This Is Depressing

**setarcos** · 11-17-2006, 07:32 AM

I live in London.

For the past few weeks, while on the Tube (i.e. the subway) or going about my business in the city, I have been really noticing Black women's hair.

I very rarely see natural heads. In fact, today was one of the days in which I saw NONE.

But fine.

That wouldn' t be so bad if say 50% 30%? 10%? of the hair I saw looked good. I'm at the point now where I don't care how a Black woman's hair is styled, I just want it to look healthy.

But all I see is hair that is dried out, broken off, gelled down, stifled by thrashy weaves, too-tight braids coupled with receding hair lines (ugh, painful)... etc. etc. Yet the Asian-owned Black BSS in Dalston is doing so much business that they opened a new one just two stores up and they are still booming. So much activity, so much money, all tending toward such obvious failure.

It made me sad.

I know this post doesn't add much to everything that has been discussed ad infinitum on this website. But I just thought I'd air this rant and lament.

I've let it out. Now I will breathe and release.

**Urbanite** · 11-17-2006, 07:37 AM

I live in London.

For the past few weeks, while on the Tube (i.e. the subway) or going about my business in the city, I have been really noticing Black women's hair.

I very rarely see natural heads. In fact, today was one of the days in which I saw NONE.

But fine.

That wouldn' t be so bad if say 50% 30%? 10%? of the hair I saw looked good. I'm at the point now where I don't care how a Black woman's hair is styled, I just want it to look healthy.

But all I see is hair that is dried out, broken off, gelled down, stifled by thrashy weaves, too-tight braids coupled with receding hair lines (ugh, painful)... etc. etc. Yet the Asian-owned Black BSS in Dalston is doing so much business that they opened a new one just two stores up and they are still booming. So much activity, so much money, all tending toward such obvious failure.

It made me sad.

I know this post doesn't add much to everything that has been discussed ad infinitum on this website. But I just thought I'd air this rant and lament.

I've let it out. Now I will breathe and release.
[/b]

Hmmm, I know what you mean. One of my friends thought I was crazy when I told him I wanted to open a beauty supply store one of these days. But you know why? Because I actually care about the healthiness of Black women's hair. For most people, it just about making $$$ so they will sell anything to people who are willing to buy it.

**zaftig77** · 11-17-2006, 07:41 AM

Once again, and indication that Black women have no knowledge about they way their hair works. It is sad. We would rather CHANGE our tresses than educate ourselves about how to care for them. I often wonder if these women have just given up, and resigned themselves to a life of scab-hair....

**Sykee** · 11-17-2006, 07:43 AM

I agree setarcos. but we are out there. the theatre i work at (it seems by virtue of being a theatre and a place of 'culture&#39

attracts soooo many natural women, its a joy to see us all under one roof. why some people do not connect the trash they are putting onto (and thus into) their bodies and the lack of care that these companies and businesses have with the 'obvious failures' that are happening i can't compute. if they simply spent that saturday they'd spend in the salon reading up on some simple hair tips (like on np ;-) thingd'd be a lot better

**napsnkisses1106** · 11-17-2006, 07:57 AM

True and we are doing this to our kids too.

I remember working in a Black Owned Beauty Supply store here in Tallahassee years ago. I would tell customers about products that I had tried and the DOs and DONTs of some products. I know the Asians cant do this because the never have used the products (and don't care). I don't know why we continue to by products from people who will/won't ever use them and can't give us any advise when using any product and could care less about us.

**LilShortRib** · 11-17-2006, 08:50 AM

^^^What BSS did you work at? I lived in Tally for a while myself, just being nosy.

@the OP - girl, I totally feel you. And I make these observations not just about Black women, but our little girls too. I can't tell you how many of them have damaged, broken fire-creamed hair and receeding hairlines while pounds of weave are hanging off the back of their precious five-year old heads. I really wonder how many children of this next generation will be bald because their parents chose to fry cream and weave their hair to death before the hair even has a chance to grow.

I also have a friend who told me she wanted to go natural, and I was encouraging her and giving her advice. A few months later, I asked her if she had given any more thought to it, and she said she's too lazy, so she'd rather knowingly perm and keep damaging her hair. I was so

.

Why would we rather cover up the damage and neglect our hair instead of giving it a little TLC?

**temfash** · 11-17-2006, 08:56 AM

It might be the time of the day/week/location every weekend I see an array of women and men with beautiful natural hairstyles. Admittedly some peoples hair is just wack but this past week I complimented at least 3 women on their gorgeous natural hair :wub:

**turnergirl** · 11-17-2006, 09:10 AM

I aggree with the OP. It is a very sad sit. Quite unfortunate actually. It is devastaing when you consider the children who are being robbed of the opportunity to have the small memory, that most of us had, of their hair. At least a great deal of us had an idea of thick and healthy hair on our heads even if it was when we were 6 yrs. old. Now you see 3 year olds with relaxers. I am increasingly concerned with the cycle. I don't know if it will end. Because people are training their children this way.

**swingbolder** · 11-17-2006, 10:13 AM

I am definitely feeling this topic. Sometimes I look around and am like "d@mn, what a shame."

To me the pathetic state of our hair -- burned, dead, broken-off, source of shame etc. -- is a very accurate outer reflection of our internal mind-state. Talking about the majority of black women/girls's attitudes toward their hair, not the ones who have broken through society's condition and have accepted their natural features.

**Lovelocks** · 11-17-2006, 10:19 AM

What's even more shameful is the seeming lack of desire to find another way. It's like, 'well i'll just keeping putting this p.erm in my head even though its falling out, causing chemical sores, and thinning my hair." Very sad.