Hair,Hairstyles and Discrimination

[Sylph]

Now, as some of us know, I've planned on getting dreadlocks for a while and have recently( almost 2 months now) been so, but I wanna talk about something with my dears and queers. In regards to hair types, hairstyles and the stigma/discrimination people have against them and why.

First of all, being in a predominantly Afro-Carribean community/culture, hair styles are very important to us, though not to say it isn't for other nationalities/cultures, I'm just going from my experience. Such as women getting their hair relaxed to emulate straight hair and men getting braids, and as such, we require frequent maintenance (like poodles <3 ), and so that's why I believe we as a whole tend to be more judgemental in regards to hair care and style, because we are so religiously maintained.

But to say that to say this; Dreadlocks are often seen as a gross, smelly tangley mess of hair in rope form, and this is usually by non-black people, but even some black people too, and that to me, is because black people tend to have the hairstyle more often then other ethnicities, so there's a better level of education on them within our culture.

I think I answered my question but, why do you think people judge people with dreadlocks, a lot more than other "black" hairstyles? Is it because of the association with the Rastafarian movement? or Ganja(Marajuana)?

To me, I believe it's similar to how people believe or thought women with short hair are/lesbians.

Or men with long hair are fags.

I can say from personal experience, alot of black boys/guys especially think men, especially white men, with long hair are fags or are girly, because they don't know any better, what with how our hair grows. That's no excuse to discriminate, but if you see mommy with her hair all straightened and have only seen girls/women with their hair relaxed, then that becomes a "girl" thing and so boys associate long hair with girls. Even my own brother made fun of my long hair(I have mixed hair) when it came past my shoulders and mistook me once for a girl from far-away and even now makes fun of my dreadlocks, because they are long.

So I have to wonder where all this discrimination comes from, other than from mis-information or lack of education, because to me, hair is hair and we all have it and can grow it to whatever length, regardless of gender.

And I hate the "White peoples Hair/Black peoples Hair" thing, to say White people hair means straight and Black peoples hair means "nigga-knots" or coarse, because Indians have straight hair too and Jewish people have coarse hair as well. There's no set mode for hair

[Mirage]

If you're happy with yourself and you like how you look, then go for it! Fuck the haters


I know what you mean though about people basing their opinions of people on physical traits like hair style. I wear my hair long and I've gotten the "is that a woman or a man?" line from ignorant fools more than once before :eyeroll:

Be happy with what you like and go for it I say.

[Sylph]

If you're happy with yourself and you like how you look, then go for it! Fuck the haters


I know what you mean though about people basing their opinions of people on physical traits like hair style. I wear my hair long and I've gotten the "is that a woman or a man?" line from ignorant fools more than once before :eyeroll:

Be happy with what you like and go for it I say.

I completely agree. I just want to know why sometimes, because it's okay if they have their opinions, but when for instance, you have dreadlocks and your supremely overqualified for an office job or the like, you are turned away because of the dreadlocks. Which really sucks for Rastafarians, since they are a part of their religion, which I view as unfair.

I love the hairstyle, it's quite freeing (ironically, since it's really locking lol), but I'm tired of being asked if I smoke Mary J or if I wash them or not. -.-

[Pix]

At least in the United States it's internalized racism (it does also get associated with Rastafarians, yet it's not an anti-pot thing as many kids who look down on it also smoke pot), much like the brown paper bag test which hasn't yet died out (though my BFF, who has been judged "too dark" by other blacks has said it's possible to be "too light" as well). It's possible that such internalized racism has been adopted in the Caribbean as well, because I see Catholic candles for sale to people of Hispanic origins which show Jesus as white (even blond), and if they accept God as a white man then they may have internalized other unfortunate colonial attitudes as well that linger to this day, and if it's reached places like Mexico & South America then maybe it's infected the Caribbean as well.

I think whites don't dislike it as much as the black community tends to (though Jamaicans have a bad rep in some places), though they can come down on white kids who do it as many white kids with dreads tend to be pretentiously annoying (and just generally "trying too hard").

Btw, I once rejected some white anarchists because of their pride in being filthy. At first, I admired their willingness to refuse to support the corporations that they didn't agree with, but then they also refused solar showers and the fairly easy "hippie crafts" in making and cleaning one's own clothes and making one's own soap. This was compounded--and inspired laughter that made them leave me--when I found that one maintained his dreadlocks with Dread Head, a corporate product. I TRIED to tell him how he could get dreadlocks without a corporate product, but I was laughing too hard, and they left me angrily, one of them calling me a "bur-goiz" bitch. Being stoned at the time, I didn't point out that I, as a 17-year-old runaway that was given sanctuary by something of a holdover hippie and her anarchist and survivalist friends, was hardly bourgeois. Instead, I laughed even harder, yelling, "The word is French and it's pronounced Burzjwah! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!"

They left me and after what I saw them do in Los Angeles (as they shamelessly shared their embarrassment online seeming to be proud of themselves) I was glad I hadn't gone with them (not sure who was more idiotic, them or the LAPD).

[Sylph]

At least in the United States it's internalized racism (it does also get associated with Rastafarians, yet it's not an anti-pot thing as many kids who look down on it also smoke pot), much like the brown paper bag test which hasn't yet died out (though my BFF, who has been judged "too dark" by other blacks has said it's possible to be "too light" as well). It's possible that such internalized racism has been adopted in the Caribbean as well, because I see Catholic candles for sale to people of Hispanic origins which show Jesus as white (even blond), and if they accept God as a white man then they may have internalized other unfortunate colonial attitudes as well that linger to this day, and if it's reached places like Mexico & South America then maybe it's infected the Caribbean as well.

Omgosh I so agree with you, because a lot of Christian people with Dreadlocks who live here often state that god has Dreadlocks, so that made sense about the Catholic white god for Hispanics. Also, because I am what we call here a Brownie or a High-Yella, someone of very fair complexion for being black(even though I'm mixed), I often get either get judgement because I am light skinned trying to "be black" or praise that I am exotic because of my colour and hair texture, so I can also agree with your previous statement.

I think whites don't dislike it as much as the black community tends to (though Jamaicans have a bad rep in some places), though they can come down on white kids who do it as many white kids with dreads tend to be pretentiously annoying (and just generally "trying too hard").

I can agree and disagree, because like I said earlier, black people tend to judge harsher, especially within ourselves, because we are so regimented with our hair, so there is judgement from blacks in regards to dreadlocks, but I think that white people do tend to do it more, because they don't wear the style as often and don't have the same level of education or understanding about them as black people do. Although, blacks were not and still aren't the only race to have worn them, as many ancient Greeks, Sumerians, Egyptians,Africans and other cultures wore them as a sign of strength and nobility in some cultures and is only now made popular by blacks, Jamaicans in particular. And I think black people, or people in general, come down harder on white people who get dreads, because dreadlocks are seen as a "black thing", even though as I stated above, it really isn't and even some Jamaicans accept it, because they view it as branching their culture out.

Btw, I once rejected some white anarchists because of their pride in being filthy. At first, I admired their willingness to refuse to support the corporations that they didn't agree with, but then they also refused solar showers and the fairly easy "hippie crafts" in making and cleaning one's own clothes and making one's own soap. This was compounded--and inspired laughter that made them leave me--when I found that one maintained his dreadlocks with Dread Head, a corporate product. I TRIED to tell him how he could get dreadlocks without a corporate product, but I was laughing too hard, and they left me angrily, one of them calling me a "bur-goiz" bitch. Being stoned at the time, I didn't point out that I, as a 17-year-old runaway that was given sanctuary by something of a holdover hippie and her anarchist and survivalist friends, was hardly bourgeois. Instead, I laughed even harder, yelling, "The word is French and it's pronounced Burzjwah! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!"

They left me and after what I saw them do in Los Angeles (as they shamelessly shared their embarrassment online seeming to be proud of themselves) I was glad I hadn't gone with them (not sure who was more idiotic, them or the LAPD).

That sounds...interesting Pixie. I personally couldn't survive without my hygiene products, but atleast you gained something from that situation.

And as usual. You always give a nice response that makes my brain do backflips with educated joy .

[Wade]

I live in a hippy dippy little college town, so I see a lot of dread locks, and it's almost always white guys. Because they're so common I came up with a little game. You know that game "Slug Bug" in which if you see a volkwagen beetle you're supposed to punch your friend on the arm? Well the game I invented is called "Dreadlock Headlock." You can probably figure out the rules.

[jimcrackcorn]

I think Dreadlocks are sexy. In my mind, it says your wild, free, adventurous, and self assured.

[partisan]

Its nothing wrong with it of course. Its the person underneath, and if somebody wants to be quick to judge that's there problem (really) I think occasionally I'd like long hair, but after a certain lentgh it gets unmanageable. What bugs me is guys with long hair who constantly flicking it about there face, and staring moodily out from under it like some angst ridden teenager (even though there 25!)

[LateBloomer]

Do you like Shakespeare?



This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes...-self-true

[Sylph]

I think Dreadlocks are sexy. In my mind, it says your wild, free, adventurous, and self assured.

Yes, this is true, why thank y- oh you were speaking generally... How awkward :p. They are sexy though. I feel like everyone should try growing them, it's very liberating in a sense.

Its nothing wrong with it of course. Its the person underneath, and if somebody wants to be quick to judge that's there problem (really) I think occasionally I'd like long hair, but after a certain lentgh it gets unmanageable. What bugs me is guys with long hair who constantly flicking it about there face, and staring moodily out from under it like some angst ridden teenager (even though there 25!)

I agree, like how most people think dreads equate to foul odors, when that's only for some people who don't keep their biz smelling cute and not every person with locs.

But that's the fun part of long hair! I like to jump in the air or turn around fast, so that my dreads go flying , just cause it's fun. Although, some guys do take it to the extreme and a friend of mine who is white and has hair to his elbows, is always twirling it on his fingers or doing "the flick" as I call it. But that's up to them I suppose :-3.

Do you like Shakespeare?



This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes...-self-true

Do I ever love me some Shakespeare gurl, he just is so on point. And I agree with this whole heartedly. This has been my motto for years, just put more eloquently <3.