Being Natural in the South

The South (well even tho I live near Miami) isn't very accepting of much that is outside of what is considered "the norm", aka following the script. I moved here from up north, and at one job I had a girl say that the way I dressed/acted/wear my hair was because I used to live up north. This heffer had the nerve to say that to me being 300 lbs and wearing clothes 5 sizes too small for her, but I was the one who looked funny..lol [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I live in Alabama and the city where I live you hardly ever see any natural women. When I told some of my friends I was going natural they would say, "What's wrong with you", "Why do you want to do that," "What are you going to do with your hair get dreds," "You must be going through something". I wanted to scream at them [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] !!!! People fear what they do not understand. Education is the key. Most people see natural hair as nappy, unattractive, and unmanegeable which is totally not the case. We can do sooo much with our hair. Luckily I have one friend who is natural and she has helped me along the way.

It's very interesting to see so many different perspectives even from the same city. I am in the Atlanta area and it seems that several of my close friends all decided to go natural spontaneously without even really discussing it with each other. I teach in a high school and there are four natural teachers on my hall alone. We have tons of little natural chicas roaming the hallways too. I love trading techniques with my co workers and students. It is very refreshing.

I also think the disapproval can be more generational. Some of my older friends didn't quite understand my decision to go natural. But really ya'll, I was wasting money. I burned so easily my hair never got straight with a relaxer and was only "texturized." I figured if my hair is going to revert to a curly poof anyway I might as well stop pouring money down the drain and get these curls the honest way! LoL.

Oh Lawd Juice and berries, there are 2 natural salons in Houston? Where are they?? I only know Uncle Funky's Daughter. Where is the other one.. LOL I need to find it., ASAP!!

The comments I always received when i first cut off all my hair were.. "gurl, you are so brave", "I will never do that". Now it doesnt bother me.

Like i mentioned before all my black male friends say that they like my hair straight, or think this is a phase. However, men from other races always approach me now so who figure.

im free and i keep it moving..

Remember were are in the land of lace front Beyonce wanna be's and Sun Shops...

People will catch on eventually.

LOL

Many blessings.

I live in Oklahoma (which some people consider a Southern state and others don't... but I digress) and to be completely honest, if I ever hear even slightly negative comments from people about my hair... they are typically black! Most of my friends are white (or some other race other than black) and they have all been extremely supportive. Actually, my closest friends had been telling me for years that I should go natural.
My husband happens to be white, and he was alway curious about what my "real" hair looked like while I was relaxed. He understood that my hair wasn't naturally straight, and he wanted to see what it looked like! The only thing he didn't like after I got my B.C. is the length. He is used to me having long hair. Oh, and he doesn't like when I wear fro-hawks! Lol. He's a big fan of my puffs... even when I was relaxed he always preferred my hair pulled back in a pony. Haha.
Anyway, my family members have been less than supportive. Well, I take that back. The BLACK WOMEN in my family have been less than supportive. My daddy LOVES my hair. My brothers teased me a bit and said I looked like one of them now, but when one of my brothers saw me rocking twists he said that maybe he would like to grow his hair out. Lol! My step-mother is white and she LOVES my hair as well. But, my momma... she's not a fan. She makes comments like, "Oh, I just can't believe you let your hair go all the way 'back home'." The family members I have that are of a different race (either mixed or white... I'm not bi-racial or anything, but my family is multicultural. Confusing, I know!) have been super supportive of my decision. I wonder why that is?
Lol. I say, it's whatever. I love my hair and I feel that I look so much better and I FEEL so much better about myself. Besides, my husband and I have a curly-haired little boy and (his daddy has stick straight hair, no wave or curl whatsoever, so our son's hair is like an equal blend of the two), I want him to see me embracing my natural hair so he will know it is okay to love his own! My son tells me almost everyday that he likes my "pretty curly" hair! LOL.

MicaiahTy wrote:Oh Lawd Juice and berries, there are 2 natural salons in Houston? Where are they?? I only know Uncle Funky's Daughter. Where is the other one.. LOL I need to find it., ASAP!!

The comments I always received when i first cut off all my hair were.. "gurl, you are so brave", "I will never do that". Now it doesnt bother me.

Like i mentioned before all my black male friends say that they like my hair straight, or think this is a phase. However, men from other races always approach me now so who figure.

im free and i keep it moving..

Remember were are in the land of lace front Beyonce wanna be's and Sun Shops...

People will catch on eventually.

LOL

Many blessings.

There's another one called Zayd's Naturally Natural. And apparently there's a salon called Circle of Peace, but I've never been there.

And you're definitely right about the lace fronts. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hmm...I live in New England and I haven't had any comments on my naturalness. However, when I told friends and family I was going natural many thought "well what are you gonna be able to do with your hair? Loc it?" So many black people have this preconceived notion that our hair cannot be dealt with and our natural hair is unattractive. Especially if you don't have that (don't shoot me) "good creole hair" lol...as Juices-N-Berries said.

Fact of the matter is, it's a mentality that has been passed down from generation to generation. In the US, I think it is more prevalent in the south especially with the older generations. Many still have that "we are inferior because we don't look like them" mindset that was forced upon us years ago.

My mom's family is from Jamaica and the pretty hair/light skin struggle is there too. My father's family is from the South and they all have what many like to call "good hair" that I did not inherit. Nevertheless, I love my 4b texture! It's awesome and I wouldn't trade it for another. Knowledge is to the key to managing all things. Some textures may take more time to deal with, but I know that the harder you work for things the more you appreciate them.

It's awesome to see so many of my own breaking out of that mold and loving the distinct beauty that God created us with. We're not supposed to look like anyone else bc we weren't made to. I never thought I would go natural, but I love it. I love who I am and I love the way God made so looks/comments don't phase me.

I think it really depends on which area of the south you live in. I live in Florida and I haven't had any bad comments towards it. Everyone actually loves it. I have been all over Florida and have gotten the same type of responses. We have to remember, we can't please everyone

SoFlyy...your hair looks so fly! Lol...is it a braid out or a twist out?

I WENT NATURAL FOR TWO YEARS THEN PUT THE CREAM CRACK BACK IN MY HAIR. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I USED TO GET HERE IN BIRMINGING WAS WHY ARE YOU GOING NATURAL WHERE ARE YOU FROM WHATS WRONG WITH YOUR HAIR AND SO ON AND SO ON I REALLLY HAD NO SUPPORT AT ALL NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTOOD. HERE IS A OLD PIC OF MY NATURAL HAIR[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.][img][/img]I WISH I KNEW WHAT I KNOW NOW