Black Bald Man

Every time you look around, there goes another black man with his hair shaved down to his skull.  I don't know why so many of us are shaving off our hair!  Are we ashamed of the texture of our hair?  Is it to nappy or hard to comb?  Have we become so conditioned to the worlds perspective (militant) about long haired black men, (that weve forgot about the kid in us and (the Afro) that we crumble under pressure and shave it off instead of dealing with the stereotypes?  Well, I have something to say to black men.

You are one of God's greatest creations.  We are strong mentally and physically, from the tight curly crown of our heads, broad shoulders, to our sleek well sculptured definition of our backs, Abbas, hard round buttocks and powerfully legs, we are handsomely beautiful.

Having it pounded into our minds that you are less than human and called everything under the sun but beautiful.  The kinkiness of our hair has always been the focal point of other races who quickly criticize and make fun of our hair, all the more, making us the butt of their jokes and name calling.  You've probably heard a few of these negative put downs before.  (Brillo pad, pubic hair, carpet head, Nappy headed).

Check this out, I googled images for black men with nappy hair and guess what the search revealed?  It revealed pages and pages of black women with nappy hair instead of black men.  It's these types of negative connotations that make black women not appreciate the beauty of their hair (texture) too, let alone black men!

It also appears to be a double standard.  For example, when a man shaves his hair off or wears it short to the scalp, it is considered stylish and cool.  Now on the other hand if a black woman does the same, she is considered militant or gay... etc.  (This example ranks evenly across the board for all women of all races).  But no wonder why most black women have low self-esteem about their hair being to short in a unconscious way of thinking.  I believe this reason has somehow affected the black man's way of thinking too about black women.  Is this one of the reasons why black men date white women?  I' m  just saying!


Nappy hair phobia-Esteems 


Phobia-esteems?  Yea thats what I call it!  Ok, you got me, I made up this phrase.  I did not want to say that brotha's had low self-esteem.  But could this concept be one of the main reasons why  black men shave their hair close and bald?  Perhaps! Do idiotic criticisms change the way we think about ourselves?  Have these types of comments or comical remarks created some type of  phobia for black men?  It's hard to say, there are many reasons why anyone would shave their head but trying to pin it down to one single reason can't be done.


Now as for me, I guess I really never made the connection between having some hidden phobia-esteem (of mixed emotions,) with being ashamed of my hair, it's texture as a phobia.


Oh! Oh! Yes, in my hey day I remember wearing an Afro, it was the style.  Everybody did from ages 5 to 55.  The same goes for today, I mainly wear my hair short for a couple of reasons.  The first reason being I don't have to bother with combing and styling my hair, I just brush it and I am out the door.  Secondly, it looks more professional, grown up and my head feels much cooler. These reasons are true but not entirely.

What about this reason?  I sometimes grow my hair longer than usual and my friends and even my family would notice the length of my hair and began to make comments about it, "Are you growing an Afro, what's up with that fro, hey Mod Squad; hey Link, soul brother #1."  It was only during those particular moments I felt ashamed of my hair.  Ashamed not so much because it was considered nappy but because it didn't grow downward like the rest of the world, instead it grew up and outward always into a Afro.

Needless to say, I folded like a wallet and would later find myself at the Barber Shop "How would you like your hair cut today sir, replied the barber?"  It was at this point I realized I might have some kind of phobia, why else would I be cutting my hair (peer pressure)?  I guess I was ashamed, not so much for  what the world thought about my hair (nappy), but because of being black I guess.  (No matter how successful we are as a Race or how much money we earn we will be and always thought of as "N's, you know Descendants of Non Humans.)  These thoughts of mine really placed a sour taste in my mouth because to deny being black denies my every existence.




Reality Check 


The black man has come a long way to establish his place in today's society/WORLD!.  Although, had it not been for the black Woman, her strength, the true glue to the black family unit,  black men would be in a world of hurt. We are a creative being, transformation starts inwardly not outwardly.  But thank God I am a black Man.  And which ever way we/I choose to wear our hair is ok as long as you are not ashamed of it.  so put some grease in it and style with it, it's from God.  Who could make anything so beautiful but Him.  To make fun of our hair is like saying to God He know nothing about creating life and it's perfectness! I mean,
I 'm only saying.

                                      
I AM ONLY SAYING!