Sunday, November 8, 2009

It's The Hair?

Kristin said - (T)here was NO WAY I was sweating out my perm."

- Blacks are three times more likely to drown. Many Blacks don't swim for fear of ruining their hair style?
- Black women are more likely to suffer from diseases caused by being obese. Many Black women don't wish to sweat out a good perm?
- Many Black women waste resources (time and money) on getting perms and weaves.

Odd... I knew Sampson's strength rested in his hair,
but I never knew the Black woman's weaknesses rested in their fake or processed hair.

4 comments:

doll said...

I don't swim because of my hair. Very unusual in this environment so I keep very quiet about it.


But not being able to swim stems from childhood. Maybe it is the lack of community resources dedicated to providing pools and affordable swim lessons. My kids, along with the majority of others in this wide open land, had swim lessons from babyhood until they revolted at 10 (embarrassed by the girls I expect).

Kristin said...

UBJ, Fake and processed hair are learned behaviors and with all bad behaviors you have to unlearn them which, takes a considerable amount of time and investment. I would like to state I see absolutely no problem with women who wear their hair processed or in weaves the problem arises when hair keeps us from doing something whatever that something may be.

I see women in the gym with perms and weaves but they are not regulars like the women who wear naturals. It takes time but I see more and more women beginning to embrace their natural hair and that makes me feel good to see other women who are willing to step out and challenge societal norms.

As far as the pesto my problem was always sweets, eating out and a sedentary lifestyle.

uglyblackjohn said...

@ doll - I swim because we had a pool in our back yard. The pool led to swim lessons, and lessons to swim teams.

@ Kristin - Personally, I hate weaves and permed hair. I like the smell of freshly washed hair and neither of these practices encourage daily washing. Since one's head sweats with physical activity, neither is condusive to an active lifestyle.

But if a woman is more concerned with looking as though she is healthy, instead of actually being healthy, that's her choice.
If she feels better with dirty pressed or weaved (woven?) hair... that's her choice too.
But if that choice hinders her ability to live a long and healthy life, it would seem to be a poor choice.

(Oh, I was just reminding you of the hidden fat/calories in many "healthy" meals. Since moving down South. I have to be more mindful of my diet.)

KST said...

Huh, I've never had issues with hair and water. I have that interesting brand of wash and wear hair that black women have hated on me for my entire life. I'm lazy with it and hate highly stylized, processed, hard-ass, non-moving, shiny, hard as a rock hair. There I said it. I've often been told I'm not black enough because I don't wear my hair like a black girl. Whatever.

I know plenty of white girls who don't wash their hair everyday because it dries it out. To each his own.

And I have no excuse for not being able to swim. That is, if you don't count the Superman doppleganger working as a lifeguard in the pool in Atlanta who promised my eight year old trusting little self he wouldn't let me go and then let me sink like a rock at which point I just knew I was going to die...