see an impact on greater society.
What would the academic study be about if it were to occur? The internet and social media would be accounted for simply because its the 21 century and to not include it would be an indictment on the whole project.
I feel contradictory…I feel like we’ve made our hair a bigger subject than it should be. We’re still holding on to Black Girls over obsessed with their hair and particularly having long hair. And to contrast that feeling, it’s sad because in 2014 a Black girls wearing there natural hair is such a big deal. And to contrast even more, I think its great because some Black woman are no longer putting harsh chemicals into their body…I have many feelings.
I went natural in between 2005/2006 and I did it because I read about what relaxers really where and what they were doing to my hair, scalp, body. It did not fit into my natural chemical-free lifestyle change. So natural it was… cheap and easy…and I made it even cheaper and easier by having dreadlocks.
@Sophi when you decide to research an area the first thing is to find the area then work out some questions – this explains why the author of the article mentioned a broad area.
Also not everyone you see with type 3 curls in adverts is mixed raced. Only if you know/have met Black men and women with hair like that personally do you realise that there is variation in Black hair like with skin colour.
In regards to not seeing an impact in society as a whole have you been to your local Black Beauty supply store recently? Have a look at the products they are selling.
Have you read the stories about girls not being allowed in school with natural hair? Why are these stories making the news if natural hair has no impact on society?
Perhaps this can help. In the morning session one of the speakers talks about how hard it was to get her professors to agree to her writing an academic paper about black hair. Perhaps this is an issue many other academics have.
https://africana.sas.upenn.edu/…/politics-black-womens-hair-symposium- friday-march-1-2013
?
Perhaps this can help you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2nxiQGpN0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9mKy5fMKzI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrHoFhWUgsw
https://africana.sas.upenn.edu/…/politics-black-womens-hair-symposium- friday-march-1-2013
?
I don’t think you should have let your professor steer you away from doing your thesis on the subject. You should have done it anyway. This is why certain things never get done, because people aren’t strong enough to follow their hearts and minds!!!!! You could have taught your professor a thing or two about something they don’t know about!!!!!!!!
When professors steer people away from a subject they either do it because:
1. The subject has been before but badly, or
2. They are fed up of the same thing being rehashed again.
When you choose a subject for a thesis you need to do some proper background research into it then you really need to narrow the question down. So those concentrating on bloggers and vloggers have done this.
I believe that hair is a broad subject and it can be explored in African American studies, women’s studies, sociology, anthropology etc. The real dilemma for a potential is probably the lack of scholarly research available to conduct research.
It was a good article. As far a academics…we have a long way to go, but there are books, blogs, vloggs.about it…mainly I am intrigued about the history of natural hair and why we started straightening and relaxing our hair in the first place (society and acceptance). It was and it much more than hair to me. I personally went through a mental, physical, and spiritual transformation…long story. It is always more much more than hair…for most women or for me. It is accepting ourselves and falling in love with ourselves and not be dictated by what society say we should be. It always will be much more than just hair! 🙂
What the author seems to have missed is the fact that wearing natural hair is really not all that new. Even the discussions about afro hair in the workplace are old news. It happened back in the day. People forget, new generations are born unaware of the past & so history keeps repeating itself. I wore an afro in the 60’s-1981 when they first came out, then I got a curly perm for years before going
natural again in 2009. Afros became so popular back in those days that anyone who had curly hair….black or white…. grew one. In college, lots of Jewish kids on campus grew what they called “Jewfros”. Look at old pics of the Jackson 5, Soul Train,etc. People in the afro era age groups are now in their late 40s – 70s. I’m in that age group & many mature women have returned to the afro in the form of the TWA. One thing I have noticed that is fueling the natural hair movement ,is the fact that many of these women are losing their hair like mad after a lifetime of lye based relaxers. I ‘ve met several who are almost completely bald & about 3 who have scarring alopecia from perms. Some are urging their daughters & grand daughters to go natural. Today’s natural movement is just history repeating itself on a much grander scale. There are more products,black hair care companies, better communication via internet & social media, & a greater awareness of the damage caused by relaxers. I remember some of the aforementioned books about our hair,but there are many more now with more updated information. I have the hair books “better Than Good Hair” by Curly Nikki & “The Science of Black Hair” by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy. There are others.too. Personally I feel that today’s natural hair movement should be included in any & all discussions,books,articles,etc about our culture but we would do better to put more emphasis on producing more black doctors,scientists, lawyers,business people, & increasing our participation in areas where we are unbderrepresented . People like the brilliant astrophysicist Neil De Grasse Tyson who starred in the wonderful show Cosmos & the ballerina Misty Copeland who was ABC news Person of the Week yesterday. Both encountered racism, ( or as Tyson said in an interview “resistance”) while pursuing their chosen “not typically black” careers.
My 10 year old son just finished reading about Neil de Grasse Tyson lured by a cover with him looking at stars in the sky. He enjoyed it!
I don’t know. It sounds as though you weren’t too sure about your topic and as a result weren’t able to give much information about what you wanted to research and why.
For example, I would imagine that if you’d said something about comparing and contrasting the socio-political natural hair movement of the 1970s with the natural hair movement of the 2000s, that it might have stirred interest.
I have always find that academia lags profoundly when it comes to covering, studying and adapting to new phenomena. That could be part of the reason, but maybe others feel otherwise…
I have always found***
I always find the typos after I post. =/
My first thought upon reading this, after having spent much of the last decade in academia: Considering how many black female graduate students and faculty were natural long before this latest “movement” came along, maybe it’s already been covered/considered old news?
My second thought: There’s a book by Noliwe Rooks called Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture and African American Women. It’s actually on Google Books now (just checked). I believe it was her PhD dissertation but I could be wrong. It goes into the history of not just black beauty culture, but the ways in which advertising affected how black women saw themselves over time. It came out in 1996, which was 4-5 years after Lonnice Bonner’s first (non-academic) book, Good Hair, came out. Another quick dive into Google Books brought up Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women’s Consciousness. That one was written by Ingrid Banks and it was published in 2000. And just for the record I have to mention bell hooks’ Black Looks: Race and Representation, which came out in 1992.
My point: There’s quite a bit of academic scholarship already out here around black hair culture and its role in larger cultural systems. However, I think a credible thesis focusing on what’s been going on **in the last 10 years** would by necessity have to be tied to the Internet and its role in worldwide communication (piggybacking on Agatha’s comment above about this thing not just being about African-American women). IMO it would also have to go into the economics of the black hair industry and include the entire supply chain.
I’ve gotten all the degrees I intend to get in this lifetime, lol. Someone who wants to take this on can have it…assuming there aren’t already multiple others who have done/are doing it…
Yes, I notice natural hair has always been popular amongst black academics on the whole. Certainly black female authors, to name a few examples. Part of the uniform almost!
I have to agree with LBell’s first thought about this – it’s probably been covered.
I’m from the UK and noticed long ago that Black women who were in certain professions, where in the upper reaches of their profession or where academics were more likely to have natural hair than others long before this current wave of natural hair “movement”.
So a Black women in a specialist professional role would be more likely to have natural hair than a receptionist in the same business, and women like social workers who worked in a majority Black department would more likely have natural hair than those who didn’t. (TWAs and braids tended to be the most common hair styles followed by locs.)
In fact I remember it being an issue in the 90’s with one of my friends’ parents who look term fostered children about what they could/couldn’t allow to happen to any Black foster daughters’ hair.
So any new research would either have to focus on the changing economics in the hair industry due to the decrease in the use of chemical straightening, and/or the role of the internet in changing Black women’s perception on natural hair.
For a student project just looking at the internets role would be easier unless you had access to some hair product suppliers/manufactuers as you need to limit the project’s scope. It would be easier to limit it to your own peer group and if possible get the views of some of their mothers/grandmothers who were around in the 60s/70s.
Research exists but when compared to other issues experienced by black women, I’m surprised at how limited the research is. Work by bell hooks, Patricia Hill-Collins, etc. explores the black female body through a womanist/feminist lens but I do wonder about the focus on the movement as a global economic source of transformation (like you reference). For example, I think the intersection of natural hair and social media as a means of disseminating information/economic wealth among women is a book within itself. For a movement that has generated millions upon millions of dollars the research is relatively lacking.
Yes! I also think it’s interesting that there seems to be a lack of scholarship on the natural hair community’s role in other, broader social movements such as the ongoing wave of anti consumerism. There’s plenty of social research about the growing trend towards self-sufficiency, but I haven’t seen any focused on natural hair.
I am a PhD student and just wrote a paper on this exactly! The only recent work on this topic is a book by Elizabeth Johnson (2013) Resistance and Empowerment in Black Women’s Hair Styling. She does not talk about natural hair as a movement but does address the recent importance of blogs and how race affects the production hegemonic/counter hegemonic displays of beauty. Would love to talk to anyone further about this! Just came back from Europe to talk to Black women overseas. Hopefully I’ll be the one to fill this gap! I’m glad to see this topic on BGLH!
Hi Chelsea,
Regarding your comment:
“Would love to talk to anyone further about this! Just came back from Europe to talk to Black women overseas. Hopefully I’ll be the one to fill this gap!”
I’m a graduate student and I would love to co-author a research project with you on natural hair. Please see my post below. My name links to my site where I can be reached.
Because wearing your hair the way it grows out of your head is not a movement.
Clearly your not an individual of color because if you were you’d be able to understand that a movement isn’t necessarily to motivate anything/anyone but to establish and show case the spotlight on what already is the true authentic presence of the subject matter… So please STFU and go educate yourself Or better yet Stay the _______ off this site!!!!!
Is it possible to respond to a comment without being so rued. To some black women it’s not a movement. You people (read nutty natural fascists) should rest please. JEEZ!!!!
Is it possible to respond to a comment without being so rude. To some black women it’s not a movement. You people (read nutty natural fascists) should rest please. JEEZ!!!!
I agree. I’m a woman of color who’s transitioning to natural hair. I’m not on a journey. I’m not part of a movement. I’m just doing something different with my hair. I love being black and I’m proud of being black. Wearing my hair in a way that is convenient, flattering and also happens to be how it grows out of my head doesn’t make me any prouder of being black. I’m not making a statement. I think it’s sad that black women have allowed something so superficial to become something life altering.
Hopefully soon enough you’ll realize or learn that you don’t have to declare your actions to be part of a movement for it to be just that. Rosa Parks didn’t set out to start the Civil Rights Movement when she sat defiantly on a bus seat. She was just physically and mentally tired. Just because it wasn’t her intent to start or join something doesn’t make it any less of a catalyst. You may be “just doing something different” with you’re hair, but you’re one of MILLIONS deciding to do the same “something different” with their hair at the same time. That, coupled with the history and imagery of black hair (which predates your existence and your decisions/opinions on hair care) in this country and abroad, make that very “simple” choice of yours part of a movement. You don’t have to march to be part of the collective.
I was gonna do this for my research project for Caribbean Studies, my teacher discouraged me from doing it not because he didn’t believe it was a good topic but because the word limit wouldn’t allow me to fully encompass the entire issue. SO I just did something on natural disaster sigh
The natural hair movement and its incursion in academic studies is important for ALL Africans, not only african americas. And yes, African americans have a unique journey, but so do the Afro-Brazilians, The haitians, etc. Every people of the diaspora have their unique journey. Focusing the natural hair movement uniquely on African Americas, or Assimilating it to be more related to African Americans than other Africans is denying our cultural resemblance and pluralism both at the same time. Furthermore, it reflects the American culture of individualism.
BGLH is an American based blog and for some reason the Black people from other countries don’t want to accept that. You keep saying “What about us! What about us!”. Personally, I feel like they do a fine job of featuring Black people from around the world but that is my American perspective and to be quite frank, American culture is not generally about focusing on the going ons internationally with anyone. Since we have so many diverse cultural experiences here in just the Black community they have more than enough to focus on.
I’m not stating whether it is right or wrong, it is just a reality. I think BGLH has their hands full representing Americans and if you are looking for more information on Black people around the world you should look elsewhere or make your own which would be great and I’m sure very interesting. But why insist on trying to fit a square peg in a round hole?
This blog is not denying you anything. They are focusing their subject which all good blogs do. They can’t be everything for everyone and apparently don’t want to be and most importantly don’t need to be.
Umm…what?
Isn’t Leila, the founder of BGLH, originally from Jamaica? Isn’t Geniece, the writer of the article, originally the Caribbean as well? Please get your facts right before you try and perpetuate that this website is supposed to be focused on African-Americans only. There are Blacks all over the world, not just in America, hence the title “Black Girl Long Hair”, not “African-American Girl Long Hair.” I’m really not trying to be snarky here. It just annoys me when some Blacks (American, African, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Asian, etc) try to push other Blacks out of something (not just hair) that we all have in common simply because we don’t share the same geographical location. Stop trying to promote division in a space that is clearly geared towards unity and prosperity for ALL Black women and girls worldwide.
Under their contact page https://bglh-marketplace.com/about/contact/
It says “BGLH is based in Chicago, Illinois”. And I never said it is supposed to be focused ONLY on African-Americans. In fact I said “Personally, I feel like they do a fine job of featuring Black people from around the world…”
Nothing in this article made me think it was ignoring the validity of other Black people around the world. It was merely focused on America because this is an American based blog and that’s what I was trying to explain to that comment. The perspective of the writers are American because they live here and one of the great things about America (and other places as well) is that we get people from around the world living here so they have perspectives that are influenced by that as well.
I think the comment that made it seem like the article was dismissing other cultures was divisive and ignoring the reality of the blog. Unity does not mean being forced to include perspectives they don’t have. I think BGLH is sensitive and does a fine job of showcasing cultures around the world when they can but no matter what it will have an American perspective which is not a bad thing. Imagine if I went to a African focused blog and started asking them to focus more on Black Americans. That would make no sense and not just for the fact that their are plenty of Black American blogs but for the fact that I should appreciate the context of the blog being African because that is what the writers know.
You’ve completely missed the mark with all your comments, and you most certainly did imply several times that this website is (or should be) focused on Black Americans. I urge you to go back and re-read what you wrote.
Your example of going over to an African blog and expecting them to be inclusive of an American experience does not make any sense in the context of what we’re talking about here.
I think you keep missing the point that this website is not limited to Black Americans, despite the fact that its base/HQ is in America. (I’m assuming) Leila currently lives in Chicago, so of course that would be her base, but that does not mean that the website’s FOCUS is automatically American.
Of course her perspective would come from an American outlook, because that’s where she lives, but her outlook (and those of quite a few other writers on here) is not solely American because they’ve had experiences while living in other parts of the world that paralleled their experiences in America as far as natural hair (and the connotations attached to it) is concerned.
By your logic, if Leila decided to move back to Jamaica and switched her American web host(s)/server(s) to a Jamaican one so that it’s Jamaican-based, that would now mean that the website would automatically switch gears and focus primarily on a Jamaican perspective as well. I highly doubt that would be the case regardless of where her/the website’s base is in the world. It wouldn’t matter if she upped and went to frickin’ Antarctica and listed that as her base, it would still be BGLH, not AGLH.
Again, the audience and focus of this website (as it pertains to natural hair and the cultural significance of wearing it) is Black women all over the world, because it is something ALL Black women and girls have in common, regardless of where they live.
I sincerely hope you have a better understanding of what I’m trying to convey.
It maybe an American based blog but definitely one person who writes for it lives in a couple of European countries, and other Black people who are featured on it live all around the world.
In regards to to trying to compare with an “African” based blog you are displaying the culture imperalism other posters have complained about.
Africa is the second biggest continent in the world (bigger than North America) and is made up of 55 recognised countries. Each of these countries is made up of different groups with their own cultures and traditions.
So which country in Africa are you talking about and which group of people in that country?
Exactly….it is our hair that unifies us. i follow youtubers from Africa,France, England, and everywhere. I feel so connected…one of the reasons I obtained a DNA test. After looking at all those beautuful nigerian and ghana beauties…I had to know what part of Africa my ancestry came from in my family. Its more than just hair…its understanding that the struggle cuts across the African diaspora. The history of blacks didnt just start in the United States, but has a beginning that is rich and full which connects us all.
@#Adoesofreality “you most certainly did imply several times that this website is (or should be) focused on Black Americans”
Um, yes…that is part of my point. Though it is not a question of “should” so much as a reality based on who is writing a majority of the posts; Americans. My issue is that people are coming here acting like that is a problem and that every article needs to be worded in such a way that includes a worldly Black perspective which I think is nearly impossible unless they are professional, well educated sociologist and anthropologist and lets be real that person isn’t go to write for cheap or free for a site like this.
Here is what BGLH says their blog is about:
“Black Girl with Long Hair is a website dedicated to the ever-growing community of black and bi-racial women who choose to wear their hair naturally — with no use of chemicals and minimal use of heat, weave or extensions.”
It never mentions focusing on everyone in the world or cultural significance etc. That doesn’t mean that doesn’t happen from time to time but I think it is foolhardy to expect a small pool of mostly American women to be able to represent ALL BLACK COMMUNITIES. They write about what they know and it is working. They are very popular. I think is disrespectful to the writer to suggest they write differently because you don’t personally connect with this piece. My question is “why is that a problem”. This article didn’t grab you because it felt too American focused to you. First of all that shouldn’t be a problem, every article isn’t for everyone. Secondly your comments are not proactive or helpful in anyway. You are telling a group of successful Black women how to do their job. They should write exactly like they write because that is their voice (they happen to have American voices) and it works. If you are looking for something else either do it yourself, do the work and submit a article to BGLH and/or find a new blog or start a new blog focused on your interests.
I don’t like every article they post on here but I would never ever imply it should be written differently. It’s absolutely pointless and shows a lack of critical thinking and constructive criticism.
Smh. You keep missing the point. If you still can’t understand what I and some of the other posters are saying, then let’s just agree to disagree and leave it at that.
@#Adoseofreality If you refuse to actually acknowledge my point then there is no reason to continue to engage with you. But agreeing to disagree is not only a waste of a statement and total cope out in any discussion but it doesn’t even make sense in this situation because it isn’t clear if we disagree as you haven’t acknowledged any of my points.
If you can’t handle the discussion that’s fine but don’t try to have some last word with a meaningless statement that doesn’t reflect the debate at hand. That’s a lazy and dismissive tactic.
Take a quick scroll through this blog and you will find tons of references to Africa by various writers.
Hair styles like our African ancestors, hair care products like our African ancestors, clothes like our African ancestors, ad nauseum, ad infinitum.
However, all of that is discussed only in so much as it applies to black Americans and their consumption of black African culture. In short: people want to identify with Africa, but don’t actually care to learn about the experiences of their African sisters.
Your post neatly sums up the crux of the problem that non-American black readers have with blog. It’s a bit silly to spend 90% of your time talking about your identification with a place/culture/society and then to get annoyed when members of those groups voice their opinions.
I’m not going to pretend to know all the ends and outs of the relationships between Africans and Black Americans. I know there is some sordid history and I’ve definitely read it through comments here and experienced it in person. Some Africans seem slighted when Black Americans talk about their identification with Africa. I’m not saying that Africans shouldn’t feel that way but I do feel that something is very misguided and misplaced when that feeling translates into assuming a American based blog (see https://bglh-marketplace.com/about/contact/) with a majority of American writers are going talk about the African perspective in every post. They aren’t African and if they talk about Africa they are going to talk about it through their American perspective for better or worse. I think this just becomes a question of expectations. Why would you expect it to be different?
This is reminding me of the “debate” about having white women featured on this site. BGLH said they wanted this space to be focused on Black women and there shouldn’t be an issue with that just like there shouldn’t be an issue that it is mostly focused through the perspective of Americans because most of the writers are American. I wouldn’t begrudge a blog with African writers focusing on Africa and their African perspective. And just because they have an American perspective on hair does not mean they are denying other Black people around the world owning their own cultural perspective on the topic.
My point is I think instead of taking issue with it and trying to force them to focus on something they don’t have a full perspective on, create your own blog or be proactive and ask to contribute to this blog. The comments to me, are utterly pointless and just come off argumentative and belittling to the writers who work hard on their articles. The complaints aren’t constructive or helpful. It would be great if the African commenters or Black people around the world would comment about their experience instead of complaining and trying to force a writer who doesn’t know that perspective to writer about it. You would find out how much work it takes to write thoughtfully about your experience instead of complaining and dismissing the writers work.
Again, you’ve hit upon the core issue without having much understanding of why it’s the core issue.
It’s not about feeling “slighted.” No one feels slighted because black Americans express a feeling of identification with black Africans. The issue is (again) when black Americans continuously talk about their affinity with Africa with absolutely no understanding/interest in the experiences of African and non-Americans of African descent. It’s like meta cultural appropriation, really.
The difference with the white women featured on the blog is that no one on here is talking about having hair like their white ancestors, no one is talking about using the oils of their white ancestors, no one is posting photos in the traditional clothing of their white ancestors.
What I see non-Americans of African descent saying is “that may be your reality, but it is not universal.” Why would expect people to be welcoming to that? Well, this blog does seem to promote the ideals of learning and personal growth. As a result, I would expect people who read and contribute to this blog to take that to heart, to open their minds, and to try to understand that that a larger world exists
@Candace the core issue for me is that people are trying to dictate what writers write about and I think that is not only inappropriate but disrespectful to the writer who is putting their time and work into their piece. I also think there is a problem with people not being okay that this blog has an American perspective. Being okay and at peace with that should be a part of said personal growth.
Commenters should feel free to write about their experience in regards to this topic but to put the writer on blast for not recognizing Africans is unnecessary and does nothing to educate people about the African experience. Talk about the experience not how the experience is not being acknowledged.
The reason I mentioned commenters feeling slighted is because that is one of the reasons I could see them trying to artistically strong arm a writer, that or they don’t have a respect or appreciation for writing.
Many of these thoughts can be communicated thoughtfully without trying to tell the writer to do this or that to make their piece “better”. I still hold true to the point about these being American perspectives and their not being anything wrong with that. No matter how much they read or learn they will still have an American perspective and that shouldn’t be a problem. Just like all of the African commenters have their perspective. Overall, many of the commenters making these finger wagging and accusatory comments need to learn to communicate their experience while remaining respectful to other commenters and writers which isn’t happening as evidenced by the following line and many others:
“Again, you’ve hit upon the core issue without having much understanding of why it’s the core issue.” – why are you trying to put someone down to support your argument? It’s rude and doesn’t support your point.
I agree. As someone living outside the US I can’t help thinking with a sigh, this is a bit reflective of the negative appearance given out on occasion that Americans are still steeped in that super-power mentality that asserts they’re the centre of the world and therefore such matters start and end with them. I’m sure not all think this way (God I hope not!) but that’s the impression many outside the US have. My plea is ‘Please don’t perpetrate it USA….Agatha makes a very valid point’. Cheers.
Great point! I think it is important to understand the perspectives of individuals across the Diaspora, while recognizing that there may be some differences. For example, I think the embrace of the “natural hair movement” has been a more rapid in the U.S. than in some of other places and there are interesting historical and cultural reasons for those changes.
@O I’m using the language the other commenter used (Agatha: “important for ALL Africans”). I tend to agree about clumping African countries together (people don’t tend to do that with Europe) but it’s not the main focus of my point.
I’ll pose a question for you that is in line with the point I’m trying to make “Why is it a problem that a blog with mostly American writers to focus their writing from their American perspective?
It’s because social scientists rather focus on Black pathology than successes. It’s simply as that. People rather love reading about what’s wrong with Black communities than about any positive changes. I call it “Black pathological porn.”
I think the natural hair movement definitely has a place in African American Studies departments. Making it a diaspora wide focus is important, but like many things I think African Americans have a unique journey that doesn’t necessarily mirror all countries.