Charles Barkley: Do all Black Men Hate Their Nappy Hair?

(ThyBlackMan.com) “For some reason we are brainwashed to think, if you’re not a thug or an idiot, you’re not black enough.” – Charles Barkley

If being an idiot was truly a staple of blackness, Charles Barkley most certainly would be recognized as an amazing leader within the black community. Since we, as a people, do value knowledge, Charles Barkley is nothing more than a lost black man who has no concept of self and who has proven to be disconnected from the black culture which he so often likes to speak on. You see, Charles Barkley, like many so called professional black men, has a mind, body and soul that is fueled with self hatred.

In 2014, Charles Barkley made the comment that Ben McLemore needed some of that green grease that people used to put in their hair in the hood where he grew up. Charles Barkley blessed us with more of his biased ignorance and racial discrimination when he stated that Derick Rose should put something on his nappy hair. Why? Well, because Charles Barkley hates nappy hair.

Within the black community their has been a push over the last two or three years for black women to grow their natural hair. As black women, we’re often told that we do not wear our natural hair because we’ve been white washed, that we desire to look like white women, that we hate ourselves and the way we look. These negative stereotypes are often started and spread by black men. I recently cut my locs which I started wearing in 2000 and I’m constantly applauded by black men who feel it is their duty to let me know my “new” look gets their approval. Often times they ask how long I’ve been in this self loving state of wearing my naturally beautiful hair.

The conversation often comes to an abrupt end when I ask my black brothers when they’re going to start embracing and growing their beautiful, natural hair. In 2015, black men’s concern for the black women’s hair is at an all time high. While our black brothers see the importance of self acceptance for black women, they fail to see the ways in which they reject being their natural selves from the crown of their heads all the way down to the sole of their feet.

During slavery, slave owners would shave the heads of the strongest male slaves in order to break him of his strength as well as his self pride. Many tribes from the continent of Africa believe a man’s strength derives from his hair. They recognize that hair is apart of the nervous system and believe that hair sends and receives transmissions from the environment. It is believed that when the hair is cut, one’s senses are lessened leading to insensitivity in relationships, spiritual disconnect and sexual frustration.

Cultural imperialism is a form of oppression in which the ruling or dominant class forces their culture and beliefs upon the groups which they oppress. In America, we all realize that the dominant group is composed of wealthy, white men and the oppressed groups are those of nonwhite descent. Cultural imperialism defines you from the outside by stereotyping you into a state of conformity which is approved and accepted by the dominant group. Cultural imperialism is how we as a society know that gays are promiscuous, Indians are alcoholics and that Black people have nappy hair.

Conformity begins when one decides they’d rather be accepted by the dominant group than be seen as who they truly are. I think it’s safe to assume that in every black community their is a barbershop, a liquor store and a church. Creativity has always been apart of black culture, from hair styles and cuts to fashion and music, we have always expressed our love of self and our culture.

Nowadays the love for our creativity is dwindling. It’s as though we’re waiting on wealthy, white men to tell us how to behave, the proper words to use, how to dress, where to shop and of course, how we should wear our hair. We’re so culturally oppressed that we refuse to allow our youth to see themselves as creative individuals. Don’t get those lines cut in your hair, that’s what thugs do. Do not grow locs, they’re nasty and they’re for weed smokers and dealers. Don’t wear braids in your hair, that’s gay. With each attempt they make to be leaders, we culturally oppress them into making choices that the dominant group will accept and approve of.

We, as black people often have conversations about institutional racism however, we will not discuss the prejudices and discriminating actions we have towards one another based solely on the way we wear our hair. The conversation of black hair is a trending topic, we finally realize that hair is important. While some black women may wear weaves, that weave is still attached to their natural hair. Whether you can see her hair or not, she’s still capable of sending and receiving messages from her environment.

Most of our black men fail to bond with their hair, they refuse to grow their hair, they have a hatred for seeing their hair grow out even if it’s only 2 or 3 days after their normal haircutting ritual. Our black brothers who choose to grow their natural hair are often discriminated against by other black men who do not see the inner strength, self acceptance and self love that one develops when dealing with their natural hair. These black men are often told to cut their locs, braids, Afros and Mohawks so that they can be taken seriously like a “real man“. A “real man” doesn’t make decisions for himself, he plays the role which was given to him by the dominant class of white men in society.

I ask you my black brothers, when will you rise above the cultural imperialism that oppresses you into a state of conformity regarding the way you wear your hair? When, my inventive, creative, powerful black men, will you accept your role as the authority and leader in your own life?

Don’t applaud black women for their natural hair, join them!

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