Image Map

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Yeah....you can touch my hair.....

Hello Lovelies!

Today, as the title suggests we are talking about hair. Specifically Black women's hair. Mine.

A few weeks ago this article came across my Yahoo daily news stories and of course I clicked it intrigued.

Basically a woman named Antonia Opiah, the founder of a site called un'ruly created an exhibit in a New York city park where black women held signs up saying ' You can touch my hair.' Here is a video.



I found this all so interesting for many reasons. My hair.....is such a huge part of me. Its one of my most defining features. When my friends describe me to people, something about my hair is inevitably in the description. Also, black women have a long standing love hate relationship with our hair. Society and media show us that long, flowing, straight (ish) hair is the pinnacle of beauty. Just look at any hair care commercial. Most black women DO NOT have hair that looks like that. So we torture ourselves with heat styling, chemical straightening, weaves, ect. One interesting thing to note however, is that White women have been doing the same things to their hair for years, but have only recently become more....open about it shall we say.

My natural hair after 45 minutes with a flat iron...

Many black women will tell you NO, you may not touch my hair. Black men are trained that when in a romantic situation with a black girl you do not, for any reason touch her hair. I never felt this way. My black friends will tell you its because I'm not a 'real' black girl, but that is a post for another day. Black men that I dated would oooh and ahh and touch the curls, or run their fingers through it endlessly when it was straight.

Crazy curls!

Its not just black people that respond to my hair though. People come up behind me at work and fluff it when its curly. One white guy I dated used to pull the curls over and over to watch them bounce back up. In fact, most of the white guys I've dated prefer it wild and curly. I get endless questions, because I'm usually the only black person around, about how long it takes to do my hair....and if I wear it straight after a long stint of curly if its all mine. (The answer is yes, no weaves here.)

Yep that's all mine...down to  my belt.

That's why this exhibit was so interesting to me. People have always touched my hair. Most without asking. Whether it's curly, straight, long, short, braided or loose people always have their hands in it. Most of the time I don't mind. The time a girl in the library randomly ran her fingers through it looking for weave, I'll admit I was a little annoyed.

That time I had a curly faux hawk

I'm curious. What are your thoughts about hair? Are there questions you've ever wanted to ask a black girl? (Please do because I love it!) What are your hair hang ups?

whoot....three times in one week..... Follow my blog with Bloglovin

10 comments:

Nicole said...

I looooove your hair curly. It's so beautiful! My hair is naturally wavy & frizzy & pretty unruly so I use a flat iron all the time. & damage the hell out of it. But like you said, the media always show us images of long & straight hair. Anyways...your hair is gorgeous :)

Ashley said...

You have amazing hair!!

My girl friend has dreads and we've been friends for 20 years and I want to touch them but she's like most people and doesn't want people touching her hair haha.

The Queen said...

Well, unless you are a member of my family or my husband (only if he's not making fun of me), I would prefer you do not touch my hair. I wouldn't do that to a white woman why does ANYONE think that black women are OPIN SEASIN for hair touching????

I'm beginning to embrace my natural texture and chemical free (except for color - because the gray has got ta go)and as I begin this journey it is very interesting.

Hair is a THANG and no matter what our texture, curl, kink - we need to become at peace with it.

I say this as I attempt to rock a twist out.

Let me know if anyone tries to touch your hair again and I'll smack 'em....

Nikki Mitchell said...

I can be honest and say that I wear a weave. I'm not ashamed because a large amount of people do. I am in awe of how awesome your hair is and they are crazy to think there is any weave in there. I personally do not like people touching my hair and that was even when I wore my hair natural! But that exhibit was an interesting concept.

XOXO

Helene said...

that idea to touch their hair is so interesting!! i seriously love your hair!

Hannah said...

Your hair is so beautiful curly. It looks great. Do you use any specific kind of products to keep it frizz free?

Thanks for sharing!

Hannah from I am a lifestyle blog

Unknown said...

Browsing your blog (when I should be doing homework) to come across this post. I did my big chop over 2 and a half years ago. I've been rocking a mean afro and now more than ever I feel the most confident I have ever felt in my life. I don't mind the fact that people are fascinated by the fro and want to touch it. It's quite flattering! Society is still stuck in this straight hair equates to pretty hair - whatever!, not true.

I love your long luscious curls! LOVE LOVE LOVE! HopeI can grow my hair out all long and pretty one day!

Downtown Glamorous said...

Wow thanks for sharing! I have straight/semi curly hair. When my hair is natural (curly or straightened) I don't mind people touching my hair but if I have a weave I don't like it. I guess for me it's because I want my weave to appear "natural". Feeling tracks and braids is not natural lol.

I enjoyed the demonstration and her reflection on the 'movement' it was defintely thought provoking. Again, thanks for sharing. :)

XX Brytani Sierra

Kylie said...

I absolutely love the crazy curls! Totally wish my hair could do that.

Kylie said...

I absolutely love the crazy curls! I wish my hair could do that!