Do you think most women would pick short relaxed over long natural?

[JJamiah]

Most of my LF and Wigs are Shoulder length and up. I have a few APL and BSL but not many. I like shorter cuts. Healthy all the way. be it Healthy SL Natural or Relaxed!

 

[Rei]

i voted natural but this is already decided. Women would pick relaxed. Look how many girls are out there with long locs? Certainly a lot more than I see with long relaxed hair. That hasn't influenced anyone to go natural. I know dreads have a "stigma" attached to it, but so does loose natural hair, lol. I don't see where that would be a difference. Almost everyone I know who doesn't know anything about hair knows thinks they could have (almost magically instant) long hair if they got locs, but they don't want it because locs aren't "sexy" or "attractive" and neither is loose natural hair to them *shrug* Obviously I'm being sarcastic about the growth rate of locs but thats that kind of mentality that I had before I found the boards.

 

[BostonMaria]

Because my hair is natural and I know what it takes to take care of natural hair, I would choose 4B WL hair. I've already had relaxed SL hair.

I don't know what other women would prefer. I think that the prospect of having waist length WHATEVER would appeal to any woman of color. Especially if you have the option of relaxing it or doing BKT.

 

[helixhoney]

Because my hair is natural and I know what it takes to take care of natural hair, I would choose 4B WL hair. I've already had relaxed SL hair.

I don't know what other women would prefer. I think that the prospect of having waist length WHATEVER would appeal to any woman of color. Especially if you have the option of relaxing it or doing BKT.

I agree with this. And most importantly, i think women like the thought of being able to grow their hair if they wanted to. But the reality of maintaining it is another thing. I think if women woke with WL 4b hair AND knew how to keep it moisturized, to twist it properly, braid it, twist outs, bantu knot outs, and pressing it too, it wouldn't be a problem. But because all those styles, in reality, take know how and practice, most women will pass the frustration of learning (or embarrassment of looking crazed) and stick with the sure thing: relaxed SL or whatever.

 

[ryanshope]

They want long natural hair---but they "scurred" so they walk around with the chicken doos and ish

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

I personally think most black women would prefer shoulder length relaxed hair as opposed to long bsl natural 4B hair simply because that's what a lot of black people have known!

A lot of women don't transition to natural simply because it's something "new" and "different". Plus, society isn't exactly hailing the beauty of natural 4b hair, but gradually people are coming along. So, I think most black women would prefer the shoulder-length relaxed hair. But most black men I've talked to say that they don't really care much about texture, they just like LENGTH. So.....go figure!

Considering how lazy many women are, I already know they'd pick the familiar devil rather than the one they don't know.

Natural hair is a lot of work. If you've never had it, it's a big transition. Most mothers can't handle it, so they put chemicals in their toddler's hair to make it easier. Most women balk at my natural hair where I live. I have tough skin, so I don't let it get to me. But let's face, most women just aren't willing to put in the work for something like this. They'd rather buy a $6 box of creamy crack and settle with something easy and acceptable.

I agree with everything you said.

I'll even take it a step further and say this:
I firmly believe that if kinky 4b hair were what WHITE people (or the majority race in power) had, then KINKY hair would be easy to deal with and straight hair would be difficult and hard to maintain/do anything with. I firmly believe that. Part of the reason why kinky tightly coiled hair is "difficult" to manage anyway is because most of the products in our country are not really geared towards black/afrocentric/kinky hair! Things are getting better though. We're learning a lot more about our hair now than we have ever really learned years ago.

Actually, to be honest, I am quite surprised just how "easy" my hair is to deal with (now that I'm natural) after doing some research and learning how to care for afro-textured hair. This "hype" or MYTH (I should say) that kinky hair is "difficult to manage" is really a lie. It's not difficult...it's just DIFFERENT! So, you have to care for it differently than you would straight hair...plain and simple. But if you're always trying to care for kinky hair like you would straight hair, then of course it's going to be difficult to manage, "hard to tame", etc.

Okay...I'm off my soapbox now.

 

[Glamourstruckk]

Thinking of people that I know personally, they would choose the relaxed hair. I see them now saying "I wouldn't know what to do with it" and similar things. If they were on here or other sites, then I think they'd choose the natural.

 

[RegaLady]

[/B]
Natural isn't everyones preference and has nothing to do with Easy or Acceptable
Or maybe they like it.

ITA!!!This seems to be a hard pill to swallow for ALOT of people who aim at having long hair. Some women may simply just like having short relaxed hair. Look I will be honest, I have always said long natural hair or a relaxed HB cut. And if this natural 4a/b hair gets tiresome, I am cutting into a short cute cut, period. I for one, like the style as I know SOOO MANY women do,whether people are out buying weaves or not. So I will say many would choose a short relaxed cut.

 

[softblackcotton]

I like how 4b hair is singled out in this worse or worser case scenario.

 

[bebezazueta]

Wow! How about neither! With all the long healthy relaxed heads out there, I would think the choices wouldn't be so biased.Not all relaxed hair is short and damaged and not all natural hair is long and healthy. But I thought this would have been obvious. My choice is healthy hair. I started my HHJ 7 months ago and retained all 4.5 inches! And I relax bone straight and I put in alot of hard work to retain. So if you were relaxed and think that it's easier then that may be why it was damaged. I'm just saying.

 

[EllePixie]

This thread is taking an interesting turn...

 

[pookaloo83]

I like how 4b hair is singled out in this worse or worser case scenario.

Thank you! erplexed

 

[iri9109]

I like how 4b hair is singled out in this worse or worser case scenario.

i think 4b was singled out because its basically the most different in texture when compared to bone straight relaxed hair...so would you rather have hair that is totally opposite in texture and pattern from relaxed straight hair, but have alot of length, or the relaxed texture with not that much length...i wonder how the answers would vary if she said 3c or 4a waist length hair, or just long natural hair in general without specifying.

 

[lovegymnasts]

i think 4b was singled out because its basically the most different in texture when compared to bone straight relaxed hair...so would you rather have hair that is totally opposite in texture and pattern from relaxed straight hair, but have alot of length, or the relaxed texture with not that much length...i wonder how the answers would vary if she said 3c or 4a waist length hair, or just long natural hair in general without specifying.

I have 4a hair and I still get the looks of wonder that I am able to handle my hair.
Type 3 hair, the answers would be different for the people I know.
Especially 3a or 3b
4a? Naw...
I've finally accepted the realization.

 

[Junebug D]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

 

[iri9109]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.
i think so too
Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

thats a toughie...i think locs are beautiful, but the idea of me not being able to comb or brush or blowout my hair as i please does not sit well with me...and even if i had locs, i wouldn't let them get past BSB or MBL because of the weight of them and drying time and just to make general maintenance easier for me...i'm 99.5% sure i'd take the SL loose though

 

[EllePixie]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

TBH, I like locs very selectively (they need to be very well kept), so I'd go with SL loose hair.

 

[B_Phlyy]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

I agree with this and this is why I think OP singled out 4b along with the length.

If the question was just "having long natural hair", most BW would agree to that because they assume the bolded is what they will get (even if they have a completely different hair type). I also think this is a reason why some 4b naturals (especially if they do it for fashion/fad reasons) quickly go back to relaxing. Once they see they're "actual" is different from their "expected/ideal", they surmise that it will be too hard and too much work without giving it a chance.

 

[RegaLady]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

I would take SL health loose hair. In all seriousness, super long hair is not all that desired for me. But then again, I know my limits. I know what will work for me and my time and my facial features.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

I would take healthy loose hair. Locs on me? I'd look like the poor version of Lisa Bonet (no, seriously, I've been told).

 

[drappedup]

I would probably go with the long and natural option depending on how manageable the hair is, and how it looks in general. I sometimes dig the lion mane look, but it can be something easy to look no good with. So it'd depend, tbh. Picture example of each?

 

[Fhrizzball]

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

Well can I have the option of it being SL healthy natural loose hair? That way when it stretches out it may come out to being WL after all.

 

[CrissieD]

Women like long hair so if they are guaranteed WL if they stop relaxing, most would stop relaxing because anyone would chose long hair over short regardless of the hair type or texture. Hell I would swap out my 3c hair for 4c if it would get out of BSL purgatory

 

[GraciousMystique]

I asked a woman this exact same question once and she replied "short relaxed hair".


With that being said, I think some black women just don't like natural hair for a myriad of reason (they don't want to deal with negative comments, and they want to feel "attractive" by society standards, the stereotypes, and they don't want to deal with the perceived "hassle" of natural hair care) as a result most would choose relaxed hair, regardless of the length of natural hair.

Others, would choose the long natural hair and then relax it-so they can have long straight hair

IMO Majority of black women prefer short relaxed hair, as most have short straightened hair.

 

[LovelyNaps26]

Wow! How about neither! With all the long healthy relaxed heads out there, I would think the choices wouldn't be so biased.Not all relaxed hair is short and damaged and not all natural hair is long and healthy. But I thought this would have been obvious. My choice is healthy hair. I started my HHJ 7 months ago and retained all 4.5 inches! And I relax bone straight and I put in alot of hard work to retain. So if you were relaxed and think that it's easier then that may be why it was damaged. I'm just saying.

I intentionally wanted it to be extreme. I've seen some lovely relaxed heads here on LHCF, so i know it is possible. but i just wanted to get a sense if other folks felt that length was more important than texture or vice versa.

i figured if I had "long relaxed hair" as an option that it would be the obvious choice for MOST black women in society if given the option right now. i totally believe relaxed hair can be long. i treated my relaxed hair like trash and it was at bsl before i bc'd, so i'm not denying that it can grow and retain.

 

[LovelyNaps26]

I like how 4b hair is singled out in this worse or worser case scenario.

please check the asterisk in the OP. I figured someone would get offended so i explained why i INTENTIONALLY chose that hair type.

as i said i'm a 4a/4b so there was no hidden agenda. i just realize that to a lot of folks who don't appreciate the beauty of afro textured hair 4b hair is perceived less "acceptable' than curly hair, 3c, for example. I do not think my hair is the worst but sadly, some do. i wondered if length would change that perception if others had a choice, hence the OP.

 

[AlliCat]

I think most women would choose long natural hair... IMO length trumps texture

 

[LovelyNaps26]

i think 4b was singled out because its basically the most different in texture when compared to bone straight relaxed hair...so would you rather have hair that is totally opposite in texture and pattern from relaxed straight hair, but have alot of length, or the relaxed texture with not that much length...i wonder how the answers would vary if she said 3c or 4a waist length hair, or just long natural hair in general without specifying.

I think it would. this is why i was specific in referencing a specific hair type. honestly, i really don't think 4b is that much more difficult unless someone is insistent wearing a wash and go every day and demands curl definition. i do think my hair "looks" difficult which is what some are hesitant about when they think of going natural and might have type 4 hair.

 

[LovelyNaps26]

Maybe the hang-up with 4b is that there isn't a whole lot of evidence that the average BW sees everyday that it WILL grow long, whether relaxed or natural? To most BW, the choice is between short & nappy or short & straight, and I think many would rather just have one "strike" against themselves. It's a false choice. There aren't nearly enough long natural 4bs running loose out there to even give BW the IDEA that long natural 4b even happens.

I'd be willing to bet any amount of money that the vast majority of BW would take long natural 3A/3B hair over ANYTHING else.

Another "interesting" question...

Would people here choose WL locs or SL healthy loose hair?

i would rather have loose hair for a variety of reasons. much of what i love about my natural loose hair i would miss with locs. plus, in the last 5 years just about everyone that i met who had locs have since cut them off. they say the style got "heavy" or they "wanted something new". plus tightening every 6-8 weeks reminds me too much of my relaxed days. i love not having a schedule anymore aside from washing.

 

[sylver2]

relaxed or natural 4B...as long as its long & thick i could care less...lol