When I first saw it, I knew I had to share this AyannaNaeela vid with you all. It's an awesome and very poignant subject. She talks about what's in the word, nappy. It's very well thought out and presented. I luv her, she's so eloquent with words. So check it out:
I have never cared for the word and have never used it to describe my own or anyone else's hair and would take offense if anyone were to call my hair nappy. In my experiences, I've never heard it used as a positive way to describe your hair. It's like their face turns up and everything when people in my experiences have said it; it's a way to make someone feel bad, almost ashamed of their hair.
I think while many of us are trying to turn it into something positive, it still stings when it's used by the "wrong mouths".
A huge part of this blog's mission is to showcase and describe afro textured hair as all the wonderful things that it is. Our hair is beautiful, springy, koily, kinky, kurly, highly textured, fluffy, big, unique, versatile, exciting. None of those words sting when anyone from any background describes our hair as such.
What are your thoughts on the word? Do and/or any of your friends use it?
I have never cared for the word and have never used it to describe my own or anyone else's hair and would take offense if anyone were to call my hair nappy. In my experiences, I've never heard it used as a positive way to describe your hair. It's like their face turns up and everything when people in my experiences have said it; it's a way to make someone feel bad, almost ashamed of their hair.
I think while many of us are trying to turn it into something positive, it still stings when it's used by the "wrong mouths".
A huge part of this blog's mission is to showcase and describe afro textured hair as all the wonderful things that it is. Our hair is beautiful, springy, koily, kinky, kurly, highly textured, fluffy, big, unique, versatile, exciting. None of those words sting when anyone from any background describes our hair as such.
What are your thoughts on the word? Do and/or any of your friends use it?
Comments
I don't regard it as an offensive word but I just don't see its relevance to my hair. I have curly hair just as majority of other women do, this is the 'technical' term for our hair.
There is alot of resistance to describing natural hair as curly unless it is the 'conventional' curl (i.e clumps up and not type 4). I do think that this is unnecessary too, we are all curl heads!
Anyway, my view is that people can do what they like, I just don't find the word nappy to be descriptive of my hair. I wouldn't be insulted though if someone used it to describe my hair unless it was said with intent to offend.
I understand and respect that others just dont like that to describe their hair with that way and with GOOD reason. But I have MY good reasons, as well. My friends and people who know me can understand and it won't get twisted.
Love and nappiness, to me, are not mutally exclusive. But I see the other side, too, OF COURSE.