Comments on: READERS REACT:CELEBRITY KIDS AND THEIR “NATURAL HAIR”

By: Seven7

Seven7 — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:18:00 +0000

This is a beautiful comment and so true. I live in Paris, but I’m from the US. Here you see a lot more Africans. Over 10 years ago, I saw a lot more with natural hair. Now, they are wearing bad weaves to emulate all those “positive” images we see in the media.

The beauty industry makes a killing off of how much we hate our own natural hair.

What if the majority of Indians dyed their hair blond? Or Chinese all got curly perms as soon as they were children?

Wouldn’t that seem a little strange?

By: msday

msday — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:31:12 +0000

Although my hair is longer, my hair is the same texture as Zahara. I rock a fro’ but I live in Italy where there is plenty of nappy hair and it is not a sin. You can always tell the difference between Africans and African-Americans by their hair; which is always greasy, parted on the side, hanging with the ends bumped under. This is their idea of “good” hair? I also don’t like piling crap/grease all over it to make it look like a jerri curl. I mean what is the difference?
Why did I start wearing my naturally kinky, curly hair? Well, being multiracial and having a newborn multiracial daughter. How am I going to teach her self acceptance if my examples of it are limited? How can I teach her to be proud of her “crown” if I am too ashamed to wear my own? Yes, it is a crown because my hair is like lambs wool, just like someone else.
One day, when Black Women wake up and embrace their own looks, they will see just how beautiful we are in our natural state. I question my decision to return to America with my children because I am pretty sure we are all going to run into some issues with ignorance. Zahara is beautiful!

By: beadgyrl

beadgyrl — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:32:11 +0000

I agree with many others on this thread. It is a shame most African Americans cannot accept our own beautiful, kinky natural hair. We were born with it, and it is wash and go hair. If other races, (white, asian, latin, etc…) can enjoy wash and wear hair, then why can’t we? These children are obviously being raised to appreciate and accept their natural hair, and I think it’s wonderful. Too many of us feel unaccepted, and pressured into this false security of having hair that is processed, and rearranged to mimic that of other races. Once you do that the bond/cuticle in your hair is broken and destroyed. I am a black woman and of course like many of us, I have had several relaxers in my lifetime. All it has been is MISERY for me. I was losing my hair, and watching it fall out daily as I combed my hair each morning, watching it fall in my bathroom sink. Not until I let that relaxer grow out, and I have no more shedding. Only the natural daily shedding that is supposed to happen. Not to mention, think about some beautician smearing a relaxer on YOUR scalp, yet…they are wearing gloves to protect their hands. That makes NO sense. By the time many of us realize we need to let it go, it’s too late and you have lost too much hair and or have alopecia and severe bald spots.

By: KaliGurl

KaliGurl — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:24:18 +0000

Take a minute to research those you’re criticizing……Brad Pitt has been documented in his support of a particular brand of products created for African-Americans, Carol’s Daughter. Although his statement, “I had trouble with Zahara’s ‘black-people’ hair……Carol’s Daughter is a fantastic hair product. We got it for Z. Now her hair has this beautiful luster. And it smells nice, too.” - Brad Pitt , has been made out to be a racist comment, the simple fact that he’s researched and found a product line that works for his daughter is admirable. Also the same product line is used on Willow. And they’re both beautiful kids, tight curls & all

By: Lioness

Lioness — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:33:16 +0000

I love Willow’s hair in that picture- I like it better than the braids, I think her natural hair looks best on her. Not saying I’m against braids- I myself wore them for years- but I think on Willow, her own hair suits her best.
As for Z, my only problem is that it look REALLY uneven- I just wish they would trim it! There are these ends sticking out everywhere, it just needs a trim. Otherwise, I love it however they do it.

While I do agree that not everyone straightens their hair because they hate their own natural hair, I do think it’s necessary to acknowledge that Black self-hatred is a VERY REAL thing that still exists, and is manifested no more extensively than in our hair styles. When I see Black 3-year-olds with perms and braids and/or bald spots, I can’t help but think that the parents have security and self-deprecation issues that they haven’t dealt with and/or probably don’t even know they have. I mean, why not give the children time to make their own decisions about their hair? No matter how people try to deny it, those are harsh CHEMICALS (even the kiddie perms) that are used to straighten, ones that I don’t think a 3-year-old needs. So we still have work to do when it comes to self-acceptance…

By: justsayin

justsayin — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:40:33 +0000

Z and Henry probably get their hair washed everyday (a white folk thang) and spend time in pools, the ocean, and sun. Poor babies don’t have a chance for the moisture thing… and Z. doesn’t like holders, bows, or dos we have been told many times…and Henry does not strike me as an easy going let me mess with your hair kinda kid (I wanna see his shaved off and started again from scratch!)……

By: Tina

Tina — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:28 +0000

Here we go againg black women with self hate. This is why MOST black women are balh head now, the dry their dam hair out. This is why asians are making a crap load money of blacks, because blk women have self hate. Continue to give your money to us asians while were millionairs yall are poor.

By: GlitterSha

GlitterSha — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:12:21 +0000

Whatever…
My “natural” hair is basically like both these 2 children and I fully embrace and appreciate “letting my hair go”. Zaharra’s fro looks Exactly like me when I wake in the morning, and you know what? I’ve just learned to be comfortable with that…I have decided that I’m happy being nappy, and when I do feel like letting someone come at me with a Flat-Iron I will! Is your hair texture the measure of quality of who you are??
I Seriously hope we as black women can get over that ideology.

By: to

to — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:36:43 +0000

BCK I don’t think this is really a black or white issue. for the record though Willow smiths hair is braided when shes in public, most of the time, unlike Zaharas hair. Not that anything is wrong with that and before someone preaches all natural hair is good selflove bs. Recently, Angelina started to brush z’s hair in ponytails, because she is probably starting to realise that z’s hair needs grooming after washing. She is also start to dress her in pink and other pretty clothes in other words change up from the norm. I once suggested that her hair would look nice slickd back and some thought it meant perm or starighten hair. I know their hair - z’s& w - would probably drop-out if it was permed because they are too young. What I meant was styling up the natural hair every once in a while. Even p diddy kids recently had their hair all out like z’s, but usually it is styled.

By: shayla

shayla — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:47:16 +0000

I thought being in New Orleans may have influenced Angie and Brad to go natural with baby z because so many kids in New Orleand dread from birth. Willow is cute to nothing is wrong with the natural look as long as the kid is comfy if the pitts dont know lusters make great moisturizer for afo american hair.