Hair and cultural appropriation

[vschanoes]

I'm doing a deep conditioning treatment right now (I have a very exciting and glamorous life), so of course my fancy turns to thoughts of hair.

I have very, very curly hair.  For those of you who know from the general curly categorizations, it's 3B with some 3C thrown in and some 3A in the front.  But mostly 3B.  For the rest of humanity--i.e.

Comments

[p_zeitgeist]

As you perhaps know, I'm way way over on the Clueless Geek spectrum for this, so I may not be the best person to weigh in. But it seems to me that adopting another culture's solution to an issue you actually have is a far cry from cultural appropriation for giggles. I don't have a good analogy for this, because being a black American woman isn't an experience that's like other experiences I have

[pantryslut]

This reminds me about the moment I found out that French braids and cornrows are the mirror image of each other (one is underhand and one is overhand, I don't know which is which though). The different cultural freight attached to each, though -- oh, oh, oh.

But with that in mind, it seems to me that there must be some protective styles along the French braid arc that aren't (too) appropriative, if that works for you.

[vschanoes]

Problem there is my congenital anti-deftness. I've never been able to do French braids. Ever. Part of the glory of twists is that they require less co-ordination and physical dexterity. I'm always keeping an eye out for good protective styles, though.

[pantryslut]

Understood. There's a reason I don't know which is underhand and which is overhand, so I am sympathetic.

[pickledginger]

Somehow, I do not see "oh, thank ***! here is a style that will work for my hair!" as being in the same class as super-straight-haired-girl's "and if I fill my hair with glue, I can be cool like [insert musician here]."

Also, there is a European cultural tradition of such hairstyles, anyway. Though I think a lot of the appeal a few centuries back may have lain in the ostentation: making Flemish hair do that, say, takes effort.

[pickledginger]

Coconut oil is fantastic. I add a little tea tree oil to mine, when applying it externally.

(Slightly wavy, very dry.)

[vschanoes]

I use tea tree oil too!

[pickledginger]

Seriously, I don't think twists / plaits carry quite the same baggage. I have never seen them advocated as symbols of Black Pride -- unlike the Afro; then cornrow braids; and more recently, puffs -- so it ought to be OK.

I used them years back, when I had a very bad perm (and the henna ... oh, dear), and never was hassled at all, despite living, working, & using public transit in low-income, mixed race neighborhoods

[green_knight]

The difference between the magazines, oil, and sleeping cap on the one hand and a black hairstyle on the other is that one happens in your home and anyone who sees your hairstyling products will know you well enough to either know about your hair already or bring it up. The hairstyle, on the other hand, is something that a stranger will glance at on the street, and they *don't* have the context.

I can't weigh the potential for offensiveness, but if you're _aware_ of the issue, you'll probably err on the side of caution.

[thedorkygirl]

Here's the thing -

If it protects your hair from damage and makes it easier for you, aren't you using it for the same reasons that black women use them?

If someone on the street sees you and judges you - well, good for them. They can go ahead and judge you all they want. If they say something, it's your decision as to whether you're ignore them or say, "It helps me contain my curls."

[vschanoes]

Well, the problem isn't that somebody might judge me; I don't mind that. But I do mind exacerbating the pain of racist oppression more than I have to.

[fjm]

Quite honestly? The way they may judge you, given your colouring, is as Not White.

My Dad was regularly subject to the N word as a kid. My sister looks Indian.