It's Natural, Not Nappy
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

It's Natural, Not Nappy

Verbal etiquette for Afro-textured hair.

101
It's Natural, Not Nappy
www.glamour.com

Most people have some kind of struggle with their hair. You know, some days it's on fleek, other days it's not. For those, like myself, who are of African ancestry, "bad" or "good" hair days take on a whole new meaning. Our lovely curls fall on a very wide texture spectrum that need special care if worn naturally, that is without chemical alteration.

Texas-born YouTube sensation, Terell McDonald

It would have been easy if textures were all that black people had to deal with. However, the hair problem goes beyond curls because of who this hair belongs to. You might know where I'm going with this. Yes, I'm going to say the R-word. Race and power strongly influence hair struggles in the black community.

Power structures of the world have set standards of beauty, success and morals to line up with white ideals. And so, among Afro-textured hair, tighter curls are seen as unruly, while looser curls are desirable since they are closer to the silky strands of the powerful (white) race. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to demonize white people or black people with loose curls. I am simply pointing out a fact. Who knows? If the power structure was inverse, we would have the opposite.

Kenyan blogger Sheila Ndinda

I am aware that discussing race and its relationship to power makes people cringe. But how then could we overcome the history and reality that race and power are interrelated? This and the pain it has created and sustained? All I am trying to say is we can only achieve harmony through uncomfortable conversations such as these. This is never fun for anyone, regardless of which side of the power structure they fall.

This leads me to explain why natural and nappy are not the same when describing tightly curled Afro hair. When you use the word natural, you are being respectful and giving dignity to that person. But when you say that person has nappy hair, you are being offensive and derogatory. Natural implies equality while nappy implies inferiority. You get the drift.

Does this sound unbelievable? Well, I searched for these two words on the Urban Dictionary and took a look at their related words. This is what I saw for each:

Notice how many words I had to censor for each. Nappy is related to five times as many slurs as natural.

It usually takes a considerable amount of confidence for a black person to wear their Afro hair out and proud. By using the word nappy instead of natural, you are reinforcing the unjust racial structures that they are freeing themselves from.

I believe all types of hair are beautiful. There's no such thing as ugly hair, which is what the word nappy suggests for tightly curled Afro hair. Let's stick to using natural for the sake of maintaining human dignity.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70917
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132495
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments