Black people spend billions of dollars a year on hair care products. That surpasses what we spend on tuition and medical care. What do you think about that?

Tina: I’ve always thought that as a race we tend to spend money on all the wrong things such as beauty products, clothes, shoes, cars, etc. but we skimp on necessities that have long lasting value such as education, housing, and investing/saving because no one has ever taught us the value of those things. Women will spend $100 on weave every few weeks and live in public housing. That $100 could have been saved to move on to something better but so much emphasis is put on appearance in the Black community. You could be illiterate but as long as you look good, no one questions the rest. But people will question why you’re wearing Levi’s instead of True Religion jeans; not why you chose to major in Politics and not Public Administration.

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LaToya(Yahya): Well I already know that there are black women who would take money from another important utility bill in order to get their “hair did” as some people say. So I’m not surprised by that. But it truly shows how brainwashed we’ve become with our looks and in trying to “fit the mold” of a society that has told us for centuries that our natural selves will NEVER be good enough and that our natural self is not considered “civil” enough for public presentation or that our natural self does not represent the “professionalism” that goes with a certain company image. The list goes on and on and on. Those statistics say to me that we as black people still consider “fitting the mold” in this society to be of a much higher priority than educating ourselves and our youth. Many of us probably feel that without that “proper” and widely-accepted “image” an education can only get us but so far.

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Tierra: Gotta look good! I don’t pass judgment and a black woman’s hair is her crown n glory. Natural or relaxed -Get it Girl!

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Sugar: I think people in general spent more on their hair than tuition and medical care. For Blacks, it is cheaper to pay 25 dollars to get your hair done several times a month than to pay 2500 dollars at once for tuition. Medical care is expensive even with insurance. Plus people like immediate gratification and to look good even if they don’t feel good. Box Perm is what 8 dollars (that’s to say if you perm your hair)? Co-Pay to the PCP is 20 dollars (what if you need a prescription…that’s another 4-40 dollars?).

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Tammy: I think it’s a sad and sobering reality.

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Sherry: It’s a shame we are more concerned about our hair than what we spend on getting an education or taking care of ourselves and what’s worse is the Koreans control virtually every aspect of the multi-billion dollar, black hair care industry.

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LaToya: I think it is ridiculous especially when it surpasses medical care. I may just have it the easy way. I do not routinely visit my hairdresser. I do my hair myself. I do not have the patience or the money to visit a stylist weekly. I think it is wonderful for people to spend money on beauty but I hope other things are more important such as dental care and education.

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Panya: I think that it is sad. We make up about 17% of the population and yet the Black hair business is a billion dollar industry. I mean, what can be said about that. Nothing.

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Tasha: Black women have always been very stylish and in-tune to making ourselves look beautiful. We take a lot of time pampering ourselves by getting facials, massages, nails and hair done. In terms of more money being spent on hair care products than tuition and medical care that is a problem on many different levels.

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Do you think “hair” is a significant topic that needs to be discussed within the Black community?

LaToya (Yahya): Yes indeed. We already discuss it all the time amongst ourselves whether people admit it or not. But the stereotypes and derogatory statements are usually the first to come up (subconsciously, I think) but I rarely hear anyone counter those statements, which may lead to more of a “discussion” (or debate, maybe even an argument or two in some circles) but either way the discussion (from BOTH sides) is very much needed instead of sweeping the issue under the rug.

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Panya: I do because I feel that even when we are not talking about our hair, we are making strong statements about what our hair means to and about us. No, I am saying this to mean that a natural hair style means that you are more black, more aware, or more secure than those who have relaxed hair. But, I am saying that we as a community need to be more aware. We need to be aware of what we are really saying when we say that I have a relaxer because without one my hair is “unmanageable.” Really think about the implications of saying that.

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Tamara: I believe that how much emphasis we put on hair is a topic to be discussed in the Black community.

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Chaun: Definitely! My son had curly hair and my daughter does not. I was very careful not to tell one they had good hair and the other they did not because it is a negative connotation I believe. My daughter’s hair is thick and course, but because I taught her to appreciate her hair she decided her junior year that she did not want to put anymore chemicals in her hair. She decided to cut it and go completely natural which was a pretty bold thing to do when your peers were wearing perms or micro braids. She even encouraged me to do the same.

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Mo: Yes. I believe that we as a people need to teach our young women that hair is what makes them and not character I feel we put way too much emphasis on hair and not enough on self esteem and character.

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Tina: Hair is a significant topic. I don’t think we’ve ever discussed it in this much detail until Chris Rock started promoting his film. It would be nice to know why people choose to wear certain hair styles and what their personal definition of beauty is.

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Tierra: Yes, especially for our children.

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Sugar: I think hair is already discussed in the Black community….well it is in my particular community.

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Sherry: Hair is significant and should be discussed in the black community. We need to be educated on the true meaning of “good hair” and that good hair is healthy hair. However one chooses to wear their hair should be a personal decision and not based on society. Also if we are going to continue to spend billions on hair care we need to regain ownership of the Black Beauty Supply Industry.

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Tammy: Absolutely, hair is a significant topic that needs to be discussed. This is one of the largest components to the Black psyche. This opens up the conversation to other issues that plague us as a whole.
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Anything else you would like to add?

Tamara: I know that some people in the Black community believe that people sell out when they perm their hair. I don’t believe there is a correlation between having relaxed/permed hair to a person’s Black identity. It is simply a preference, not a cry for help or trying to identity with the white race. Simply a preference of how a person would like to wear their hair.

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LaToya (Yahya) : We are the only people on the face of this earth (I feel black women get this much more than black men) but are the only women on the face of this earth that are told by certain societies (either straight up, consciously and subconsciously) that our NATURAL SELVES aren’t GOOD ENOUGH. I believe that exact same self-hate was and still is being taught…Its beyond due time to DEPROGRAM.

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Tierra: True beauty comes from within!

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Panya: As women we have so many issues that make us feel insecure about ourselves and sometimes I feel that hair is becoming one of those taboo subjects that we are not allowed to talk about. Some of us feel that either a relaxer is no big deal, or that it is necessary for success in this country. I feel that many things contribute to our feelings of inferiority even if we don’t want to recognize them and in order to get stronger as a people, we have to be honest with ourselves and discuss all issues relating to us and who we are as a people.

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Tina: Beauty consists of more than just your outside appearance. It’s your personality, your heart, your mind, your attitude, and your self-esteem. If YOUR hair is YOUR crown & glory, then OWN IT and do what YOU want with it. Don’t conform to what others think it should be.

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Tasha: In terms of hairstyles, black hairstyles continue to evolve. I believe there is definitely an increase in the amount of women wearing weaves. However, there is also an increase in the amount of women wearing natural hairstyles. I have seen a tremendous increase in the number of women wearing locs. Commercials on television also tend to show more black women wearing their hair in a natural hair style. It would be interesting to find out why black women who recently made the switch from wearing their hair relaxed to a natural. What were there reasons behind the change?

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Chandra: Like India Aire said, “We are not our hair” I think we’re so much more than our hair. We need to tap into ourselves & rediscover the diamond within. We can’t let society define us or dictate 1 standard of beauty. We’re all Queens!

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Chaun: Wonderful topic. So much of our self-esteem is wrapped up in our appearance. I think if we work on our inside, our heart, our mind, it can only enhance our natural god given beauty.

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I would like to say thank you to all the beautiful sisters who participated in this blog series! I hope everyone enjoyed it and I hope it caused everyone to think…