I read an interesting post, by a sista in another forum. The discussion included white folks, and took a turn from the original topic, and began to focus on the age-old topic of “Why can black people call themselves N**ger, but we can’t?”
The sista goes on to give a history of the word “nappy”, and ends with (not verbatim), “I wish black people would stop using the word. It’s just as bad as the “N word”. How can we expect others to take us seriously, when we don’ t know what’s offensive..” She prefers that we use the Andre Walker texture terms — “…like 3b, 3c…”
Now, I’m well aware that quite a few black folks HATE the word “nappy”, and many hate their naturally nappy hair — not saying that you have to be a hater of the word, and a hater of the texture. To those black folks I say: Don’t use the word, if you have issues with it. But PLEEZE don’t EVAH say that it’s “just like the N Word”. That makes my napps stand on end.
“Nigger” (I’m tired of typing “N Word”) has NEVAH had anything but a negative meaning — when it was used to name black folks, in the very beginning. The hatred behind it, and the fruit of the hatred — Strange Fruit, can never be forgotten, nor minimized. I don’t use the word.
“Nappy” refers to highly textured, kinky, coily hair — hair that a lot of (but not all) black folks possess. I think of the “nap” of a fabric. It’s an adjective to describe my kind of hair. I don’t have “curly” hair. I’m not ashamed of it. Unfortunately, many black folks are, and I ain’t trying to convince them to have an appreciation for the uniqueness God gave us. Too many of us use the word to belittle, embarrass and ridicule one another. But if perm kits, flat/curling irons, blow dryers and pressing combs disappeared off the planet, I wouldn’t go into meltdown, and lose my mind. I love my hair, and I know how to care for it, in its natural state.
Many of us hate what’s associated with the word, “nappy”, and there’s the problem. If the word “curly” (another word that has no inherent negative connotations, and simply describes texture) all of sudden was associated with a texture of hair that’s considered “bad”, would we have problems with it? Don’t make a word wrong, just because there are folks, who have chosen to tack on negativity to a benign term. Don’t suggest that those of us who don’t have a problem with “nappy”, have a cultural defect.
A Nappy, but not a “N**ger” Girl
I agree with you. To make “nappy” the same as “nigger” is a stretch. I also agree that many of us have problems with the natural properties of our hair. Many of us are ashamed of it. We spend millions of dollars, trying to make it look like something other than what it naturally is.
I don’t necessarily have a problem with the word.
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I have gotten into several conversations with black women, about the word “nappy”, since the Don Imus incident.
Do we know what “nappy” means. It doesn’t mean “coarse”. Asian hair is typically coarse, but it isn’t nappy. It doesn’t mean “hard”, regardless of what Wilkipedia says. It doesn’t mean “unruly”. It doesn’t mean “bad”. So, why do I have to say, “I have 4b hair”? Who the heck knows what that is? It confuses the issue, because most us grow hair that’s a combination of types.
No, it is not the new N word.
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[quote comment=""]I have gotten into several conversations with black women, about the word “nappy”, since the Don Imus incident.
Do we know what “nappy” means. It doesn’t mean “coarse”. Asian hair is typically coarse, but it isn’t nappy. It doesn’t mean “hard”, regardless of what Wilkipedia says. It doesn’t mean “unruly”. It doesn’t mean “bad”. So, why do I have to say, “I have 4b hair”? Who the heck knows what that is? It confuses the issue, because most us grow hair that’s a combination of types.
No, it is not the new N word.[/quote]
This a great post thanks for the info. It is nothing wrong with nappy hair. But how can you compare it to Nigga/Nigger? Now that is going way out there.
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[quote comment="6968"]So, why do I have to say, “I have 4b hair”? Who the heck knows what that is? It confuses the issue, because most us grow hair that’s a combination of types .
[/quote]
Yes it does, and that’s why I don’t see the point. You may not know what “4b” is, but you know what “nappy” (or “kinky”, for those who think nappy is the new N word), “curly” and “straight” are.
:smile
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To say that “Nappy” is the new “N word” may be taking it too far. I personally use the word kinky, but that’s because of the way I was raised. My mother thought that kinky didn’t sound as bad. But now as an adult I have an understanding that WE as a people made the word Nappy bad. Not saying that there is no history of White people using it. We have taken the word to bring each other down. Having a natural look is not having a nappy look. Not doing anything to your hair is having a Nappy of Kinky look. I’ve gone from natural to straight back to natural. We have to realize that WE are a beautiful, fly, creative people and everybody wants to be like US but US. Love yourself……….Naps and all!!
Peace
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Hun, both words are very negative in my opinion. The word “nappy” is another name for a soiled diaper…. My hair is not a soiled diaper. The word does not even remotely sound good. I cannot understand how people love to describe their hair as “nappy”. I love to say my hair is thick, soft, extremely curly, tight coils…but NEVER “nappy”. And “kinky” is not a great description of African American hair as well. “Kinky” means bizarre, perverted. My hair is not bizarre and it is not perverted. I say we should look up a word(s) before we use it to describe our beautiful features. Ladies we can become creative and not follow what everyone else calls their hair. I know a lot of women use “kinky” and “nappy” to describe their hair becasue they hate their hair, as well as those that really love their hair. It is ultimately up to the person. It just has a bad connotation to me.
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I know that words can have more than one meaning. If you don’t like the word “nappy”, or “kinky”, then don’t use them to describe your hair. But…it’s not “Nigger”, which was (and is) my point. To suggest that the words carry the same weight is…interesting.
As far as “nappy” being defined as a “soiled diaper” (actually, just “diaper”) I’m not from the UK, so…in the states, it doesn’t have the same meaning.
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