A Quick Look into the Natural Hair Community

Day 26 of 31 Hairstyles @ 31 Places Challenge

I recently read a series of highly controversial blogposts on BGLH about the inclusion and exclusivity of the natural hair community and so I've decided to share my opinion about the posts on here. Please click the link above to read all three posts so you can understand this follow up post a bit better.

Let's first re-define what natural hair is.
I feel that many people do not understand what natural hair really is and why the online community was birth. Though it might be too late to change the incorrect use of the term "natural hair", it's still not too late for us to understand what natural hair really is. To me, the term natural hair is synonymous to afro-textured hair which ranges from curly to kinky coil hair texture. This means that anyone with an African gene with naturally curly/coily hair can be said to have natural hair.

So who is the natural hair community meant for?
It's a community which is consisted of Black women, men and children with afro-kinky or curly hair, even if they're mixed. This community also consists of non-Black women with Black children, friends and relatives who are constantly searching for tips on curly hair care.

Are Black women with naturally straight hair also included in this community?
From my observation, I believe they're not a part of the community because every internet search with "natural hair" always produces Black people with afro-textured hair and more recently, afro-textured weave.

Why do we have the natural hair community (NHC)?

1. The first reason is to provide women (major audience) with tips on how to love their hair more by properly caring for it so that it can behave the way they want it to behave.

2. Another reason is to provide an online support and encouragement to women and children who are struggling to wear their hair in its natural state due to their knowledge gaps about afro-textured hair. 3.

3. The NHC is also a platform to show solidarity to women who are constantly facing resistance in their immediate community. This community is so outspoken and influential that they've provoked change in policies each time a member of the community faces a threat in their society.

4. The last critical reason for the existence of this community is to develop our "hair economy" by all means necessary, be it through purchasing products from black owned businesses or spreading the word about them on social media.

Who is REALLY in the natural hair community?
EVERYONE! From the Chinese who makes your weaves to the Koreans who sells them as well as Caucasians who makes a significant profit from your favourite "Black" hair products. This community also includes Black women with relaxed hair, naturally straight hair, non Black women with Black kids, and pretty much anyone.
Though I don't have the statistics on the hair type of the hundreds of thousands of fans who are following popular vloggers on social media, I can assure you that a good portion of those fans do not have "natural hair".

Who is excluded from the community?
NO ONE, as this is an online community which is open to anyone with access to the internet. I understand that many relaxed women sometimes feel excluded from the community, and some have even come to resent the same group they're a part of! Because the community is fast growing, many netizens have confused it to be an online space for every Black woman on the planet, though it's only a niche for a small group of women.

Why is the NHC so controversial these days?
From my observation, I notice that there is still a big knowledge gap on what the community is really all about. I say this because many people often argue over facts and are unable to separate their perception from reality. The unnecessary controversies is an evidence that we still have a long way to go when it comes to our hair, and it will take a long time to get there. Nevertheless, I am confident that our people will not perish for a lack of knowledge because the growing audience of the NHC will continue to educate their peers about the nature of their hair. I feel the only way there will be a unity in the community is through DAILY words of wisdom and constant awareness about the community until natural hair eventually becomes an ideal and preferred hairstyle for ALL (including non-Black citizens).

My general thoughts about the BGLH article
As mentioned in one of the articles, I don't think the NHC creates a division or any sort of discrimination in the Black community. I believe it's a crucial community which was created as a result of the high demand for it in a society where European beauty standard is set to be THE beauty standard for ALL. I feel readers who are constantly searching for faults in the NHC need to read up on their history and empathize with others who are finding it difficult to flaunt their hair, rather than condemning them. I think it's too late for anybody to bring this community down as it's TOO BIG TO FAIL.

What are your thoughts? Is there anything you agree or disagree with? I'd like to hear from you