Comments on: Should Michelle Obama Make Waves? http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/15/should-michelle-obama-make-waves/ A civil rights blog promoting informed discourse on issues of race, justice, equality and democracy. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:11:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Shannon http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/15/should-michelle-obama-make-waves/comment-page-1/#comment-1214 Shannon Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:49:23 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.com/?p=7240#comment-1214 All the hatin on First Lady Obama is not going to be more of less if she goes natural. As a born-to good-ole-boys Southern Woman. I can tell you there will be a bit of noise, but It wont change the negative opinions one way or the other. She and the President are Americans of more or less African descent. Straightening her hair, even bleaching her skin white will not change the stupidity and the hating. People just have to get over it. It can happen, but it takes time, with ups and downs, fits and starts. All the hatin on First Lady Obama is not going to be more of less if she goes natural. As a born-to good-ole-boys Southern Woman. I can tell you there will be a bit of noise, but It wont change the negative opinions one way or the other. She and the President are Americans of more or less African descent. Straightening her hair, even bleaching her skin white will not change the stupidity and the hating. People just have to get over it. It can happen, but it takes time, with ups and downs, fits and starts.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/15/should-michelle-obama-make-waves/comment-page-1/#comment-1213 Shannon Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:40:41 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.com/?p=7240#comment-1213 I don't know if it's kosher for me to post here, but here I go. As a white woman I've learned what black women go thru for their hair gradually. I asked a lot of 'stupid white people" questions and probably offended some people. But heck, I didn't know...anything. The cost, the time, the expense, the maintenance of black hair. Owch (literally owch!). It does seem like a of repudiation of being of African origin. When Whoopi Goldberg came on the scene I thought her hair was really weird and perhaps inappropriate somehow. Like giant cigars on her head. I don't feel that way now. It is familiar and does not look odd to me at all. Now I look at all these lovely black children who are subjected to hair torture just to look a little (just a little) more like white kids. I find it distressing. Were Michelle Obama's hairstyle up to me I would choose a medium length style like Ms Nutters loverly hair. I've always envied that hairstyle. It looks so regal and queen-like. I know it takes a lot of time and effort to start. Second choice would be Ms Norton's hair, pehaps not so close to the scalp, not quite Grace Jones but with a little more shape. I have to say Ms McKInneys hair looks nice too; but I think large braids on black or white heads looks a little too youthful. WIth exposure, Im sure I'd get over it. I'd love love love to see more kids with natural hair. If the first lady would step up to the plate and go natural perhaps she would ravage a whole industry of haircare providers and black haircare products. Im not a diehard fan of completely natural. Im sufficiently Americanized to encourage dyeing one's hair so that one will not look so tired and saggy. Perhaps I should just get over it, also. I don’t know if it’s kosher for me to post here, but here I go. As a white woman I’ve learned what black women go thru for their hair gradually. I asked a lot of ‘stupid white people” questions and probably offended some people. But heck, I didn’t know…anything. The cost, the time, the expense, the maintenance of black hair. Owch (literally owch!). It does seem like a of repudiation of being of African origin. When Whoopi Goldberg came on the scene I thought her hair was really weird and perhaps inappropriate somehow. Like giant cigars on her head. I don’t feel that way now. It is familiar and does not look odd to me at all. Now I look at all these lovely black children who are subjected to hair torture just to look a little (just a little) more like white kids. I find it distressing.

Were Michelle Obama’s hairstyle up to me I would choose a medium length style like Ms Nutters loverly hair. I’ve always envied that hairstyle. It looks so regal and queen-like. I know it takes a lot of time and effort to start. Second choice would be Ms Norton’s hair, pehaps not so close to the scalp, not quite Grace Jones but with a little more shape. I have to say Ms McKInneys hair looks nice too; but I think large braids on black or white heads looks a little too youthful. WIth exposure, Im sure I’d get over it. I’d love love love to see more kids with natural hair.

If the first lady would step up to the plate and go natural perhaps she would ravage a whole industry of haircare providers and black haircare products. Im not a diehard fan of completely natural. Im sufficiently Americanized to encourage dyeing one’s hair so that one will not look so tired and saggy. Perhaps I should just get over it, also.

]]> By: Dana http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/15/should-michelle-obama-make-waves/comment-page-1/#comment-618 Dana Sun, 17 May 2009 04:10:59 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.com/?p=7240#comment-618 I think that sometimes black folks have more of a hang up about black women wearing their hair natural than white people. I don't think they are so freaked out by it. Some black women are really self-hating and think that Euro styles are the better than their natural selves so they destroy their scalps and hair with perms, braids and weaves. It would be nice for the First "black" Lady to embrace a natural style. It would be great for little black girls all over this country to see this kind of example. I'm sick of seeing young girls with destroyed roots, receding hairlines, and no sense of their true selves. Black hair in all its "natural" forms is so beautiful and unique. No other people can do with their hair what we can do with ours. It's our crown and glory, one that gets politicized because people fear its powerful possibility to help us liberate ourselves from the mental vestiges of slavery/racism and self-hatred. Folks know that if black Americans learn to embrace and love their true selves then we won't allow ourselves to be defined through the eyes of others. I think that sometimes black folks have more of a hang up about black women wearing their hair natural than white people. I don’t think they are so freaked out by it. Some black women are really self-hating and think that Euro styles are the better than their natural selves so they destroy their scalps and hair with perms, braids and weaves. It would be nice for the First “black” Lady to embrace a natural style. It would be great for little black girls all over this country to see this kind of example. I’m sick of seeing young girls with destroyed roots, receding hairlines, and no sense of their true selves. Black hair in all its “natural” forms is so beautiful and unique. No other people can do with their hair what we can do with ours. It’s our crown and glory, one that gets politicized because people fear its powerful possibility to help us liberate ourselves from the mental vestiges of slavery/racism and self-hatred. Folks know that if black Americans learn to embrace and love their true selves then we won’t allow ourselves to be defined through the eyes of others.

]]> By: CAROL http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/05/15/should-michelle-obama-make-waves/comment-page-1/#comment-601 CAROL Fri, 15 May 2009 20:18:59 +0000 http://thedefendersonline.com/?p=7240#comment-601 Although it would be really contoversial and cool to have a first lady with locks or an afro; in my opinion now is not the time. I have been a poster on a popular website and was amazed at how much negative energy many whites project toward the Obamas and in particular Michelle. Of course I realized that they feel the same way about blacks in general but to disrespect the President and his family the way they do; has been a cause for concern since they enetered the White House They compare them to animals and the things said about this woman of valors appearance has caused many a battle between races and parties online. Barack is already scrutinized at every turn; now is not the time for Michelle to go natural and add fuel to the fire. Although it would be really contoversial and cool to have a first lady with locks or an afro; in my opinion now is not the time. I have been a poster on a popular website and was amazed at how much negative energy many whites project toward the Obamas and in particular Michelle. Of course I realized that they feel the same way about blacks in general but to disrespect the President and his family the way they do; has been a cause for concern since they enetered the White House
They compare them to animals and the things said about this woman of valors appearance has caused many a battle between races and parties online.
Barack is already scrutinized at every turn; now is not the time for Michelle to go natural and add fuel to the fire.

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