AsianAfricanPrincess
New Member
I thought I would post this link here to a (ridiculous) Newsweek article about Zahara, Angelina Jolie's daughter (I believe she went to Ethiopia to adopt her). No matter if we're relaxed, braided, natural, weaved, loc'd - whatever - I think any knowledgeable Black woman will recognize the self-loathing this article is laced with...
Notable WTF moments:
“She doesn’t know any better now, but she will once she gets into school and sees other little girls that look like her with combed and neat hair. She’s going to feel like the odd man out.’’
Brown says she worries that the little girl will one day resent her adopted mother.
In sharp contrast, Madonna, who adopted a little African girl earlier this year from Malawi, makes sure her daughter’s hair is either braided with beads or bows. Recent photos show the little girl modeling neatly done cornrows with white beads at the bottom—a la Venus and Serena Williams.
Yes, nevermind that her mother could have given birth to another child, but, instead CHOSE ZAHARA to be her daughter (which makes her and other adoptive children so special, to me)...nevermind that her mother gave her a loving home, stability, safety, a soft, warm bed, and nourishment...no, the utter fact that her hair isn't braided or to someone else's liking, THAT will make her resent her mother.
Give me a freaking break.
And a little off-topic, but "combing" hair is not a curly-girl's best-friend. That approach works best for straightened hair, imho...not curly, kinky hair. I use my fingers, not a comb.
Someone wrote the following comment below the article, which pretty much summed up my feelings:
My hair isn't unruly, and I am a black woman that wears her hair in it's natural state. If you are using hair as a determination of social standing, you must also be using the brown paper bag test, which in the year 2009 is sad and pathetic.
What makes you think Zahara's hair isn't well groomed and put together. I see nice, well moisturized coils and kinks, and her hair is beautiful as is without a damaging perm or heat damage from a hot comb. The problem with people like you is that to you kink is something to be ashamed of, for others kink is a source of pride and uniqueness. That is why the beauty industry makes so much money from black women, many are like you and have too much shame in what is natural, their own hair.
Zahara's hair looks combed, it looks as if her curls are well defined, not matted, or damaged, and not all self respecting black women conform to the standards that you do about their child's hair, and don't feel that the "kink" needs to be removed. Her hair is nice and neat, it has kink, because it's natural.
It's sad in the year 2009, women are still sitting around with no idea of how to care or even identify healthy natural hair, and that they have no idea how to deal with their own hair in it's natural state out of shame and conformity. I'm a black woman that can do a wash and go, work in a professional environment and get just as much respect as a woman donning a wig, weave, or perm.
Curious to hear what our relaxed, tex'd, and natural sisters have to say about this. Personally, this article is ridiculous, imho.
Notable WTF moments:
“She doesn’t know any better now, but she will once she gets into school and sees other little girls that look like her with combed and neat hair. She’s going to feel like the odd man out.’’
Brown says she worries that the little girl will one day resent her adopted mother.
In sharp contrast, Madonna, who adopted a little African girl earlier this year from Malawi, makes sure her daughter’s hair is either braided with beads or bows. Recent photos show the little girl modeling neatly done cornrows with white beads at the bottom—a la Venus and Serena Williams.
Yes, nevermind that her mother could have given birth to another child, but, instead CHOSE ZAHARA to be her daughter (which makes her and other adoptive children so special, to me)...nevermind that her mother gave her a loving home, stability, safety, a soft, warm bed, and nourishment...no, the utter fact that her hair isn't braided or to someone else's liking, THAT will make her resent her mother.
Give me a freaking break.
And a little off-topic, but "combing" hair is not a curly-girl's best-friend. That approach works best for straightened hair, imho...not curly, kinky hair. I use my fingers, not a comb.
Someone wrote the following comment below the article, which pretty much summed up my feelings:
My hair isn't unruly, and I am a black woman that wears her hair in it's natural state. If you are using hair as a determination of social standing, you must also be using the brown paper bag test, which in the year 2009 is sad and pathetic.
What makes you think Zahara's hair isn't well groomed and put together. I see nice, well moisturized coils and kinks, and her hair is beautiful as is without a damaging perm or heat damage from a hot comb. The problem with people like you is that to you kink is something to be ashamed of, for others kink is a source of pride and uniqueness. That is why the beauty industry makes so much money from black women, many are like you and have too much shame in what is natural, their own hair.
Zahara's hair looks combed, it looks as if her curls are well defined, not matted, or damaged, and not all self respecting black women conform to the standards that you do about their child's hair, and don't feel that the "kink" needs to be removed. Her hair is nice and neat, it has kink, because it's natural.
It's sad in the year 2009, women are still sitting around with no idea of how to care or even identify healthy natural hair, and that they have no idea how to deal with their own hair in it's natural state out of shame and conformity. I'm a black woman that can do a wash and go, work in a professional environment and get just as much respect as a woman donning a wig, weave, or perm.
Curious to hear what our relaxed, tex'd, and natural sisters have to say about this. Personally, this article is ridiculous, imho.
Is there nothing else she can be writing about? Perhaps use her voice to make a difference instead of pecking at a petty topic such as hair? To be honest, the author's hair looks dry and damaged in her picture. Zahara and her hair are beautiful - black, healthy-looking, and just gorgeous! I used to wear my hair like that when it was natural and I received nothing but compliments!
