How do you feel about the N-word?

I saw this topic on another forum and wanted to know what you ladies thought about the word NAPPY. Personally, I have embraced it and I do use it to describe my hair. Of course, not in a negative way, but then I thought about it. That's the same thing that people do with the other n-word (nigger, nigga), which I don't like by the way. What are your thoughts on this?

I use it. I think it describes my hair perfectly. "Curly" doesn't fit, I use "coily" sometimes but "nappy" seems to fit my mane best.

I dont use it often. I usually say my hair "kinky" or "coily".

I've also thought about it and I pretty much see it the same as the other n-word.. I do call my hair nappy but of course not in a bad way but just because it is what it is!! If a fellow natural sister calls my hair nappy I wouldn't really be thrilled but I could deal with it. Just the same as the n-word. I really don't like it if blacks say the n-word to each other because it's like.. i dunno degrading yourself because that was an expression they used for the slaves but it's not like i'd make a big deal out of it..!

I say nappy because that is what I heard as a child along with the creole way of saying it but I try to stay away from it now as a negative because I don't want my kids to think badly about themselves if someone refer to them as said word. But the other N word is not allowed period!

I only use it with non-curlies because it seems like they understand it better than saying coily or kinky.

I think due to our past hair experiences we equate nappy with something negative or bad; but as you see my screen name is KinkyNappyHappy...

My hair is really Kinky..(it might be different now/haven't see it in about two month) some may say it's Nappy. However, I made the decision to go natural regardless if my hair texture is Kinky, Coily, or Nappy and I'm so Happy!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

KNH

I'm originally from Jamaica, so never used the word and it just wasn't one of the ones I picked up since living hair. The corresponding word we use in Jamaica is "kyah" - more as a noun than an adjective- and I never really used that either.

i only use the word nappy when my hair isnt done and is tangled and possibly in need of some serious conditioning and moisture. i think truly nappy hair is- unkempt, uncared for, tangled, knotty and just an all around hot mess, so i believe any race can have nappy hair.

other than that i just say my hair is curly or coily because thats what it is..

Kinda_Curly_Cassie09 wrote:i only use the word nappy when my hair isnt done and is tangled and possibly in need of some serious conditioning and moisture. i think truly nappy hair is- unkempt, uncared for, tangled, knotty and just an all around hot mess, so i believe any race can have nappy hair.

other than that i just say my hair is curly or coily because thats what it is..

A white lady I used to work with after her work out would say "My hair is nappy, nasty!" So I kinda share that idea of what nappy mean too. Other than the cultural positive/negative meaning.

Well arent naps just tight curls?

It all depends on the context, if you are using it as an insult I will give you side eye.. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . my hair is nappy, I have tight curls, there is no denying it.

i think it depends on how its said..if i know there is no cruel intent behind it then it doesn't bother me..but if someone is saying it to poke fun to get a laugh from others or hurt my feelings then we have a problem..but i think i'm starting to embrace the word a little at a time lol

I'll be 40 next month and it was not a good thing to have someone say about your hair when I was little. It's still stuck with me and I truly don't like it. Yes, I understand a lot of people are embracing it but I think our natural hair is beautiful and I would not call it nappy.

I'm fine with it (as you can tell from my screen name) as long as it's not used in a derogatory fashion. My hair is nappy and coily and kinky. It's also beautiful.

snappynappy wrote:Well arent naps just tight curls?

Not necessarily. Some is L shaped, Z shaped...and random sharp bends. Not all nappy hair is O shaped.

To me nappy is the same as kinky or coily and people don't seem to think those are negative words. I use all three words to describe my hair. Interesting topic though. I'll be doing more research on the origin of both "N" words tomorrow......at work. lol!

I don't like the word "nappy" at all! Something about that word just sounds hurtful to me...

Until high school I didn't even know the word nappy referred to hair. I was always told that it was just a square of fabric that I had when I was a baby . I used to sleep with it or my mother used to wrap me in it before she could get to diapers; I'm not sure which it was but hair was never described as nappy in front of me so I don't have a good or bad opinion of it either way.

I don't like it and don't use it. My hair to me doesn't look like I just took a "nap" so why would I refer to it as that? My hair is kinky or tightly coiled [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I describe my hair as "curly with a nappy patch in the middle", but I wouldn't use the word to describe someone else's hair. I feel like it would just sounds so derogatory coming from a person with no visible naps. I understand that some people with 'nappy' hair use the term themselves, but I won't do it.

nappyLiz your hair is soo pretty!

BajanPrincess82 wrote:I describe my hair as "curly with a nappy patch in the middle", but I wouldn't use the word to describe someone else's hair. I feel like it would just sounds so derogatory coming from a person with no visible naps. I understand that some people with 'nappy' hair use the term themselves, but I won't do it.

I co-sign this.

Curly_Aquarius wrote:

Kinda_Curly_Cassie09 wrote:i only use the word nappy when my hair isnt done and is tangled and possibly in need of some serious conditioning and moisture. i think truly nappy hair is- unkempt, uncared for, tangled, knotty and just an all around hot mess, so i believe any race can have nappy hair.

other than that i just say my hair is curly or coily because thats what it is..

A white lady I used to work with after her work out would say "My hair is nappy, nasty!" So I kinda share that idea of what nappy mean too. Other than the cultural positive/negative meaning.

I have white friends that say the same thing. I consider my hair curly. I think nappy is a negative term because of the example above.

I didn't give much thought to word. My family uses the word nappy and there is usually a negative connotation behind it. Therefore, I only refer to my hair as nappy when it isn't done. I do realize that it does look nappy if we go by the original definition of nap. I did a quick search on dictionary.com and the word has multiple meanings.

1. the short fuzzy ends of fibers on the surface of cloth, drawn up in napping.
2. any downy coating, as on plants.
3. (v.) to raise a nap on.

Origin:
"downy surface of cloth," 1440, from M.Du. or M.L.G. noppe "nap, tuft of wool," probably introduced by Flem. cloth-workers. Cognate with O.E. hnappian "to pluck," ahneopan "pluck off," O.Swed. niupa "to pinch," Goth. dis-hniupan "to tear."

So basically my feelings toward the word are complicated.

I love this thread!

I feel the same way as @deeply_rooted_chick, and am so glad @Neems brought up definitions.

I always take nappy to mean matted curly hair. But historically, if nap is used to refer to fuzzy fibers or tufts of wool, then I'd rather that no one refer to my hair that way. Honestly, how often is our hair like that? I say, if you ever see my hair when it is like those descriptions (maybe when I wake up first thing in the morning, but satin caps & pillows keep our hair pretty nice), then you have the right to call it nappy. But only then.

I also feel that although the first two definitions of kinky mean:
1. full of kinks; closely twisted.
2.(of hair) closely or tightly curled
the third possible definition somehow indicates that "kinky" hair, that is the hair of people of African decent, is somehow strange, different, or outside the norm:
3. Slang. marked by unconventional sexual preferences or behavior, as fetishism, sadomasochism, or the like.

Therefore, I don't use nappy or kinky on myself or anyone else, but prefer to say curly, tightly-curly, or small-curled hair. Coily sounds too much like I'm trying to imitate a Boston accent when saying 'curly'! And I have never seen a full head of Z, L, or sharp-turned natural hair - only on someone with crimped hair! So, in my estimation, they're all curls - small-curled, tightly-curly, mixed sizes, whatever, but curls nonetheless.