Why don't people say white women have nappy hair?

Question

I used to live with a white girl. I know in her case, that without a whole lot of care and attention her hair is nothing but a frizzled nappy mess. Forget about running fingers through it.

Black women catch a lot of flack for straightening their hair. But I dont think its to be white. Because white women's hair isn't straight either (many of them also use a flat iron). So it seems to me all women straighten their hair.

but why are only black women looked down on for it?

(although I will say to sisters if you are going straighten, please use heat instead of chemicals because perms are toxic)

Answer 1

Because, for some reason, people confuse hair texture, hair density, and hair shape with whether or not hair is "nappy". Hair texture: A person can have fine, medium, or course hair. Hair density: A person can have thin, medium, or thick hair. Hair shape: A person can have straight, wavy, curly, or kinky (very tightly curled) hair.

I think a lot of people associate "nappy hair" with "black hair" since there are so many black people who have course, thick, kinky hair. But, when making such absurd generalizations, what they fail to take into account is that course, thick, kinky hair isn't the only hair texture, density, and shape that is (or can become) "nappy". (The meaning of "nappy" in reference to hair actually means the same as kinky . But I use the word "nappy" for the same reason as you're likely using it- because it seems that most people use the word "nappy" in the wrong context- to describe hair which is knotted/tangled.)

People also fail to realize that all of the above hair textures, densities, and shapes are found among black people just as they are all found among white people. Additionally, not all people who have the same hair texture share the same hair density and hair shape. Someones argument may be that most black people have course hair. But do most black people who have course hair also have thick hair? Do most of them have kinky hair?

See where I'm going with this?

Seriously, both blacks and whites can have any combinations of the above textures, densities, and shapes. And the chances of having a variety of combinations increase greatly for bi-racial and multi-racial people. True, certain combinations are more likely to be (or easily become) "nappy". But those combinations are found among all of us.

As for me, my hair is medium , thick , and straight (I would say slightly wavy, but it's to such a small degree that it's barely noticeable.)... Anyway, I don't have to do much to my hair to get it to do what I want it to do, but it does get incredibly "nappy". I would have to shave my head bald to remove a "nappy mess" if I didn't brush it multiple times a day. Immediately after brushing is the only time I have a chance in hell of running my fingers through it. The point of my mentioning this is because, well, it's accurate to say that I'm a "nappy headed white woman."

Something else to note is that people also confuse "nappy" with manageability. They assume that "nappy" is the equivalent of unmanageable when, in fact, all hair can be managed in some way.

On a side note- Genetics isn't the only factor that influences hair texture, density, and shape. (Examples: age, environment, and health)

I agree with you that people don't straighten their hair in an effort to "be white". Black women don't manipulate their hair to "be white" any more than white women tan to "be black". SHEESH! Why do people even make an issue of such things? It's unimportant. It serves no purpose to criticize appearances or the changes that people make to their appearances.

Answer 2

That's not necessarily true. There are many white women with nappy or frizzy hair, but some have an issue of their hair always being straight when they want something different.

Once again, we're getting into stereotypes. Stereotypes may apply in most cases, but definitely not all...sometimes not even half the time.

Frankly, I don't care what people do with their hair, as long as it looks good for them. Though, I personally wouldn't want to try to run my fingers through hair with too much grease, hairspray, mousse, etc. Yes, many, if not most, black women use grease in their hair, and I don't care for that. At the same time, many white women use hairspray, which I care for just as little.

Point is, there are many different styles of hair, natural or styled. Some people like certain ones while others like the opposite or something completely different. As a wise man once said, "To each his own."

Answer 3

I don't know why people don't say that, but they should. I wear my hair Natural for the most part, but every now and then I'll straighten it. I think all women straighten their hair because it gives you more styling options. The poster that said that black women catch flack whether it's straight or natural from black people more than anything else is RIGHT!

Answer 4

Sometimes it can be the other way around as well. Either way I think it's stupid because at the end, it just hair and as long the woman takes good care of it, natural or relaxed really matters at the end. Besides us blacks should be focusing on other issues concerning our race that needs to be addressed other than criticizing how we wear our hair.

Answer 5

yeah white ppl do have nappy hair...the only thing is it's straight. **Funny thing** I went to get my hair straighten with a flat iron by a pro-hair dresser and when i went to school the next day my friend (she's a white girl) came up to me, rub her fingers through my hair and said "omgoodness...this feels better than my hair" and a white boy came up to me and did the same thing....said the same thing.

Answer 6

depends

i know women of Italian, Arab, and Jewish descent who are white who really do have hair that could be chemically straightened (many do and with relaxers a bit milder than black women use, not the "thermal straightening")

some white women simply have curly ringlets like Melina Kankerides (Greek descent) and Andie MacDowell

or waves like Brooke Shields

those types of women mildly straighten their hair with flat irons and such but don't have the tightly curled hair of my black sisters

but if they don't comb their hair through or wash it a certain way or style it, the hair can become very tangly and matted a bit and then it resembles kinks

but most people who are white tend to have much straighter hair than our people....not all white women straighten it at all

some women who are white just want their hair extremely straight or want to keep the ends together better so they use straightening styling products and flat iron hair

and there is nothing wrong with tightly curled African hair

Answer 7

I believe that the term nappy hair is an ethnic term. White people do say they have frizzy hair. Not all women black or white straighten their hair. Some white women do have straight hair and some have curly. Some straighten their hair and some don't. Who gives black women flack for straightening their hair? I don't think intelligent women would give them flack for straightening their hair if they want it straight. Some women have hair they have to work with alot and some can wash and go. That's the way the world is. Alot of different types. Black, White, or anything in between.

Answer 8

Hey $0.02. I wonder this too. I rarely flat iron my hair. Normally I let it go natural, which is NOT nappy but wavy.I think that in some ways, we are going to catch flack no matter what we do. I know ALOT of white women that have frizzy hair.

As far as chemicals, I happen to agree. They are toxic. There is a lot of natural ways to straighten hair.

Answer 9

Not all women straighten their hair, some have naturally straight hair. I have a friend who's hair won't curl to save her life, it's straight as a board.

I guess you could say that some white women have nappy hair too though. Either way it's still insulting to that woman though, isn't it?

Oh, and I think a black woman who straightens her hair is fine! Why would I care how she chooses to wear her hair? Just how I see this.

Answer 10

I'm white and I've had people tell me I have nappy hair! I rarely straighten it, though, because it's a) a waste of time and b) probably bad for your hair. People need to accept what they're born with.