Bad Hair Day

[A. Vine]

P2052 at AOL.COM wrote:
> In the Black community, references to straight and nappy hair are not
> episodic.  They are part of a mindset that African Americans must deal with
> daily in order to define and redefine themselves and their culture.  The
> straight/nappy hair dichotomy lies in the same realm as the
> "light-/dark-skinned," "good hair/bad hair," "talking black/white"
> distinctions--associated with the "house/field nigger," mentality of slavery.
>   In the Black community, such differences used to (and still do in some
> communities and situations) determine others' perception of one's beauty,
> intelligence level, desirability, popularity,  and, generally, chances of
> success.

These phenomena are true in the White community as well, minus the slavery
mentality.

--
Andrea Vine, avine at eng.sun.com, Sun-Netscape Alliance i18n architect
"So I just don't see this as an either-or issue as much as an apples
are yummy, and oranges are yummy, too, issue, and every now and then
fruit salad is tasty." -- Matthew Wall