Hair Discrimination

Those who know me know that I love a good haircut and I have cut my hair on several occasions, both DIY and professionally. Since being natural, I've always had my hair straightened before getting it cut but this time I decided I was going to do something different. In essence I wanted a second big chop but as I don't have the cojones to rock an Amber Rose, I decided I would go for something slightly longer but just as stylish.

I wish I was that brave.

So there I was looking for a good hairdresser who could cut natural hair in its natural state and I soon learned something: the prices were discriminatory. I searched in both the UK and the USA and learned one thing: hairdressers that cater to black hair sometimes charge three times as much to cut natural hair as they do to cut straight/relaxed hair!

At first I was sure I was doing something wrong, surely an Afro hairdresser wouldn't charge more to cut my hair just because it was in its natural state, that would be ridiculous right? Wrong! Every single price list I looked up online and quote I called in to obtain showed a huge discrepancy in price. In some instances I even found that getting my hair washed, straightened and cut would be cheaper than a wash and cut on natural hair!

The salon/hairdresser/hair shop has historically been somewhat of a sanctuary for black women, a place where we go knowing that there's an unspoken solidarity, that this was the only locale that could 'handle' our hair and that the fact that you were here meant that regardless of shade, you were black. 

Black salon culture depicted in "How To Get Away With Murder"

It's bad enough that as black women we face discrimination in EVERY instance from other ethnicities and that within our own ethnicity we deal with colourism, but to walk into an Afro salon and be told that they are unable to dress natural hair or that you have to pay two to three times as much unless you opt for a form of straightening procedure is simply unacceptable! Every hairdresser/stylist in an Afro hair salon should know how to dress natural hair, treatments like relaxers and dyes are optional, what grows out of our scalp is not, that should be their basic hair dressing skills.

Naysayers will say I'm over reacting or that it's not that big a deal but it is a big deal when someone with a silkier texture or a looser curl pattern isn't required to straighten their hair before getting it cut, or when said customer is not required to pay a 'it's too kinky' charge! #ThatIsAll #RantOver

Girl Crush

I'm one of those females that when faced with a beautiful woman will go up to her and tell her so. Sometimes I get a weird look like 

<<< "I hope this girl is not hitting on me, I'm not a lesbian!"

Other times I approach girls that know how pretty they are. >>>

<<< A few times I got the "I didn't know I was that cute!" look but more often than not it's just shock "Omg, she's not hating on me!" >>>

I really appreciate beauty and I have no problem letting someone know that I think they look good or that I like their outfit. I have a girl crush on quite a few celebrities, nothing sexual but if I had to be reincarnated (I don't believe in reincarnation by the way!) I wouldn't mind looking like them.

Kelly Rowland

As you all probably already know from my previous post, I think Ms. Rowland puts the 'b' in beautiful.

Eva Longoria

People are forever telling me I'm blind on this one but I don't care, Eva is a hot spice! 

             

Nia Long

Age is this woman's best friend! Even at 40 years of age Nia is still one of the most beautiful and sexy women in the business!

                       

Gabrielle Union

We can't discuss beauty without mentioning Gabby, she's all kinds of gorgeous!

                  

Kristin Kreuk

This pretty young lady graced our screens as Lana Lang in the 'Superman' based TV series 'Smallville' and was later the face of 'Neutrogena'. Her exotic looks are just captivating.

                          

Jada Pinkett

I just love Mrs. Smith and I'm glad that since I have to share Will, it's with someone as gorgeous as her.

             

Eva Marcille 

Previously known as Eva Pigford, this America's Next Top Model winner looks amazing no matter what crazy hair colour she chooses to go with.

                                  

Christina Milian

I've always thought this little lady was pretty, I dunno what Dream was thinking by letting her go.

  

Lisa Raye McCoy

This woman has an amazing body and a gorgeous face to match. Can u believe she's 45 years old!?

 

Stacey Dash

Stacey is another woman who's made age her best friend. I don't mind ageing if I can keep my youthful looks like she did!

         

Bre Scullark


Another America's Next Top Model contestant (I love the show!) who's beauty stayed with me after the show was over. Her graceful demeanour and stunning features made for an instant crush! And she has gorgeous hair!

           

I bet you're all shocked that Rihanna wasn't on my list! I'm probably the only female on the planet that doesn't have a girl crush on  her lol! But yeah, here's my top 11 (couldn't quite narrow it down to 10 lol) girl crushes. I have a few more but you'd be scrolling down for hours, it was hard enough picking only two pictures for each crush!  


Ladies do you have a girl crush? If so, who is she?

Ms. Rowland on X-Factor

Anyone that knows me knows that I have been a huge fan of Kelly Rowland since she first graced my screen with Destiny's Child (Beyonce stans please sit down!) so I was uber excited when I heard she was going to be a judge on X-Factor UK (I have to specify now that there's a USA version!). 

I have never really watched X-Factor but when I heard Kelly was going to be a judge I knew I would be glued to the screen and she has not disappointed me. Unlike the fashion crisis she was clearly going through in 2009/2010, 2011 (or a new stylist!) has brought the style out of Ms. Rowland and she looks absolutely gorgeous on Saturdays. 

Hot mess: On the
  Graham Norton Show 2009

X-Factor judge 2011

                                               

Although her hair stylist still needs to be replaced (I will never understand celebrities with bad hair *cough* Serena & Venus Williams *cough*), her look as a whole is just stunning and her beauty has me mesmerized. We love you Kelly!!!

X Factor judges 2011

 

Black History Month

Every year during Black History Month I get a little sad. I think about the status of black people in the world and I realize that for another year we are at the bottom of the food chain. Africa was and still is the richest nation in the world and somehow African's still live in unimaginable poverty.

I love being black (not that I had a choice lol!). The history, the culture, the stigma - all of it! You can say whatever you want about black people but you cannot deny, we are interesting and talented people. Did you know that the first surgeon to conduct heart surgery was black? Probably not. If I told you that the first rapper was black you look at me like I was dumb though and think "Obviously!".

Well why is it that as a black nation we do not promote all our achievements? (I don't know, I'm asking!) Why is it that it's only the negative parts that we promote? 

It's easy to blame it on the 'white man' but ladies have you ever gone to a hairdressers and heard anything other than "Shaniqua stole Monique's man!" and "Did you hear Ms. Charlene's boy got arrested last night?". Men, have you been chilling with your boys for a lengthy period of time without discussing someone that's been arrested or making illegal money? This obviously doesn't apply to everyone but you can't deny that the majority of conversation among black people promotes the negative, even if it is just by discussing it.

It saddens me that black people are seen so negatively by the rest of the world when we have so much good in us. Now I'm fully aware that we are no saints and that there is no smoke without fire, unfortunately I will be the first to admit that in the streets of London, where there's a crime there normally is a black person involved but is it just me or whenever a black person is involved in anything negative it just seems so much worse?

For example, Tiger Woods. Don't get me wrong, I do not condone his behaviour in any way, shape or form but is he the first celebrity to cheat on his wife? How many footballers and actors have been doing much worse? We all know that if his wife had been black we probably would have never heard about it (I'm just saying what all of you are thinking!). Do you remember when Usher came out with his "I'm a sex addict" cra... i mean 'problem'? Who cared? It was just black Chilli he'd cheated on, no paparazzi there. In fact I only knew about it because he made a whole album discussing it and the sales for that were legendary!

And this brings me to the other cause of my sadness - racism is not dead. If you think it is you're either not from an 'ethnic minority' (I hate that term!) or you live under a rock! 

As sad as this fact makes me, we as black people need to stop using the 'racism' card as an excuse to be lazy (yeah I said it!)! Too many black people complain about how hard it is to get a job and how hard it is to live in a predominantly white world etc. In what part of black history did you find the word 'easy'? Our race is built on hard work, endurance and survival so suck it up and do something constructive with yourself!

I few months back there was a programme on BBC called 'Welcome to Lagos'. BBC made a mockery of Nigerians and Facebook was rampant with jokes but I on the other hand had never been prouder of being a Nigerian in my life! There was a particular guy on the documentary who had a Agricultural Science degree but couldn't find a job anywhere (this is normal in such countries). He then went about explaining how he studied the meat market an noticed that all the animal blood was washed away so he came up with a scientific formula to turn the blood which was going to waste into farming by-products! Can you imagine!? This is what the black nation is built on, initiative, persistance and hard work!

In 1998 Tupac said "We ain't ready to see a black President" and now 12 years on we have one so doesn't that mean that the sky is the limit? We have black people in every field, male and female, and yes we do need to fight harder for these positions but isn't that what our ancestors faught for? Isn't that the whole point of celebrating Black History? 

The opportunities are there so take them, work hard at them, be the best at them and spread the word about them. Enough with the negativity already, let's start thinking, acting and talking positively so that the rest of the world can also speak positively about us.

The top of that food chain is wondering why we are taking so long ;- )