Natural Hair and Education Poll

CurlieCutes1121 wrote:

Karyn wrote:So, is thread topic implying that black women with natural hair are smarter than women with relaxed...? If so, that seems a little far-fetched and pretentious. Especially considering that many ladies on here only recently (like, within the last year) decided to BC. Just sayin'.

Anyways, I'm still in high school, but I plan to double major in Psychology and maybe Creative Writing (still dunno if that's right for me). I also plan to pursue my Masters. Don't worry, I didn't vote.

No, don't think so... I think people just want to see if there is some correlation between natural hair and education. But there are so many other factors to this: location, environment, finances, life experience, etc. These factors played more of a role in my decision to stay natural than my actual education, since 1) my natural hair was embraced by my mother, 2) relaxer maintenance and salon visits add up, and 3) as I've grown, I've learned to appreciate all of me sans changes. I'm sure these factors (and maybe others) influenced other women as well.

Yeah, I thought that these factors would play more of a part.

Btw J-n-B, sorry if I come as a "troublemaker" (to put it in the lamest terms, haha) in your threads. I'm just a curious person and always ask questions about things. Your thread topics are interesting.

@Karyn. I don't think you're a troublemaker at all. Lol. I think it's healthy to be curious and ask questions. This thread wasn't my original idea, it started somewhere else. I was just helping out with the poll. But I don't think anyone was implying that people with natural are smarter. It was simply based off the observation that many people with higher level degrees have natural hair. The study would be more accurate if you surveyed the people with those degrees to see the percent that was natural. That would give a better insight into the point that was actually being made. We just wanted to take a general poll based off the CurlyNikki family. Of course, all naturals do not have a higher academic standing. Just like women with relaxers, natural women are all very different and shouldn't be forced into categories. However, based on the CurlyNikki Poll alone, it seems that their may be some truth to the story. 53% have a Bachelor's degree and 33% have even higher degrees. I think it's all very interesting.

These results are interesting. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Hey Juices-n-Berries,

That's okay, I went ahead and checked Bachelors. Thanks!

JNelly wrote:These results are interesting. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Ditto.

Maybe someone like Essence will pick this up and do a nationwide poll. Is anyone here on LCHF - I think that would be a good place to have a poll going also.

Interesting topic. Also, I think that it would be interesting to find out "when" one decide to wear their natural hair texture ... 1) during high school 2) undergraduate degree 3) professional degree 4) work force...etc.

With regards to hair and pursuing an education, I think that African American women find the freedom to express themselves at this point in life. When you leave home and your mother/parents to start your undergraduate degree, you are technically independent and have to make a lot of decisions on your own. I noticed that a lot of the people I know and friends decided to go natural during their college career. I decided to wear natural hairstyles when I started graduate school.

MsCrystal wrote:Interesting topic. Also, I think that it would be interesting to find out "when" one decide to wear their natural hair texture ... 1) during high school 2) undergraduate degree 3) professional degree 4) work force...etc.

With regards to hair and pursuing an education, I think that African American women find the freedom to express themselves at this point in life. When you leave home and your mother/parents to start your undergraduate degree, you are technically independent and have to make a lot of decisions on your own. I noticed that a lot of the people I know and friends decided to go natural during their college career. I decided to wear natural hairstyles when I started graduate school.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you currently doing something related to African American women and hair?

tiashauntee wrote:

MsCrystal wrote:Interesting topic. Also, I think that it would be interesting to find out "when" one decide to wear their natural hair texture ... 1) during high school 2) undergraduate degree 3) professional degree 4) work force...etc.

With regards to hair and pursuing an education, I think that African American women find the freedom to express themselves at this point in life. When you leave home and your mother/parents to start your undergraduate degree, you are technically independent and have to make a lot of decisions on your own. I noticed that a lot of the people I know and friends decided to go natural during their college career. I decided to wear natural hairstyles when I started graduate school.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you currently doing something related to African American women and hair?

You're right Tiashauntee! Mine is related to Hair Care Product Advertising...I'll post my results in May.

MsCrystal wrote:

tiashauntee wrote:

MsCrystal wrote:Interesting topic. Also, I think that it would be interesting to find out "when" one decide to wear their natural hair texture ... 1) during high school 2) undergraduate degree 3) professional degree 4) work force...etc.

With regards to hair and pursuing an education, I think that African American women find the freedom to express themselves at this point in life. When you leave home and your mother/parents to start your undergraduate degree, you are technically independent and have to make a lot of decisions on your own. I noticed that a lot of the people I know and friends decided to go natural during their college career. I decided to wear natural hairstyles when I started graduate school.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you currently doing something related to African American women and hair?

You're right Tiashauntee! Mine is related to Hair Care Product Advertising...I'll post my results in May.

I'm looking for to it. I really think that it's time for more research in this area. I feel that it's serious lacking and some of us may pay the consequence for that in the future.

tiashauntee wrote:

MsCrystal wrote:

tiashauntee wrote:

MsCrystal wrote:Interesting topic. Also, I think that it would be interesting to find out "when" one decide to wear their natural hair texture ... 1) during high school 2) undergraduate degree 3) professional degree 4) work force...etc.

With regards to hair and pursuing an education, I think that African American women find the freedom to express themselves at this point in life. When you leave home and your mother/parents to start your undergraduate degree, you are technically independent and have to make a lot of decisions on your own. I noticed that a lot of the people I know and friends decided to go natural during their college career. I decided to wear natural hairstyles when I started graduate school.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you currently doing something related to African American women and hair?

You're right Tiashauntee! Mine is related to Hair Care Product Advertising...I'll post my results in May.

I'm looking for to it. I really think that it's time for more research in this area. I feel that it's serious lacking and some of us may pay the consequence for that in the future.

I agree. I have been corresponding with a graduate student who is examining the history of African American hair (History Dept). Two profound African American professors who are in the Department of African American studies told her that she could not study the history of black hair! I was like, "Whaaaaat???"

Wow! Why would they say that. I think it's an extremely relevant discussion and definitely worth researching. I hope they let her, because I would love to know the results.

I know right. She's still doing it though I can't wait to see what your final results say!

MsCrystal wrote:I know right. She's still doing it though I can't wait to see what your final results say!

Keep us posted on her's also. I tried to read up on the history of black hair care but it's a topic that takes time (that I don't have) to really research.

I wrote my thesis in undergrad on the sociology of African-American hair. My professor at first gave me the side eye. There are great pictures in the Schomberg Museum in Harlem for research.

I'm less than a month from graduating with my JD!!! I started transitioning when I started law school, and BCed halfway through 1L. I wanted to go natural before, but I worked for two years between college and law school and was afraid that I wouldn't have the time or knowledge to maintain my hair professionally.

Moni wrote:I'm less than a month from graduating with my JD!!! I started transitioning when I started law school, and BCed halfway through 1L. I wanted to go natural before, but I worked for two years between college and law school and was afraid that I wouldn't have the time or knowledge to maintain my hair professionally.

Get it girl!

Yes, get it!

Hopefully everybody answered truthfully but I'm not surprised by the results.

CurlieCutes1121 wrote:

No, don't think so... I think people just want to see if there is some correlation between natural hair and education. But there are so many other factors to this: location, environment, finances, life experience, etc. These factors played more of a role in my decision to stay natural than my actual education, since 1) my natural hair was embraced by my mother, 2) relaxer maintenance and salon visits add up, and 3) as I've grown, I've learned to appreciate all of me sans changes. I'm sure these factors (and maybe others) influenced other women as well.

That. But I do believe anyone that looks online for hair advice is probably a bit smarter than the one who keeps complaining and it never occurs that the internet may have the answer. And this is probably from an African-American viewpoint and not black women as a whole. I'm not sure if the OP considered that, but the only times I'm encountered AA women it's been online and the majority of black women (African and Carribean) are forgotten. I'm sure if you looked at these places - natural women would not be any smarter - maybe can't afford relaxers and have no education.

It's like if someone made a thread suggesting that nonreligious people were smarter than religious. Many people have observed that athiests have higher degrees. Like that.