From a Sociology Perspective: Why We Might Have Gotten the Idea...

[Christelyn]

that we could not grow Afro hair long, I'm wondering how much of an impact looking at African images of women with perpetually short hair might give some subliminal impression that we can't grow our hair long. With this exception of places like Ethiopia and Erietra (sp), I NEVER see African women with long hair. What is the reason for this? Dryness? Shea butter abounds. What do you guys think?

 

[JustKiya]

Shrinkage. Just because you see a woman with a fro, does not mean her hair is short.

 

[Soliel185]

I've seen pictures of African women with long hair - normally though these women are wearing elaborate braided styles, or very small individuals.

I also agree with the shrink factor. My hair stretched right now is APL, and it only looks as long as it does in my siggy b/c I still have some relaxed/texlaxed ends. It shrinks to about a third of its length when fully natural.

 

[Christelyn]

I've seen pictures of African women with long hair - normally though these women are wearing elaborate braided styles, or very small individuals.

I also agree with the shrink factor. My hair stretched right now is APL, and it only looks as long as it does in my siggy b/c I still have some relaxed/texlaxed ends. It shrinks to about a third of its length when fully natural.

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

 

[curlcomplexity]

Well, there are several African women on this site including myself with what society would consider long hair, both natural and relaxed. They are out there

Maybe I don't understand the question being asked...

 

[Soliel185]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

True. I would think that depending on that person's lifestyle, particularly if they still live with their traditional tribe and practice their customs short hair may be symbolic or a matter of convenience. I know some tribes use elements to dye/color their hair as part of their culture....maybe length, or lack there of is a part of that also.

ETA: here are some examples of different styles - they show varying lengths of hair. African Style Week

 

[Odd One]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

I remember stalking a fotki of a member here(cant remember the name) and she had EPIC shrinking it was BSL but looked Ear lenght when shrinked!!! lol

but yeah maybe shrinking has to do with it.. and then you have ladies who had who never learned how to take care of their hair cuz it was a styling matter over health

 

[Denise11]

Their hair could be short because it's hot down there! LOL

Just kidding...... Buy maybe they keep it short on purpose........I wouldn't want lots of hair if I lived in a hot part of the world.

But yeah, shrinkage is a good point.

 

[JustKiya]

Though, I can see how, even still, seeing visuals of that (and having no natural hair, no familiarity with shrinkage - which is sad, but another thread), could have planted the seed that black women 'can't' grow their hair.

 

[Christelyn]

Well, there are several African women on this site including myself with what society would consider long hair, both natural and relaxed. They are out there

Maybe I don't understand the question being asked...

That's good to know. But when I was a child looking at National Geographic, Jaque Cousteu, etc. I didn't SEE African women like you. There definitely was an IMAGE stereotype being perpetuated, at least here in the U.S.

 

[JustKiya]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

mscocoface - on this board - is a great example. I think she's BSL, and her hair shrinks up to barely earlobe length. Not a TWA, but definitely 'short'.

And, as Denise said, it could have been a purposeful thing - our hair was deisgned to protect our scalps from the sun, but a lot of hair gets HOT - just because you wear it short, doesn't mean it can't grow.

 

[Soliel185]

Here's a quote of the author whose blog link I posted. She had some of the same questions that the OP does before she started doing more research.

every time someone asked me, "why do you want long hair? why is it so important?" i always felt kind of guilty. because i asked myself, "have i been brainwashed by euro-american standards of beauty?", "do i just want long hair so that i can look less different than asian, hispanic, white and native american women?", "am i using long hair as a 21st century tool to bridge some perceived 'beauty gap' between me and other racial groups?"

part of the reason i thought these things is that i didn't think there was any historical precedent for long afro-textured hair. as ignorant as this may sound, i honestly thought african women always had short hair. i mean, those are the pictures i saw growing up... african women, topless, with teeny afros.​

 

[bedazzled]

Well..I think it goes deeper than that. I think it goes all the way back to the Willie Lynch days. I don't think that just a few pictures of shrinkage subliminally made black people decide that they could only have short hair.I think it has to do with black women not understanding their hair in the first place & then after being told numerous of times that they're not as good as white women - black women try to conform themselves to european standards. Thus trying to achieve the bone straight, life-less look and hair breaking off constantly because of this and black women failing to contribute the bad practices to lack of hair growth because they see other women doing these practices and still achieving length..Therefore, after seeing their hair fail to retain length, they correlated it with 'maybe my hair just doesnt grow' and then teaching their children this.

 

[bedazzled]

mscocoface - on this board - is a great example. I think she's BSL, and her hair shrinks up to barely earlobe length. Not a TWA, but definitely 'short'.

And, as Denise said, it could have been a purposeful thing - our hair was deisgned to protect our scalps from the sun, but a lot of hair gets HOT - just because you wear it short, doesn't mean it can't grow.

But what about east african ladies? Im sure its hot as heck in Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia..and all of those women generally have long hair. Maybe cause its not as kinky/coily?

 

[curlcomplexity]

That's good to know. But when I was a child looking at National Geographic, Jaque Cousteu, etc. I didn't SEE African women like you. There definitely was an IMAGE stereotype being perpetuated, at least here in the U.S.

Oh I know what you're saying and you are right. I remember seeing things like that as well in NG and in books at school. I know that alot of my cousins back home keep their hair shaved short by choice due to the climate. It's very hot all year around....most of them feel more comfortable with shorter hair.

 

[Denise11]

Oh I know what you're saying and you are right. I remember seeing things like that as well in NG and in books at school. I know that alot of my cousins back home keep their hair shaved short by choice due to the climate. It's very hot all year around....most of them feel more comfortable with shorter hair.

That's exacly what I said in my earlier post. It's hot down there! I knew that was a reason. And I understand.

 

[Soliel185]

In NG you're used to seeing this: (pls note, there is some indigenous nudity )

But they never showed you this:

There are more pics on the blog that I posted.

 

[bedazzled]

In NG you're used to seeing this: (pls note, there is some indigenous nudity )

But they never showed you this:

There are more pics on the blog that I posted.

Whoa. Aint black hair just lovely?

 

[NYAmicas]

I remember stalking a fotki of a member here(cant remember the name) and she had EPIC shrinking it was BSL but looked Ear lenght when shrinked!!! lol

but yeah maybe shrinking has to do with it.. and then you have ladies who had who never learned how to take care of their hair cuz it was a styling matter over health

I'm sorry but lmao at Epic shrinking. Great topic and interesting thread.

 

[discodumpling]

I think it's all a matter of culture. Long hair is worth the time & effort in some African countries & in some it is a bother. I expect standards of beauty to differ on a continent with 53 (?) countries...
Additionally the majority of us in the new world are decendants of West Sub-Saharan Africans...somethings, like proper haircare, got lost on that long cruise over...

 

[ceebee3]

that we could not grow Afro hair long, I'm wondering how much of an impact looking at African images of women with perpetually short hair might give some subliminal impression that we can't grow our hair long. With this exception of places like Ethiopia and Erietra (sp), I NEVER see African women with long hair. What is the reason for this? Dryness? Shea butter abounds. What do you guys think?

We really have to pay attention to where these images are coming from. Are they coming from people who look like you or have your best interest at heart? Always consider the source.

 

[MAMATO]

Most people I know from West or Central Africa have very short hair and it is not on purpose. Some people growth rates are very slow and unfornately there is nothing we can do about that. Most of my African friends can wear the same braids and keep them for months (4-6) and they will still be neat and clean, which means very few growth. Some men can keep the TWA for months and it is still neat and clean. Most of my friends are from west and central Africa so I know what I am talking about. When I say Central Africa, I exclude Rwanda, Burundi because these girls usually have nice length, I think they are descendants of the Old Egypt (Nillitics), to be confirmed. Other exceptions the "Peul" and the "Sousou" people (two minorities in some countries like Senegal, Mali, Guinee, Ivory Coast etc), they do have nice length as well. And the more you go the East of Africa, the more you see length and texture changes as well. And of course in the North you'll find all the Arabs, but they are a different race of people of course.

 

[Christelyn]

Most people I know from West or Central Africa have very short hair and it is not on purpose. Some people growth rates are very slow and unfornately there is nothing we can do about that. Most of my African friends can wear the same braids and keep them for months (4-6) and they will still be neat and clean, which means very few growth. Some men can keep the TWA for months and it is still neat and clean. Most of my friends are from west and central Africa so I know what I am talking about. When I say Central Africa, I exclude Rwanda, Burundi because these girls usually have nice length, I think they are descendants of the Old Egypt (Nillitics), to be confirmed. Other exceptions the "Peul" and the "Sousou" people (two minorities in some countries like Senegal, Mali, Guinee, Ivory Coast etc), they do have nice length as well. And the more you go the East of Africa, the more you see length and texture changes as well. And of course in the North you'll find all the Arabs, but they are a different race of people of course.

Interesting...which begs the question, do descendants of the people and places you've named have a genetic predisposition to short hair?

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

I can name a member on here with BSL hair that shrinks right up to a TWA

Her name is mscocoface and her hair is :notworthy :lovedrool:

 

[MAMATO]

If their growth rate is lower than the average and their growth cycle is similar to the average, yes they will retain shorter hair than the average for the same period of time. Honestly, not being able to grow long hair is not a big deal or a crime, trust me those people have other things to worry about. It is only hair, and those women are so beautiful and gracious with or without long hair.

 

[lilyofthevalley]

that we could not grow Afro hair long, I'm wondering how much of an impact looking at African images of women with perpetually short hair might give some subliminal impression that we can't grow our hair long. With this exception of places like Ethiopia and Erietra (sp), I NEVER see African women with long hair. What is the reason for this? Dryness? Shea butter abounds. What do you guys think?

I'm from Ghana so hopefully I'll be able to offer some insight into this. I remember growing up and going to school in Ghana we were not allowed to have hair that was longer than 2 inches. I went to a boarding school and every couple of months when our parents visited, they had to take us to get our hair cut. Honestly, the desire for long hair was never really there. Even when women grow up and get out of school, they are not concerned with growing their hair to BSL, let alone waist length.

My maternal grandmother for instance, sees long hair as ugly and a harbinger of lice. She kept her hair cut in a fade, so we followed her example and did the same to our hair. To this day, I still have female cousins in Ghana who wear a fade.

I believe this way of thinking has also made Africans less knowledgeable about hair care. I mean if you're going to cut it off anyway, then why would you bother learning about how to grow and retain your hair?

And anyway, I've never had trouble growing my hair long since I moved to Canada. A hairdresser cut a patch of my hair in the back to shoulder length in December 2008 and it's APL now. The rest of my hair which was APL at the time is now almost to the bottom of my shoulder blades.

 

[andiSTAR]

This is a very interesting topic.
My family being from Sierra Leone, West Africa I have seen a range of African hair lengths.
My mother and grandmother both had long, afro-thick hair whereas my father's side had thin short hair.
The range of hair type and length cannot be marginalized for an entire people. That's silly.
People all over Africa have varying hair types and lengths period. It depends on care and heritage. That's like saying that African Americans all have long hair. It depends on their heritage and hair care practices! Even natural African Americans have limiting factors to their growth.
And there are different hair care standards in different parts of the continent. In general West Africans (i.e- Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria) have more European standards of length. A lot of these countries value long hair. Whereas, climate restrictions closer to the equator (Central Africa) wear hear shorter for varying reasons.
Sometimes the society dictates hair length and sometimes it is the individual.

 

[Christelyn]

This is a very interesting topic.
My family being from Sierra Leone, West Africa I have seen a range of African hair lengths.
My mother and grandmother both had long, afro-thick hair whereas my father's side had thin short hair.
The range of hair type and length cannot be marginalized for an entire people. That's silly.
People all over Africa have varying hair types and lengths period. It depends on care and heritage. That's like saying that African Americans all have long hair. It depends on their heritage and hair care practices! Even natural African Americans have limiting factors to their growth.
And there are different hair care standards in different parts of the continent. In general West Africans (i.e- Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria) have more European standards of length. A lot of these countries value long hair. Whereas, climate restrictions closer to the equator (Central Africa) wear hear shorter for varying reasons.
Sometimes the society dictates hair length and sometimes it is the individual.

Thanks for contributing. I hope you don't take what I say too personally--I was pointing out that images that Americans get about Africa--from school, the media, etc., generally show African women with very short hair. That was the purpose of my post--I was thinking out loud about whether those types of images have predisposed us--and other races for that matter--to believe black women can't grow long hair.

 

[v2.0]

Thank goodness my eyes were playing tricks on me. I saw "Scientology" not "Sociology".

 

[HoneyDew]

Nah.

I think it is because we have spent too many years trying to fry, dye and lay it to the side.

Our stuff been breaking off for years.

That is why. I don't think it goes back to Africa on this one.

I think our hair, or lack of, is a result of modern society and our need/desire to fit it and keep up (manageability).