This means its a form of SPECTACLE to you. You’re in awe at something so foreign to you and almost forget that its just as human as your own.

Sure you go out of your way to give black people props on the versatility and malleability of their hair but just because a comment is positive and without spite doesn’t mean it’s without racist connotation and ideology.

You fail to mention and flat out attempt to ignore that fact that for centuries white people have viewed afro-centric hair as lesser, comparing it to pubic hair.

With your enthymemes, you fail to mention that black hair products are scarcely available in leading department stores.

You fail to mention that our hegemonic, “American” culture has had a long history of making beauty synonomous with more ango-saxon (white) features. It’s still evidenced today as many black women and women with afro-centric har straighten it, making it “easier”, more “manageable” and more accepted in mainstream society.

Internalized oppression exists within black people and it would be silly for you assume they aren’t self conscious about their hair at all when most of the images that bombard them (and all of us) don’t visually represent them.

nice well written post