"Biracial" Rant

[morenae]

Ugh! I don't mean to stir a controversy with this post, but I am getting sick of all the YouTube videos, web posts and even product advertisements (i.e. Blended Beauty and Curls) that use the term "biracial hair". Or even the slightly politically correct "multi-ethnic" hair. Argh!

Heritage is "multi-ethnic", not hair! And maybe in layman's pseudoscience, DNA can be described as "biracial". Maybe.....But not hair! It makes me mad.

Just like "good hair" and "bad hair", I understand what the term "biracial hair" is supposed to imply (i.e. Rachel True or Tracee Ellis Ross curls), but what about the "biracial" folks that don't have that type of hair? Like Lenny Kravitz? Or don't have the "biracial" look....like Montel Williams. Or the so-called "black on both sides" folk who do?

(And why is the term "biracial" often reserved for black-white mixes? Would someone who is mixed Asian and European reach for a jar of Curls Milkshake? I can go on and on....)

Yes, for lack of better words, usage of these terms makes it easier for some consumers (i.e. 3c types) to identify products that will work for their hair. (In fact, it's the search term I used to use when looking for pictures of people with hair like mine back in the day when there was no Andre hair typing system.)

But I wish we could move on from having to use the terms to describe hair, because they are really based on stereotypes and assumptions about a group of people who are as diverse as the earth abounds.

*whew* Exhale.

[Daria Morgendorffer]

morenae, I totally feel you. Because I think the phrase "biracial hair" is thoroughly asinine I refuse to try products marketed for "biracial hair". Just say your products run the gamut of curly hair from big to itty bitty or your products are (supposedly) good for medium to small curls or whatever.


With that being said, some folks don't care what's on the bottle as long as whatever is inside the bottle works for their hair. It's not about an active believe in the stupid concept of "biracial" hair, it's just about wanting to look good. They can have at it if they want to (hell, I'm not buying their hair stuff for them  ) but I can't co-sign on anything that markets itself that way.

[Afrocurls]

The "biracial hair" thing is a turnoff for me too, even though I KNOW what they're trying to do. I've seen too many different hair types on too many different skin tones/racial backgrounds to buy into that concept. I think that's also why Teri changed her site name from biracialhair.org to tightlycurled.org or whatever it is. There's too much variation out here for that.

As much as I hear folks raving about Blended Beauty, I just can't buy it. I tried Mixed Chicks only because my mother purchased it for herself and it was in the shower and I was GLAD I didn't buy that mess. It was terrible.

What's wrong with "curly"? I think curly is very all encompassing and DUH, leads to more revenue. It just makes me wonder...how many customers have they potentially alienated with this "biracial hair" stuff? And how many customers could they have gained had they simply slapped "curly" on the label and let the customers decide if that includes them or not?

[jazzi]

OMG!  I agree with you 1000%!  That garbage is just code language for "good hair products..." and some women feel validated when they use these lines because in their minds, it confirms that they have it 

What's even more telling is lines like Devacurl, Ouidad, Jessicurl, Curly Hair Solutions, and others include all curl types for their products, even though you know they're targeted toward much looser textures.  Their taglines don't read "For Anglo-Haired Women."  Why do "our" lines feel the need to "specify" based on heritage?  Extremely telling.

[lsubabiedee]

 

[curlygem]

Y'all preach on!
 

[gmw]

 and the church said AMEN!
Yup!

[yellagrlwithcurls]

I must admit when I was younger I did say I had "mixed"  hair ( we don't tend to use the term Biracial in the UK) I guess my reasoning was the only other people I saw with hair like mine were other black and white mixed folks... and in my childish mind my dad has kinky hair mama's is fine and straight and I'm in the middle it made sense to me (back then) to say I had mixed hair..
Obviously the older I got and natural hair became more acceptable/ black people stopped relaxing as much and I realized that it wasn't only mixed folks who have hair like mine, I have seen some white people with tighter hair than mine like like I've seen black people with looser hair than mine.

I do agree that some lines and some people who buy them do think that 'biracial' is code for 'good'  as the adverts probably have someone with 3b/c hair.
 I have tried a lot of the lines aimed at 'biracial hair' none of them were that fantastic, I loved Blended beauty until they changed some things

[curlyfrazzledbutbeautiful]

I completely disagree. Why is it a problem for a company to market their products towards a certain group? Why is not offensive for company's to name their products African pride and  kinky-curly or to make products tailored to more textured hair?  I am mixed and I have had the problem of the "white"/"black" product categories and feel fortunate that after being ignored by mainstream marketing, that there is finally an interest in those of mixed heritage. I do not define my self as other, and I identify with black culture. But being mixed, I can say that their are similarities in curly biracial hair, just like their are similarities in individuals of pure black heritage. I am not saying that these similarities are mutually inclusive. We all know that one of the beautiful things about black people, is that we come in so many shades  and textures. Just because something is labeled as mixed doesn't mean that a person who isn't "mixed" cant use it.

 

The issue that seems to be an underlying component in all of the previous posts is the association of mixed hair with "good" hair. Its 2011, and it is time as a society that we move past this stupid notion.  The fact that so many black women have issues with product titles tailored to mixed hair, is not a reflection of  inclusion  practices by various companies (i.eblended beauty/mixed chicks), but the inferior notions that they hold about themselves.

[morenae]

I'm sorry. Which part of the original post did you disagree with? Your post is somewhat making  many of the same points we've expressed here. And at what point did someone use "offensive" or "problem"? Perhaps you missed the essence of the post and/or misread it as an attack on mixed folk. We're talking about HAIR.

As we as multi-racial/mutli-ethnic community strive to define ourselves, (or NOT define ourselves), let us not get it twisted - HAIR is an expression of DNA, period. Not race, culture, or geographic origin. The misunderstanding of this is what has many of us confused about how to care for our hair. 

Wouldn't it had been much easier for some of us to care for our hair if someone had said i.e., "your hair type is 3c, 3b, LOIS O, BB3, etc." in terms of the actual structure of the hair, instead of the "white race hair/black race hair" paradigm many of us grew up with? So, then how is the "biracial hair" paradigm helping anyone? Have not we progressed in our understanding of hair? It does not have a race - IT'S HAIR! This is the point we are making here.

Not only is the term "biracial hair" a misnomer, it represents a lack of understanding of genetics as it relates to hair. All "biracial" people do not share the same hair type, skin color, etc. Case in point are my sister and I. She's 4b and light-skinned. I'm 3c and dark-skinned. Keanu Reeves and Brandon Lee are "biracial". Do they have the same hair type as Cree Summer? Would a bottle of Blended Beauty Spiral Spritz work for them? And is Lenny Kravitz' curl pattern the same as Tatyana Ali or Chili? All "biracial" folks do not manifest their DNA in the same way. And what about many Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalians, Sudanese, and Kenyans who are regarded as "pure black African", and often have the 3b/3c hair patterns associated with so called "biracial" hair.

Isn't it an intellectual limitation to believe that all multiracial people look a certain way...or further, have to be a certain way? This is a key tenet of the multi-racial movement. As a fellow curly girl of mixed heritage, I know you hear us on this.

Just as hair is neither "good" or "bad", hair does not have a race. Thus, I stand by my original assertion, "....I wish we could move on from having to use the terms to describe hair, because they are really based on stereotypes and assumptions about a group of people who are as diverse as the earth abounds."

[NaturallyFulani]

 I totally agree with this post, Ive always wanted to try Mixed chics but for one, the price was a little too costly, and two; I figured maybe it would only be benefial for lighter skinned/mixed women with straighter hair. My hair is really fine, it has length and I am just now on a healthy hair growth journey but it will never be as coarse and thick as many of the women ive seen on youtube for 4a/4b women. I would normally refer to my hair as being 4a but not im realizing now that my hair is becoming really healthy with my consistent and dedicated hair care routine that its actually more of a 3c/4a and i am darkskin! Never woul I have thought my hair is extremely curly in the middle and the nape area...then its frizzy in the front but no where do I have straight hair and because its so soft and fine I never have issues with detangling because I dont even remember when the last time I ever had knots in my hair like many others Ive watched on youtube and so I would always skip the detangling videos. But most people wouldnt expect that to be the case for a darksin woman ad when i go out ppl ask am i mix with indian which saddensme.smh

[J-Skivv]

I never thought about it that way, but it makes sense. One, in essence, biracial shouldn't and doesn't mean African descent plus whatever else. I know plenty of biracial ppl who have not a lick of African descent in them. Second, it should be based on curl pattern. I am not biracial. Neither is my mom, but we both have what people would call "biracial" hair. It took me FOREVER to try mixed chicks because it was called mixed chicks. I thought there was no way it could work for me, but it does and I am not mixed. Its such a small minded way to look at hair.

There are so many issues with the hair care industry in general and this is just another example of that. Hopefully, as the world continues to melt and mix, our thoughts will enlighten as well.