Is It True Nappy Hair Discrimination Amongst Us?

**ravenbell** · 07-04-2005, 10:34 PM

When you first come on this site it tells you what it is all about and it says this site is " For African American women and women of African descent all over the world who have stopped relaxing their hair and are wearing their natural hair proudly". I have noticed some posts where the people are debating what it means to be napptural or natural. I mean I thought it was simply that you don't perm or press. I have seen it commented that if you color or use rinses you are not natural. If you are using commercial products (Fantasia, Paul Mitchell) you are not natural. I don't believe this is true. What about you? When I first joined like many I got on here asking about my hair type and I got the posts that it didn't matter and I see why now. It seems like if you are a nappy you are not considered natural/napptural. I have relatives with hair like Jada Smith who perm because they consider their own hair to be too nappy and want it straight and perm for the same reasons a nappy/nappy would. Natural is natural right. ? So I pose this question when you see a friend are realtive and they say to you gurll you natural now. Do you say yes or do you say no because I use color and commercial products? What is natural to you. I don't perm so I consider myself natural. how about you guys? :dunno:

**Big Teezy** · 07-04-2005, 10:52 PM

I dyed my hair red I havent had chemicals and have not used any heat to dry or style my hair and I consider myself natural. If anyone disagrees I dont care this is just an online website. You know who you are and thats what matters

**accborn** · 07-04-2005, 11:08 PM

I don't really give an ish what people think about my personal choices or my personal opinion. They can go to Hades, back and again with that.

**afrobeauty77** · 07-04-2005, 11:13 PM

I think some people are taking some points to an unecessary extreme. When I used to go and get my hair colored, the last thought that came to mind was how straight my hair would be afterwards, color is just what it states COLOR. I stopped relaxing at the end of last year, but I use commercial products because like everything else in this world it is simply a matter of convenience as well as cost efficient. I don't have time to grow organic veggie so I buy them from the grocery store, I don't have time to make my own clothing so I buy them at the mall, and I look at commercial hair products the same way. If you are confident in the person that you are then "Boo" to what other people may think about your said nappiness. Natural to me is not using products which would permanently alter one's texture.

**Only1biancab** · 07-04-2005, 11:14 PM

Natural to me is anyone that doesn't have a perm on their head. I don't press or color either. I don't think they're safe for me.

**pookeylou** · 07-04-2005, 11:15 PM

I am naturally nappy.

**Cutie McPretty** · 07-04-2005, 11:34 PM

I mean for me it's just no heat and no chemical fire cream or coloring on MY hair. I use commercial products like shampoo and conditoner. I really dont care, i'm not trying to grind down tree bark, berries and natural juices to find the perfect shampoo. Nothings wrong if you wanna do that but i'm not gonna run screaming, 'you not natural, you not natural!!! " if people dont. I just dont like when people try to apply their own standards to everyone.

Like I said before for me natural is no heat, color or chems but for every natural it may mean something different. For some it's not applying any product on the hair and for others it's just not relaxing but they burn their hair straight with irons and stuff all the time. Neither of these are my definitions of being natural but I cant get everyone to agree with my way, that just wouldnt be normal to expect -- people are gonna do what they wanna do. -- Tryce

**AlwaysWrite** · 07-05-2005, 01:24 AM

Originally posted by tryce@Jul 4 2005, 04:34 PM
I mean for me it's just no heat and no chemical fire cream or coloring on MY hair. I use commercial products like shampoo and conditoner. I really dont care, i'm not trying to grind down tree bark, berries and natural juices to find the perfect shampoo. Nothings wrong if you wanna do that but i'm not gonna run screaming, 'you not natural, you not natural!!! " if people don't

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ointlaugh: at the bolded part. I thought people made the distinction between natural texture, natural color, and natural hair care. To me the most important is the texture. If you're not altering your nature-made, God-given texture then I'll call you natural even if you've dyed you're dark brown tresses platinum blonde. Your color may not be natural, but you're wearing your natural texture, so you're natural. If people question it, just make the distinction. :2cents:

mistytea · 07-05-2005, 02:34 AM

Originally posted by AlwaysWrite@Jul 4 2005, 09:24 PM
I thought people made the distinction between natural texture, natural color, and natural hair care. To me the most important is the texture. If you're not altering your nature-made, God-given texture then I'll call you natural even if you've dyed you're dark brown tresses platinum blonde. Your color may not be natural, but you're wearing your natural texture, so you're natural. If people question it, just make the distinction. :2cents:

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ointlaugh:

vinny_46 · 07-05-2005, 02:45 AM

Originally posted by ravenbell@Jul 4 2005, 02:34 PM
I have noticed some posts where the people are debating what it means to be napptural or natural. I mean I thought it was simply that you don't perm or press.

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It is.

As far as all of the clauses others try to add to it. :dunno: Let them. If a person wants to make it harder for themselves, then so be it.

I have chosen not to color my hair, because it's drying. If someone else wants to do that, then I'm not going to bother putting them in a natural "sub-category". The color argument goes round and round, so there isn't really a point to it.