Michelle Obama and Black hair - an article on the Huffington Post

[shugababe192]

Hello Ladies,

I wanted to share this article I read earlier today concerning Michelle Obama, women of color and their hair. The author is white and she discusses the perceptions of black hair and comments on the lack of Black hairstyles Michelle has worn.

Interesting read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gioia-diliberto/first-hair_b_192811.html

 

[LadyPaniolo]

OK, so we have it on the authority of the woman who did Michelle's hair for 5011 years that she had her hair "straightened every 6 weeks" like clockwork.

Yet I read on LHCF that her hair was natural. I always thought it looked like she had a relaxer (which is fine and dandy.) So I wonder what the story is with that?

 

[PaperClip]

OK, so we have it on the authority of the woman who did Michelle's hair for 5011 years that she had her hair "straightened every 6 weeks" like clockwork.

Yet I read on LHCF that her hair was natural. I always thought it looked like she had a relaxer (which is fine and dandy.) So I wonder what the story is with that?

I quoted an article from Sophisticate's Black Hair where her stylist (a Black guy...I think the one who's in DC now who does her hair) said she was natural.

I wonder if they are interpreting "natural" as NO CHEMICAL or NO HAIR ADDITIONS....

My humble thought....

 

[lonelysky]

*is scared where this is going to go*

 

[Katrice]

This is scary, strange and disappointing. How black women choose to wear their hair is a personal choice and not up to the Black Hair Nazi's and certainly not up to a white woman to tell Michelle Obama or any other Black Woman how to wear their hair.

 

[msa]

I hate the terms "black" or "ethnic" in relation to hairstyles, products, or practices.

That is all.

 

[Mystic]

It seems her hair is natural and she gets it washed and pressed every week - according to one of the posters.

OK, so we have it on the authority of the woman who did Michelle's hair for 5011 years that she had her hair "straightened every 6 weeks" like clockwork.

Yet I read on LHCF that her hair was natural. I always thought it looked like she had a relaxer (which is fine and dandy.) So I wonder what the story is with that?

 

[yuriko]

I hate the terms "black" or "ethnic" in relation to hairstyles, products, or practices.

That is all.

I couldn't agree more. If the hair is curly, just call it curly or un-straightened for crying out loud

 

[SmartyPants]

I think the straightened every six weeks is in reference to a chemical straightener (i.e. relaxer). Michelle herself said in an interview that her hair is permed.

 

[JamericanGurl]

WTF cares! I mean really! The woman gave us her husband. Now she gotta give us her hair? Natural? Relaxed? Whoopiddeedoo!
Some folx are so pcuking entitled!

 

[CheLala13]

I hate the term 'ethnic'. My family has been in America longer a lot of folks here, why are the things I put in my hair and the books I read ethnic?

 

[lonelysky]

I couldn't agree more. If the hair is curly, just call it curly or un-straightened for crying out loud

right. ITA

 

[lonelysky]

I hate the term 'ethnic'. My family has been in America longer a lot of folks here, why are the things I put in my hair and the books I read ethnic?

Yeah. Like the ethnic haircare section. Which I wonder why there is even that much. I mean, is there THAT much different that we put on our hair that we need our own section?

 

[Dposh167]

this article is eh

(not u op...the woman who wrote it)

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I hate the terms "black" or "ethnic" in relation to hairstyles, products, or practices.

That is all.

I know.... It is hard - because they don't know how else to say it - or put it. I argue with my classmates EVERY week about this. I am the only black person in the room.... And constantly check people....

C'mon - we all knew we will never see Michelle any other way.

But - it really is HER mindset too........If she has been getting her hair 'did' errry week for 30 years... You can't expect her to do anyting different.

 

[soulie]

Is this going to restart the "is she natural or relaxed" debate that raged for pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages, ad nauseum?

Incidentally, this article was also posted several days ago in Political and OT.

 

[lonelysky]

I don't like the mindset about relaxed hair that is being put out in the article. I don't like the mindset about natural hair either. Seems kind of closed-minded in a lot of ways.

 

[soulie]

The Last Time the Debate Started over whether the woman is relaxed or natural

 

[lonelysky]

Is this going to restart the "is she natural or relaxed" debate that raged for pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages, ad nauseum?

Lord, I hope not.

 

[PaperClip]

Is this going to restart the "is she natural or relaxed" debate that raged for pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages, ad nauseum?

Incidentally, this article was also posted several days ago in Political and OT.

I hope not, either.... I just shared what I had read. And yes, I'd like to know because I'm curious because I admire the FLOTUS (that's what we call her in the Political Forum) and I'm curious about hair, ergo my presence here on LHCF.... It's a perfect storm! LOL!

But seriously.... I'd like to know but it's a nice to know, not a need to know....

 

[LivingDol1]

aren't there more important things to write about besides this fluff?

reading articles like this makes me think that people are more backwards and further behind than I initially thought.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

perplexederplexed

Ummmmm OK. Apparantly this issue is way deeper for some folks than for others.

OK fine.... let's just go with the assumption that she gets her hair straightened every 6 weeks means she gets a press every six weeks... and her hair stays bone straight in mist, fog, rain, sleet and snow that whole time because....

I think Foxy Scholar might have hit on something when she said the quote about her being natural just meant she didn't wear a weave, not that she was free from chemicals.

 

[soulie]

During the prior debate someone referenced an article where she was quoted discussing her own hair. I am content to accept HER word for what she has done to her hair.

 

[msa]

Yeah. Like the ethnic haircare section. Which I wonder why there is even that much. I mean, is there THAT much different that we put on our hair that we need our own section?

We don't "need" our own section. The heads of those companies know that our hair isn't that different from theirs. By marginalizing us they make money off of the fact that we are brainwashed to believe we require "special" products. It's a mind game they use to pad their pockets. And then they continue to sell us things that only make our hair issues worse, thereby requiring the next miracle in a bottle they come out with. Our section may as well be called the "nappy neck-length negro" section because those are pretty much the only people I see over there.

I don't deal with the "ethnic" section because it's a misnomer. Everyone, white folks included, have an ethnicity. Until they rename theirs the "white ethnic" section, or get rid of the names altogether, I'm not giving anybody my money.

 

[LaidBak]

Interesting comment:
"What Wright hasn't and will never give Michelle, however, are twists, braids, ringlets, dreadlocks, or any other African-American style. Michelle hasn't worn her hair natural since she was a school girl. Only once on a vacation to Jamaica during her college years, did she wear braids, according to friends."

Are braids, twists, etc, the non-black person's idea of "natural" hair?

 

[lonelysky]

We don't "need" our own section. The heads of those companies know that our hair isn't that different from theirs. By marginalizing us they make money off of the fact that we are brainwashed to believe we require "special" products. It's a mind game they use to pad their pockets. And then they continue to sell us things that only make our hair issues worse, thereby requiring the next miracle in a bottle they come out with. Our section may as well be called the "nappy neck-length negro" section because those are pretty much the only people I see over there.

I don't deal with the "ethnic" section because it's a misnomer. Everyone, white folks included, have an ethnicity. Until they rename theirs the "white ethnic" section, or get rid of the names altogether, I'm not giving anybody my money.

@ nappy neck-lenght negro section.

I totally agree with what you said. I always get a good laugh at the fact that every product is "miracle grow" or "super growth potion". I think that it feeds into the slow/non-hair growth stereotypes.

I wonder what a white person would thing if he/she looked at our products. None of the products in the "general" section are miracle growth potions.

 

[lonelysky]

Interesting comment:
"What Wright hasn't and will never give Michelle, however, are twists, braids, ringlets, dreadlocks, or any other African-American style. Michelle hasn't worn her hair natural since she was a school girl. Only once on a vacation to Jamaica during her college years, did she wear braids, according to friends."

Are braids, twists, etc, the non-black person's idea of "natural" hair?

To me this post makes Mrs. Obama sound like she's paranoid about wearing so-called "black" hairstyles.

 

[msa]

@ nappy neck-lenght negro section.

I totally agree with what you said. I always get a good laugh at the fact that every product is "miracle grow" or "super growth potion". I think that it feeds into the slow/non-hair growth stereotypes.

I wonder what a white person would thing if he/she looked at our products. None of the products in the "general" section are miracle growth potions.

You mean Miracle Gro...Super Gro...Doo Gro...

It's not bad enough that we are segregated into a separate section, they add the double insult of selling us products with names that are blatantly spelled wrong but which we will buy anyway because we're chasing length.

This is one case where things are separate and definitely not equal. And we've fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

 

[shocol]

Interesting comment:
"What Wright hasn't and will never give Michelle, however, are twists, braids, ringlets, dreadlocks, or any other African-American style. Michelle hasn't worn her hair natural since she was a school girl. Only once on a vacation to Jamaica during her college years, did she wear braids, according to friends."

Are braids, twists, etc, the non-black person's idea of "natural" hair?

Apparently.

There are so many things in this article that are wrong, and I don't mean wrong as in inaccurate. I mean intent and the way the journalist expresses her curiousity. The whole thing just makes my skin crawl.

 

[suburbanbushbabe]

Excellent article. Thanks for posting it.