"In a recent interview with Elle magazine, Oprah’s affable stylist pissed off sisters with natural hair by saying kinky hair was the only kind he’d recommend altering because it has “limited styling options.”
When discussing the difficulty of keeping “kinky” and “curly” hair tamed in humid climates, Walker advises:
“I always recommend embracing your natural texture. Kinky hair can have limited styling options; that’s the only hair type that I suggest altering with professional relaxing.”
After getting the verbal crap beat out of his by the Natural Nazis, Walker "clarified" his original quote:
Let me first say that there is no such thing as “bad” hair, and I have long ago freed myself from being afraid to use the word “kinky” and also from being accused of not liking natural hair. We have become a multi-cultural society that embraces many different looks and styles when it comes to hair. It is my Mission to help you grow strong, healthy hair, and wear it in the style or styles that best suit your likes and particular hair type.
When it comes to curly and kinky hair (there is a difference), I leave the political correctness of “going straight” or staying natural to a woman’s personal preference. Once again, my advice is based on how to best achieve strong, healthy hair. So for those who would like to engage me in a debate about who has more racial pride and self esteem, based on hairstyle preference and use or non-use of chemical relaxers, know that I believe in personal freedom, and in the use of advanced technology when it yields positive results, which many of today’s (versus yesterday’s) chemical relaxers do deliver.
It is a fact that kinky hair (my Type 4 definition) is extremely fragile and breaks easily. Even when you are very careful, something as simple as combing can break this texture. It is very difficult to achieve a longer length when the hair breaks, even with simple combing. That being said, there is the style option of wearing braids, dreads, or twists, which allows the hair to grow longer because it is combed less often. Another style choice is to simply wear a shorter cut, which is very attractive on some women but just not right for others.
So when I say to embrace your natural texture, but consider relaxing kinky hair, am I contradicting myself? I don’t think so! You see, even relaxed hair can still be worn naturally. If you want a natural look, but find that your kinky hair is difficult to manage, breaks too easily, lacks shine and luster, and limits your preferred styling options, I say feel free to consider a mild chemical relaxer, sometimes called a texturizer, that eases your hair to a more manageable texture and allows you to Make Peace With Your Hair."
I'm not going to get into the whole politics of Black hair. It's all been said, blogged, tumblred and done before. And I kind of agree with his overall point that women should be allowed to rock their coils any way they please. However, what I can't - no, won't - let him slide on is this false characterization that the courser the hair, the limiting and harder it is to manage - particularly a natural style.
Alot of "us" are scared of our natural hair and after a lifetime of trying to "tame" it, we wouldn't know the first thing about how to maintain our hair in its natural state. And unfortunately, many stylist aren't immune to that thinking or practice. Likewise, how "freeing" is a relaxed hair when the moment a raindrop or bead of sweat touches it, you go running for the nearest cover?
RSS Feed