Why Not an Afro? - A Response to Kimmaytube

[TheSelectivemute]

Your hair is saying, "I'm black, deal with it." Pam Grier, and leslie uggams all look gorgeous in their afro styles. In fact, many of the professional images of black women in the 70's were those of gorgeous women wearing afros. Leslie has reemerged wearing it to show the younger ones how to wear it professionally. It can be done. The problem is that this current generation acts as if they all need to have curls as opposed to picking it out into something neat. You guys..............

[mickey110257]

I loved your video response to kimmaytube, and why she will never wear an afro. I love wearing an afro from time to time because it gives me a different look. I agree, that it is harder to maintain, but it is something different. I love the stares I get in public, when they see me wearing an afro. I know they are wondering if I am black or white. Especially being here in the south, it's funny to me. I am so happy to have finally embraced my kinky hair that God gave me.

[Kravitz93Marie]

you've cut your hair since 2006 right?

[divinelynaptural]

@Kravitz93Marie absolutely... I trimmed of the damage. I had no idea what I was doing when I first went natural.

[intjurban]

I love my 'fro and I love this vlog!

[MisMupp]

I'm what isconsidered 4a/3c and three years natural. I had to stop wearing wash and goes because I got mad tangles once my hair got long.I try to never let my hair unstretched. I think maybe 3b/3c can still do a w and g when long. I go back and forth with wigs too. I noticed white people LOVE my natural hair. total strangers come up to me and my coworkers always urging me to wear my real hair. I get more negative from black than white..

[Barbieflygerian]

Great vid honey x

[martaajoku1]

very well said sis!!

[LovedByMeBeautifully]

I don't know why ppl still think this about afros. I wear it becuz I feel it's flattering 2 most black ppls facial features.Plain & simple. Knowing the perception of afros still will not stop me from wearing it. Why? Becuz at some point ppl thought that about 'natural hair' in general. It's up to us to discredit misconceptions about our hair.Hair being too long to maintain it is an understandable reason. It's cultural stigmas like this that stop Blk women from going natural in general.--Shakia

[Vanity8Vain]

Very true!

[bac061405]

Thank you for your kind and well spoken words. Many people need to hear that message.

[Ravenpriestess]

Perhaps the afro can be viewed as a political statement, but recently I think more people may see it as beauty acceptance. Although I initially started wearing my hair b/c of a scalp problem, as years have gone I love my hair b/c it is a part of me. Once I got over the fact that I could never go back to relaxing my hair, I just embraced my natural beauty. I did endure a lot of negative comments at first, but now I receive more compliments. Nevertheless, my hair says to people, I love me.

[quitejaded]

Well I have a friend with big natural hair and she gets more compliments from her natural hair than from straightened hair. So it just depends on how you look. BIG hair that flows is always sexier.

[PariNicole]

Now that I have been rocking my naturalness for over a year, I've retained length, and basically make it do what it do, several of those same black women who would tell me I'm brave,or say 'Oh I would never wear my hair like that" with a sour look on their faces..they're rocking the natural hair now. They get it now when I told them how freeing it is. They now see that our hair in a natural state isn't ugly, it's the stigma thats ugly. Also that hair (black or white) isn't knotty if u manage it

[PariNicole]

I have been amazed that my 'black' sisters have had such insensitive comments/reactions toward my hair style since I have gone natural. When I started my journey and my hair was really short, it was 'Oh you're brave to wear your hair like 'that'". I'd have to pause a moment and think, like what, naturally as it grows out of my scalp? I know that it is because of the stigma attached to 'kinky' hair, this idea that it's ugly, and black women are 'ugly' when we are in our natural state. (cont.)

[QueenxofxthexBurbs]

Love this video!

[AfreensHair]

Excellent video, Divine. I've been meaning to try the Kimmaytube leave-in conditioner. The politics of hair can be a good thing to get dialogue, but sometimes, it gets to be too much. The funny thing is the people that criticize don't even have afros themselves. It's dumb.

[saffronyoga]

and ..sounds like too much of a burden for me,. i can only do me ..getting in the heads of people that dont give a dam around me you and our kind is a waste of time..

[ExPartyGirl]

lol! Love it! you are too funny misPrv31 =) expg YOu are right though girl..I wore a skirt on my head today (literally!..but I wore it as a scarf! lol!)..and since it' has the african patterns, it definitely got looks..like "where she from?" lol! it's just a hairstyle to me, but I guess it is a statement too- for realzz!

[ExPartyGirl]

lol! Love it! you are too funny misPrv31 =) expg



[sushiflower04]

Afros are just as beautiful as other hair styles! (:

[sushiflower04]

I'm Mexican and I don't have an Afro but I see what your saying! Why should people with Afros try and make their hair straight or whatever hair like that is also beautifull! :D

[Alexisnevermind]

Great response vid. I feel what both you and Kimmay are saying. My hair is just slightly longer than yours and I stopped wearing afros a long time ago because for ME, I realized the longer my hair was getting it wasn't as easy/quick, and took more time to "undo" the fro, so I choose not to wear one. For that matter, I rarely do an afro puff unless I am really being lazy or something didn't turn out right. To each her own when it comes to our hair and I wish people would realize that.

[divinelynaptural]

@Alexisnevermind Exactly... we became natural to be free, not to be in bondage again to other people's expectations!

[natrlchallenge]

LOL, you go, girl! Well spoken!

[missVeemack]

Wow! This was a really good response video. And you are right on point with your comment. You seem like an awesome lady. God bless you!

[divinelynaptural]

@missVeemack God bless you too and thanks for watching!

[laughingshaman1]

Well said, Sister.

[NapsDujour]

Very interesting view of things! nice vid!

[cocoabakerchica]

I'm glad I've found you! Your comments are on point, and I know what you're talking about when the positive comments from others come when wearing wigs or 'straight' stretches styles as opposed to wearing twists. I've been natural since at least 1996, and wearing an afro with hair that's well past my shoulders(almost to the mid back) is not gonna work. I love my hair no matter what state it's in, and I'll rock a wig too! I've been mixing my own hair oils, and hydration is key!

[divinelynaptural]

@cocoabakerchica Thank you for the kind comments! Hope to make more vids like this commenting on these very issues!

[DinNDee]

Very interesting comments.

[ReclaimYourQueendom]

OMG you are so beautiful!!!

[divinelynaptural]

@ReclaimYourQueendom YOU ARE TOO.... Love you sis!

[blackcherry8907]

Nice video :)

[myssreceb]

exactly forget what people have to say if you love your hair and know why you wear your hair the way you do then what people say shouldn't matter!! Great video response!

[FemmeFemmeFemme]

you're the bomb sis, inside and out! love your attitude. Blessings~

[curliefro]

I agree (I am Nigerian-American). "Afros" with hair of considerable length are not even worn in West Africa. Stretched styles with threading (protective banding) is used to acheive length retention. On hair more than shoulder length, afros are just asking for tangles and major detangling session (so if hair could not be kept braided or banded, girls would just get the hair shaved in a twa).

[Sankofalocs]

Great vid!

[divinelynaptural]

@Sankofalocs Thanks dallling :)

[EvelynPrather]

Moisture is definitely the key! :) My signature style is a my curly fro. I love it! Shrinkage doesn't bother me at all. Nice video, sis!



[divinelynaptural]

@EvelynPrather It really is! Your hair won't get tangled if you water daily and put the right oils in to seal that moisture in.