Questions that are Taboo on Hair Boards, Part V

[Amber]

Brand new shiny thread! 

[jazzi]

Has blogging, video and photo, made hair web communities obsolete?

[LadyLibra]

Has blogging, video and photo, made hair web communities obsolete?

Hmmm, I don't think so.  You don't get that... well... sense of community with just blogs/vids/pics on Fotki.  You get information, or someone to admire, or whatever.  But I believe people are generally social creatures, and are drawn more to hair boards because you get that sense of belonging to a group that you can identify with.

[JustKiya]

No, not at all.

[nappy_crown]

Has blogging, video and photo, made hair web communities obsolete?

Not in my opinion.  I think blogs/fotki/youtube are more like suplemental material to the hair boards.  Most bloggers (myself included) blog about what has worked for them...but as we all know everything doesn't work for everyone.  For me, I like reading what other people are doing...which usually sparks an "ah ha" moment for me.  Not to mention, there can be a sense of community and familial support that makes the boards great.

[jazzi]

I think blogs/fotki/youtube are more like suplemental material to the hair boards. 

That's a good way of thinking of it.  Personally, I believe the "hands on" experience you get from blogs is great and in some ways can be superior to the hair boards.  People seem to open up and give us more of themselves on a blog vs the hair board.  There's no fear of saying the "wrong" thing, pissing anyone off, feeling obligated to like, use, or do certain things.  There's a sense of honesty and you get a more personal view with the vblogs, picture blogs.  That's not to say that  hair messageboards are obsolete, but vblogs/picture blogs, to me, seem to be like new hair board...and each person has her own.  I think it's a good thing.

[lisa6]

I like the dialogue that takes place on hair boards. Someone has a question, issue, or topic and they may get like 10 responses from people of varying hair experiences.  The other media forms, while they be more personal, are like one-sided conversations (unless you post comments/questions). My daily internet time is limited, so I'd rather frequent 1 or 2 web communities than try to keep up with all the blogs/fotkis/vids. I do go to them for more specific info, but I have never combed through a single blog/fotki/YTube channel just to check it out. I know there are some good ones out there, as nappy_crown alluded to. IMO, blogs and YTube are superior to fotki (pics don't tell me nothin'), but not superior to web communities.

[Ghost]

Why are so many natural women so happy when a man of the Caucasian persuasion compliments their hair? And why does said compliment turn into a "Black men hate natural hair" post or "White men prefer natural hair"? Like really every brother in the world dislikes your natural hair? That shi* reeks of insecurity and hypocrisy- these are the same women who say the majority of black women are subscribing to a Eurocentric state of mind/white man's view of beauty but then they their happy ass*s  on the web to gush about the white boy who said their hair brought out their beautiful african features. Sigh- I'm done. 

[jazzi]

Why are so many natural women so happy when a man of the Caucasian persuasion compliments their hair? And why does said compliment turn into a "Black men hate natural hair" post or "White men prefer natural hair"? Like really every brother in the world dislikes your natural hair? That shi* reeks of insecurity and hypocrisy- these are the same women who say the majority of black women are subscribing to a Eurocentric state of mind/white man's view of beauty but then they their happy ass*s  on the web to gush about the white boy who said their hair brought out their beautiful african features. Sigh- I'm done. 

Oh that's easy...b/c lots of people of color look to White people for validation.  You could be told you're beautiful by Black men on a daily basis, but it only registers when you're told by a White person...doesn't even have to be a man.  As much as people like to front, the cold truth is 150 years after slavery, we're still looking for massa's approval.

and the whole Black men don't like natural hair is a bunch of BS.  Every Black man I know appreciates a Black woman wearing her own hair in it's true form...the only Black men that have something stupid to say on the subject are your typical dumb ass niggas.  Real Black Men are not niggas.

[afrodominicana]

I totally agree with Jazzi!

[jeamaria]

Why are so many natural women so happy when a man of the Caucasian persuasion compliments their hair? And why does said compliment turn into a "Black men hate natural hair" post or "White men prefer natural hair"? Like really every brother in the world dislikes your natural hair? That shi* reeks of insecurity and hypocrisy- these are the same women who say the majority of black women are subscribing to a Eurocentric state of mind/white man's view of beauty but then they their happy ass*s  on the web to gush about the white boy who said their hair brought out their beautiful african features. Sigh- I'm done. 

I wonder if you've been on the same site I just came off of.  How these women can be simple enough to think one or two guys gushing over their hair signals that the people that taught her to hate her hair are suddenly in love with it I will never understand.

I think it's also a wafer thin excuse by some women that want to date interracially but are insecure about it and feel like they have to justify it somehow.

Oh that's easy...b/c lots of people of color look to White people for validation.  You could be told you're beautiful by Black men on a daily basis, but it only registers when you're told by a White person...doesn't even have to be a man.  As much as people like to front, the cold truth is 150 years after slavery, we're still looking for massa's approval.

I didn't even think of it from this angle at first- more in terms of adopting alien standards and trying unrealistically to apply those standards to themselves. But looking at it,  the craving for approval is exactly what it is. It's the same type of mentality that has people untrusting of people of their same race in places of authority or say, consider certain trends "too ghetto" until some Hollywood blonde gives them the A-OK.

and the whole Black men don't like natural hair is a bunch of BS.  Every Black man I know appreciates a Black woman wearing her own hair in it's true form...the only Black men that have something stupid to say on the subject are your typical dumb ass niggas.  Real Black Men are not niggas.

 

[nappy_crown]

i see ya'll been over on the other side...lol.  I couldn't even type a response to that mess.  It never stops amazing me how fucked up in the head slavery has made black folks.

[LadyLibra]

and the whole Black men don't like natural hair is a bunch of BS.  Every Black man I know appreciates a Black woman wearing her own hair in it's true form...the only Black men that have something stupid to say on the subject are your typical dumb ass niggas.  Real Black Men are not niggas.

This does kinda make me wonder about something...

In my area, a lot of black people refer to unkempt hair as "nappy."  But, even with the smaller amount of natural heads in this city, I don't see much hair-hate for natural 4a/4b women.  I could be way off-base, but the few I know who are natural don't seem to have issues with black men dogging their hair and not finding them attractive.  The worst I've heard is, men not liking a particular style the hair is in at the time.

Again, not saying this applies across the country, or even into the next neighboring city.  Just something your quote made me think about, Jazzi...

[siditty]

Oh that's easy...b/c lots of people of color look to White people for validation.  You could be told you're beautiful by Black men on a daily basis, but it only registers when you're told by a White person...doesn't even have to be a man.  As much as people like to front, the cold truth is 150 years after slavery, we're still looking for massa's approval.

and the whole Black men don't like natural hair is a bunch of BS.  Every Black man I know appreciates a Black woman wearing her own hair in it's true form...the only Black men that have something stupid to say on the subject are your typical dumb ass niggas.  Real Black Men are not niggas.

Wow I am going to step in here and say not everyone has the same experiences. When I went natural in 1999, there wasn't a lot of acceptance period.  Blacks women and men would both ask me when I was going to get my hair done, or if I decided to flat iron tell me they were glad someone had a "come to jesus" with me about all that wild hair.  I wore my hair in a bun or ponytail, so it wasn't wild, it just wasn't bone straight like perm allows. 

I will also say that in my experience white people were more receptive, my husband, then fiance (who is white) was the one who asked me why I kept relaxing my hair, and I never questioned why I straightened my hair until then, because all the black folks around me were rocking perm.  Times have changed dramatically since 10 years ago, but some of us did get the side eye from other black folks, not all but a lot.  My mother is still coming to terms with the fact I don't wear perm in my hair.   

No one is looking for massa's approval, but it is surprising to know sometimes that other races can appreciate natural hair, when in most cases we have always assumed different.  Not to say all white people love natural hair, that isn't the case, but the fact they are at times more appreciative of natural hair than other black people does leave some of us surprised and wondering.

PS  I'm no one's slave, and my husband is no one's master.  Congregating with whites does not make one hate themselves or other black people. Nor does it allow us to pretend racism and the history that existed in this country for centuries does/did not exist.   

[yellagrlwithcurls]

Why is it some peoples response to everything is to try the CG method..