Afro Hair- Laugh at it!

So you don’t understand what rubber threading is? Okay, Let’s talk for a minute.

So I was on Instagram scrolling throw my explore paper when I came across a picture of a young girls hair. The hairstyle took me 12 years back into my childhood. I found this picture on an Instagram page with the caption reading “can anyone explain what is going on….”. my initial reaction was “how can you not know what this is!” but then I realized that this was part of my culture and not theirs. I instinctively click on the comment bubble to live a comment on what I knew and let’s just say that the comments I read were completely repulsive. I’m pretty sure that 90% of the comments were of people laughing at the little girls’ hair! What makes this incident more disappointing was that it seemed like the majority of the 90% were African Americans.

I was not surprised however, I was disappointed. Eventually, my disappointment turned into anger. how can people chose to mock this little girls hair because it looks “unattractive” or “different” from what they knew!?

Sometimes I cannot help but feel confused as to why people are so quick to ridicule and mock what they do not know or understand. Call me sensitive but I had the eager to curse out everyone that had negative words to speak.To all the people who are still laughing, let me just point out that this hairstyle as been around before you were giving the privilege to know what the world looked like, just saying.

Being that I identify myself as a Nigerian-American because both cultures have shaped my identity, I understand and have a great perspective. They, on the other hand, do not. So you know me I have to educate… well at least try.

I was once a little girl who wore a similar hairstyle.

Listen, my mom may not have styled my hair like this little girls’ hair but it was pretty dang close, rubber thread and all.

African threading can be done in all shapes and sizes, any style or form. Get creative with it! Ever been to a hair show before?

The hair style is very popular in West African Culture. It has promoted hair growth and assisted with straightening hair without heat.

I remembered when I was a little girl, I used to love getting my hair threaded. This brought back so many memories. It is just so sad that some people chose to mock this beautiful form of art.Why, though? Because it is out of the norm, huh? Fingers pointing, people laughing, what’s new?

With all this being said, I said it before and I will say it again:

AFRICAN THREADING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES and will most likely still be around whether you care for it, like it or acknowledge it. Sooo….Deal with it!

Writer note: At some point, we have witnessed how quick most people are to switch up on people and things. One minute it is being laughed at, the next minute it becomes a “new trend”. Wait on it.

With love,

Mo