28 May 2009 |
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Hair From Hong Kong & Bleached Skin Favored By Black Men? By Paul I. Adujie New York, United States Why do Black women bleach skins? And why do Black women wear fake hairs? Are these what Black men want? An African American comedian once joked that White Americans should be gratefully thankful to Michael Jackson because Michael Jackson mutilated himself by way of plastic or cosmetic surgeries to pay homage to his idea of beauty as an exclusive preserve, provenience and provance of white people. Imitation it is said, is, the best form of flattery. There are those, whom I would like to come across as my heroes, their aura, for in aspirations, words, actions and even in appearance; my heroes as such are Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X etc. And the opposites of these are David Duke, George W. Bush or Adolf Hitler etc. You get the idea? In the past, I have publicly wondered why continental African women and women of African descent feel the need to bleach their skins to pale yellow, and then also, go all out, in efforts and expenses to elongate their hairs! Recently, I have come to include this skin bleaching and hair length obsessions with issues, for which I reserve analyses, mainly based on my theory of historical cause and effect, cause and effect, as constituting tools for thorough examinations. We may begin this process by asking the question, which is; what sorts of women do continental African men and men of African descent want or prefer? A further question might be a query, whether such preferences were home-grown or acquired and assumed taste? Why is there a “market” among black men for bleached black women? What sorts of black men date and marry bleached black women? What sorts of black man marries black women with noticeably artificial hair of some unusual length and blond or platinum colors sometimes?? Exactly whose idea of beauty is being extolled in these pale yellow skins or fake long extended hair phenomena? Further question might be, whether these practices are what black men really want and genuinely prefer? These must be? Or why would these practices be so seemingly acceptable and seemingly popular internationally? How did black people move from Black Power clenched fist and all natural Afro hair, to the now pervasive fried or irradiated hair, proudly shoulder, waist length hair, proudly announced as 100% human hair from Hong Kong? And this is supposed to be progress? Could these puzzles be solved by resting the motivation for the practices at the doors of former colonial and western media their skewed projection of what is pure, good and beautiful is blond having more fun puns? Michael Jordan seemed to have saved the black man from these hair-raising conundrums. He solved the fake hair issue for black men quite a while ago with his trademark clean shaven head! And these days, at least in New York City, you are liable to see many men across the human race with bold Michael Jordan look or head-style! Before then, some black men used to wear wet-looks from so-called Jheri curls! Not to be misunderstood, I must declare my knowledge or familiarity with men and women of other races’ struggles with fake hair, wigs and toupees. And yes, other races do wear hairpieces or horsehairs and all manners of hair extensions! Men and women of other races do have this hair challenge and bad hair lives. But what mindsets do these people have anyways? It can be observed that hairpieces are usually worn to “complement” or “augment” looks, usually nearly as consistent with the natural looks of such person wearing the hairpiece looks, appearance and color etc. What I have often observed or frequently noticed among black women however, is the wearing of hair extensions to match the colors of their shoes or handbags or blouse! I often politely enquire why the choice and it ranged from it is the wearer’s freedom, to black women are more versatile. In color selections I suppose? Why is it, that, black women do not extend their obsessions with skin color and hair lengths to weight loss? Being overweight is a health risk, and can become a matter of life and death! Lose weight, feel and look great! I dare to say that there seem to be absence of any desire to disguise the fakery of the length of these hair or the loud colors! What do you make of black woman whose hair roots are clearly black shoe dark, and then, the outgrowth or two-thirds of her hair is considerably, remarkably and markedly variant from the color of the roots and visibly so! When braids became popular in America about 15 years ago, I was elated, I thought it was the dawn of a cultural renaissance or reawakening through African hair revolution, but, I could never have imagined the coming of blond braids and waist length braids etc! What explains these desires to be non-self, or be other than self, and outrageously so? I know that you have seen these black women whose hairstyles, hair appearance, textures, colors and hair length are just jaw-dropping loud! Here you should be thinking, black women with blond colored hair, platinum colored hair or fire-engine-red hair. You have to wonder whether this unwillingness to disguise the fakery of these genres of hairs, is some sorts of new acts of courage or some plain gaudy tawdry acts of tastelessness Why would any black woman who is not a clown in a circus or playing a role in a puppet show were these outrageous costumes? What sorts of fashion statements would these possibly constitute and or convey to the world? And more importantly perhaps, what sorts of black men date and or marry these sorts of women? Have continental African men, and men of African descent stated and unstated preferences led our women to these ostentatious self-denials and self-ridicules? But I guess you could say that our men and women are free to marry persons of other races, but, does the black race or must the black race lose our particulars, our cultural identifiers and essences? What does our unwillingness to retain our identity say about us? What does all this say about our state of mind and our sense of selves? Are continental Africans and peoples of African descent truly comfortable in our skins and hairs? Have we accepted or agreed that we are inferior, compared with some “other” definition of beauty? What is the purpose of scheming mightily to look like someone else? And ending actually looking caricature of our former selves and looking ridiculous in the process? Why are Nigerians women the worst offenders and exporters of this seeming inferiority complex? I have been told by non-Nigerian women, that the “best” bleaching crèmes come from Nigeria and often recommended by Nigerians! Nigeria ought to lead continental Africans and peoples of African descent in cultural identity and pride in all good things African! It is easier, in all things, to be the best that we can be, instead of wasting time and precious resources in poor attempts at becoming someone else or a fake self, former self. I think that it takes a great deal of courage and self-confidence for a black woman, amidst the deafening deluge of the multitudes to bleach into pale yellow and wear hairs from Hong Kong, to actually wear short hair or go completely bald, where such is not as a result of medically induced hair-loss, which are usually cancer chemotherapy related. I have met some black women, including an attorney in New York City, originally from Chicago, who shaves her head every few days! It is a testament of supreme self-confidence, it is powerful! Personally, I will rather date and marry a bald hairless black woman, or, perhaps a white woman, instead of a poor imitation black woman, these Mardi-Gras Parade-like costumes with hair from Hong Kong, wearing black women!
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