Black women and dreadlocks

[Queen Of Filth]

I have been having some trouble lately with people , because I want to get my hair dreadlocked. Ever since I was a kid , i've wanted them. Sometime I wear dreadbraids to get the look and people make fun of me. My dad even asked me why I wanted my hair to look like that ( but then again he always has a problem with black women , but he has a black wife and daughter). The girls at school said I would looke preetier with "straight" hair ,like the many white girls we live by. I don't want to be rude and tell anyone off but they even said they wish they were white. I do not. I want my hair in dreadlocks. I don't care how many people say that , that style of "nigger" hair is nappy and dirty ( i'm serious , kids at school say shit like this and I tell them to kiss it where the sun don't shine). I see dreadlocks as a sense of pride and style and anyway , I can't have a perm ( hair is too thick and soft) . When I talk about getting dreads , I feel as if my if my brother is the only one who really understands my point of view. Everyone else seems to get upset or look at me funny but that's okay because I am strong willed and when I want something , i'm going to get it. Any thoughts??

[Ghettopunkrocker]

Depends onw what you want to do? Chris Rock is doing a doc. on this subject though. But, if you want your hair dreaded, feel free to get dreads. But, it all depends on how it looks on you.

[Mlle d. Sade]

People suck and sometimes have stupid backwards opinions. Do what you want to do. People fought with me over my own decision to stop straightening my hair. So I understand. You have to ignore the stupidity around you.

nappturality.com is a great site for help/advice and links to other sites about going natural.

[Princess Jasmine]

Well, Have you tried yarn braids? It looks like locs, but there's no long term commitment. Just to see how it would look if you do decide to get them.

[Rage_Proletaire]

... Eff 'em, dude. You can't please everybody, and as far as your own personal satisfaction is concerned, why would you want to? Jigsaw lifestyle's no life at all.

Back when my hair was (unfashionably natural) worn as an afro, I'd get all sorts of reactions on the way to work (I took the bus). Could hear car doors lock sometimes when I'd walk along the curb at a red light, frat-boy types would throw things at me, people shouting stuff about me needing to get a job -- the whole nine and then some. My paler friends found the stories hard to believe, but that comes with the territory. Hell, I wasn't even trying to attain a certain look -- I didn't have a car, and it was cheaper to forgo haircuts.

First time I started locking my hair was by accident. I was up one night watching Skinny Puppy videos, and started spiking my hair with shampoo to look like Nivek Ogre. Washed it out, and wore the coils the next day. The black guys hated it. The white girls loved it. The black girls hated that the white girls loved it. But at the time I preferred to mast*rbate, so it meant little to me.

People always say that "women dress for other women" -- the same rings true for men. I'm sure I'd have gotten many nasty comments about my hair if Lil Wayne hadn't sexified dreadlocks (circa The Carter); now, young kids treat me like a vanguard, and guys my age and older will either call me a f*g, or acknowledge my manhood (some guys can only respect your visage if they can safely assume you're out taggin' anything in a skirt; see David Bowie -- "Boys Keep Swinging")

I'm actually kind of surprised to hear that kids anywhere right now and avidly trying to talk you out of it. But then again, my wife gets different responses than I do about her hair. Guys seem to prefer it (the ones with the capacity to fantasize about so-called "militant women"), and it's the females who give her sh*t about it, although they almost always sound mentally-oppressed.

As far as the kids willingly admitting to wanting to be white ... my (step)daughter said something to that effect once. Game recognizes game, as they say. No secret to anybody that you can float through life much easier when you look "agreeable" in this country (and elsewhere).

But, sh*t on 'em. Do you, as long as you like it.

And keep skipping.

[NotSoPhotogenic]

If you want dreads, wear dreads. I've had dreads before, and I loved it! They are a natural hairdo, and I've very pro-nature as far as style and appearance go. If people don't like it, that's their problem.

[Obsidian]

Go ahead and wear those locs and piss people off. People deserve to be pissed off and offended as it is medicine for their insanity. Never forget that and you'll go far.

[CocoaPuss Zine]

yeah i think you should get dreads too. maybe you could start out just twisting your hair into two strand twists and decide if you like that. dreads are really easy to style too. i miss mine. i have twists right now. also you should decide if you want really well maintained locks or more natty ones.

this is the most gorgeous woman i have seen in awhile and her dreads are amazing. http://www.myspace.com/chasitychaos
look at her pictures. her locks are more maintained and she does a lot with them.

it's your hair. people don't have to like it or understand it.

[PolarVibez]

I'm cosignin on what everybody said. Do you. There will always be haters. Whether your hair is strait, locked, or bald. So you might as well do what makes you happy. If you lived in the D.C. area noone would even look twice at the sight of your locs. Almost every other Black person has locks here especially the young dudes. When I started lockin my hair about 13 years ago it wasn't so widespread. There were two sets of people that had them. Okay maybe three. People that moved here from New York, college students and White hippie types. Now D.C. is just loc city. It's to the point where I've thought about changin my hairstyle. I never like to do what everybody else is doing. But I'm just too attached to the damn things. Anyhow, I say if it's really in your heart go for it. Your freinds and family will eventually get used to it and anybody beyond that shouldn't really matter anyway. My mom hated mines in the beggining too and now it's just like whatever.

[Trula]

Go ahead and do it if you want. If you are easily offended and/or thin-skinned, locks might not be for you. especially during the 'ugly' phase of growing them in; just starting them. You will get lots of comments. But after awhile the comments will turn mostly positive.

[Mlle d. Sade]

Trula said:

Go ahead and do it if you want. If you are easily offended and/or thin-skinned, locks might not be for you. especially during the 'ugly' phase of growing them in; just starting them. You will get lots of comments. But after awhile the comments will turn mostly positive.

Trula! Nice seeing you around! I remember you from the old boards and nappturality- you have beautiful locks.

[Queen Of Filth]

I got 'em!!! I'm so happy because i've always wanted them!! Now i've got what I wanted. I'm not worry about what people say anymore. Even though they are short and some consider them ugly , I love them . This boy called me ugly on the first day of school and I walked right past him and didn't even pay attentionm because I was too busy playing with my hair!!

[CaliforniaAfrican]

My sista! Yes! Good for you for doing what YOU wanted! I am so proud of you. Cherish these days of loc'd infancy. It is a journey that I have taken 5 times. Sista, you will learn so much more about those around you, as well as your own strength, determination and beauty. I pray that you enjoy your growth, emotionally and spiritually. Locs can be very powerful. It's not just a style. For some people, it is a way of life. (I'm not going to dictate to you what your locs are supposed to mean to you. Just have fun as you decide what it is.) Peace and welcome to the nappiness! Blessings. I'm going out right now to buy some ice cream to celebrate over here with the nappy-headed, loc'd Pasha Crew! When we lift our spoons, we will say some wonderful things in your honor. Always be you, queen.