Do people's attitudes about hair reflect racism? I've noticed in the few days I've had dreads that people keep commenting on how mine "aren't dirty like most of them." I've interpreted this as racist. Dreads are a traditionally (in this country, at least) black hairdo, and I really don't think that most people with dreads have dirty hair, so I'm thinking that people feel that way because of the race of the people typically sporting the 'do.

I wonder if black folks with dreads get those comments too. It might be revealing. . .do people feel safe saying these things to me 'cause I'm white, or does everyone with dreads get this reaction?

What do you think?

If you live in America, every single possible thing that you can think of will make someone think that you are racist.

I've heard the only way white people can get dreads is by never washing their hair...maybe that's what they're refering to






[This message was edited Thu Apr 17 10:36:04 PDT 2003 by Nikster]

There's plenty of hippiesh white people that wear dreads nowdays too, some of whom don't bathe regularly.

I had plenty of them in my art classes, and would have to sit next to them suffocating from a cloud of body odor drowned in patchouli.

I think you should also consider the flip side of that question, it it ever possible for people to talk about their differences without being labeled racist?

There are black women I see who get their hair flattened into ribbons then arranged on their head like a houseplant. I think the hairdo looks god awful. But that doesn't mean I hate or disrespect black women.

Tom said:

Good point...almost everytime someone asks a question like this (anywhere, not just the org) that seems to happen.

If you've only had dreads for a few days, then they're probably not too dirty yet. But they could be - I mean, you can't exactly have "salon quality hair" to have dreads, right? I don't think the "dirty" comment is a racial thing at all.

I know someone who got yelled at for calling the day after Thaknsgiving "Black Friday." A black woman asked what that had to do with being black...she didn't know it meant that the biggest shopping day of the year got stores out of the red and into the black in terms of profit, and automatically assumed it was a racist remark. Some people just look for ways to be offended, I guess.

Talking about your differences is one thing but to say "aren't dirty like most of them," is derogatory and somewhat ignorant.

IceNine said:

:LOL:

Well, I wasn't sure if people were going to go, "duh, of course it's racism" or if they were going to rant about how not everything is related to race. Now I know.

And I could be wrong; perhaps these people's feelings about dreads have nothing to do with race, or they think it's only white people with dreads (stinky hippies) who are dirty! But I think that hair has been a culturally sensitive issue in the US, and the answers to questions like this aren't entirely obvious.

Well, I wasn't sure if people were going to go, "duh, of course it's racism" or if they were going to rant about how not everything is related to race. Now I know.

And I could be wrong; perhaps these people's feelings about dreads have nothing to do with race, or they think it's only white people with dreads (stinky hippies) who are dirty! But I think that hair has been a culturally sensitive issue in the US, and the answers to questions like this aren't entirely obvious.

I told you people would say dumb shit about your hair...fuck 'em.

I don't think it has anything to do with race...
I only know personally white people with dreads, and they are usually hippies and I don't know if it's just their "thing" or if white people hair can't dread as easily or what...but from what I know of dreads...they are usually not washed and they do stink.
sorry!
there was another girl (?) who when you were talking about getting dreads, talked about how she had just cut hers off and she described how great it felt to feel her fingers on her scalp and give her head a good cleaning!
I think after you've had dreads awhile you'll see that eventually you won't be able to wash your hair and head like you used to be able to...but I don't really know cause I've never had them.

I think that most people attitudes about hair reflect their lack of understanding of culture and style.

When I had dukey braids, I got looks and stares by some people as if they were scared or intimidated by me or something, especially in the work-business atmosphere. I doubt that they were being racist about it, and if they were, I didn't care.

gigglin'...huh..Dex..do your dreads stink?

Actually, Dex has BEAUTIFUL dreads that are clean and smell good...and one of girlfriends dreads are clean and smell good...

I think some of you are thinking of the Rasta way of dreading and upkeep. I could be wrong...

AbucahX said:

Dreds grab peoples attention, at least in America, where they aren't commonplace. I involuntarily look at people who have dreads, spiked hair, unusually colored hair, etc. Not in a condescending manner, but rather just because they caught my attention standing out from the norm around here.

TheMico said:

I know someone who got yelled at for calling the day after Thaknsgiving "Black Friday." A black woman asked what that had to do with being black...she didn't know it meant that the biggest shopping day of the year got stores out of the red and into the black in terms of profit, and automatically assumed it was a racist remark. Some people just look for ways to be offended, I guess.[/quote]

I hear what your saying. I once had a professor SCREAM at me for using the term "black out" to describe a power outage. Some people take things way to far!

Me that prof

tackam said:

sometimes, I guess?! I, for example, loathe afros and the hair black men have. I guess I don't find black men attractive becasue of this?!

careydevi said:

I feel faint...someone help me...Dansa...Lisa...did I hear that someone doesn't find black men attractive...oh lawd..help me...
[This message was edited Thu Apr 17 14:01:20 PDT 2003 by Rhondab]

I don't know anyone with dreads, but yeah I guess it conjures up images of rasta-style dreads. You aren't supposed to wash them right? I'm sure plenty of people assume dreads = unclean, and I'd put it down to ignorance rather than racism.

I always wanted dreads Too late for me now!

ian said:

Go for it, Ian... get a goddamned hair transplant and a weave if you gotta... just do it!!!

You CAN realize your dreams!

IceNine said:

Too late... I'm happy with my baldness now.
Plus I saw a documentary about hair transplants the other day and it was fucking awful. Have some dignity, go bald gracefully dammit!

ian said:

That is the statement of a true man!

Goddamn it, fuck the dumb shit... just go with it!

careydevi said:

It's just alien differences resulting from the way society is largely constructed. People are stuck in their ways and don't tend to like "different" and racism is one of these constructs which of course would play a big part in "racially" indentifiable charcteristics such as hair, skintone, eyecolour, nose shape, lips... so of course it's a factor. duh

Dove you know better than to be an apologist.

?

Rhondab said:

ian said:

Ian, somehow I picture you looking sorta like Moby.

tommyalma said:

Well, I'm not taking it personally. I love 'em and don't give a damn whether other people agree. And the comments have not been, "ooh, your hair is gross," they have been, "ooh, your hair is clean and smells nice, I thought dreads were dirty." I just think the racial aspect of it is interesting. I over-think everything, I'm afraid.

FOR THE RECORD:
Dreads can and should be washed regularly! Greasy, dirty hair doesn't lock well. And realize that dreads, especially new ones, have some un-knotted hair at the base, so it's not hard to wash your scalp at all.

Also, for those of you who think that hippies are dirty, can I just say that just because somebody doesn't shop at the Gap and might wear worn or funky clothing doesn't mean they don't bathe! While I don't consider myself a hippie at all (I really dress more goth/punky, and I'm no flower child) I do know several, and they aren't any more dirty/stinky than anyone else. You shouldn't judge people like that just because of how they dress.

I haven't been a racist since high school track and field...

Sweeny79 said:

I hear what your saying. I once had a professor SCREAM at me for using the term "black out" to describe a power outage. Some people take things way to far!

Me that prof[/quote]

I totally agree that many people blow stupid things way out of proportion. And I'm not saying that everybody who makes these comments is secretly a KKK member; there are different degrees of racism.

I don't think it's outrageous, however, for me to come to the conclusion that race has something to do with it. Some things ARE about race, like it or not.

teller said:

When he posted that i pictured one person laughing for sure. I was right :LOL:










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[This message was edited Thu Apr 17 21:19:30 PDT 2003 by SuperC]