I used to attend an all girl high school, and majority of the students were white. My first year, I tried to fit in with the white girls. I straightened my hair every week, wore lighter contacts and everything. I realized that they still didn't like me. So, by my second year I gave up and started wearing my hair natural, and took out the colored contacts. They still didn't like me, but at least I liked me.
Kayrawan Never change for people. There are people everywhere. The world awaits for u. They have to get ready 4 u. If they don't, then they can change their attitude.
@@GabrielWJensen nothing is unprofessional about it. Its our natural hair and we proud of it. We shouldn't have to straighten it out for y'all. Get outa here.
whenever I told white girls that I only wash my hair like less than once a month since I have braids they would always be eww and that's disgusting, it's like they wanna know about our hair but they don't realise our hair isn't like theirs Edit: after 3 years I'm really surprised to see how many likes this comment got, thank you! Secondly, to everyone still saying it's gross to wash your hair once a month, please refer to the part where it says 'I have braids', if I had my hair natural I would obviously wash it more often and it's surprising that black women still have to explain what we do to our hair do make other people feel comfortable, a message to all the black girls out there: whatever hairstyle you have, you look great and keep doing you!
yea, I tried to explain to a lady why I only wash my hair once a week and my explanation flew over her head. she says "I want my hair to be clean, so I wash it every day." I hate explaining it to ppl who just don't want to learn
I use to strengthen my hair and blow it out to make myself fit in. But when I found out I was pregnant and having a little girl three years ago I stopped. I wanted to show her that she is beautiful the way she is. Now we rock our curls together. I'm still not the most confident person when it comes to my big red curls, but I do it for my little girl so she won't feel the way I did when I was little.
Pillar Sturkey Yes, children can be a huge life changer. My mom got out of a coma. She has to learn how to walk, talk, and eat. Her body forgot that stuff. I would always get into something. I still am. And my mom would have to chase after me. She learned how to walk faster.
@Rae Golden Well I know you guys love claiming biracials to be black that's why they're the ones replacing and representing you guys in movies like this amandla stenberg lol.
@Rae Golden Well look at how your beauty image and standards has been gradually erased by half white or multiracial women I feel sad for the real black people in a racist country like America. All the American movies showing as blacks are all Multiracial women, sad that you guys don't understand the importance of proper representation.
@Rae Golden I hope you guys can change that one day because this image is only in your hands, white people can't change that for you because they loved to see you being erased through there bloodlines out of the face of America thanks for understand I only wish for you guys a beautiful proper representation of your image.
I chemically altered my hair when I was 13 and it burned my scalp every month!! Ugh. But at 21 I cut the chemicals out and started all over. I still struggled and tried to hide my hair but now I am so comfortable with it! I still straightened it sometimes but I know that wearing my Afro out is okay!! Im 24 now, and I'm so glad we have girls like Amandla in the mainstream to show little girls what I didn't have growing up
BooksAndBigHair funny how I relate so much to this comment. I'm still at that faze where I hide my hair from the world, but least I don't flat iron it bone straight anymore. It's been a process for me, I'm learning one day at a time to accept my hair, but I think it be awhile before that happen. It took my cousin a whole year before she could accept her hair, might take me that time length, longer or maybe even shorter. Oh well. I'm working on
Omg same I got hair permed at 13 as well because all white girls even my own kind was telling me your hair is to nappy to big so I straighted it each and everyday and constantly got perms I noticed my hair started falling out on wash days so I did the big chop
BooksAndBigHair that is terrible. There are people who do hair for a job for a reason. That reason is that hair is complicated. U have to let a professional with a license who actually has experience with hair do ur hair. Cheap is never good for ur body. Just like no cheap food, no cheap hair products. U real what u sow if u do something terrible u can get hair damage, and bold spots if u let someone who does not know the chemistry behind hair its self. They can braid too tight, so ur hair falls right out. If u want good hair get good products. Getting bad products is like say I want to go on a diet and eating junk food. U r hendering, preventing healthy hair. I use passionsbeautybar.com products becauas my mom made them. I see that she is about hair growth more than anything. She has hair growth oil too.
BooksAndBigHair Oh and certain chemicals use. Especially using many types is bad. U r basically experimenting in ur own home. With that u can cause ur pH of ur hair to change which will also cause serious hair loss. Please do not look on youtube of so many people making the same mistake. Experimenting on urself is unhealthy. passionsbeautybar.com products of the Karen line is for people with chemicals in their hair because it strengthens their hair. My sister has a relaxer so she would not to deal with curls. She is Dominican. She uses this line.
***** No, she is biracial. Due to her pigment, she is seen by whites as non white. She is not "pure" white, so she has experiences of a MIXED girl. It is not erasing her experiences of being a POC.
What makes me mad are the black girls that bullied me for curly hair. I've left my hair natural ever since I was a child. I wasn't allowed to have weave or perm. Then all of a sudden the girls who bullied me for my hair want to twist their hair and leave it "natural" -_- Like did anybody else go through this...? Is there anybody here who bullied a girl with natural locks out of jealousy?
Maryam I remember in 3rd grade I use to wear my hair in giant twin puffs and the other kids use to touch it and be so confused about how my hair was naturally curly and why it changed colors in the different seasons. Then, in 5th grade a girl was jealous of my hair and decided to get it cut, twisted up and then put color changing dye in her hair so, when she was in hot weather certain parts of her hair would turn From yellow to red. I didn't even pay attention to her. She would say things like, "Oh my hair is naturally like this" all I could do was laugh when I told my mom about it.
Maryam Twisting and styling hair isn't damaging unless you chemically damage it, so yes, their hair still is natural. And I have to agree with you on that. Some black girls don't like me because I'm mixed and got that "good hair." Lots of women who are a part of the natural hair community aren't very fond of women with looser textures as a whole. Some believe that it's only for people with something similar to 4a hair and up, when really, it's for women who have put down their heated tools and embrace their hair, or have been doing so all their life (I'm not talking about white women with straight hair or loose waves claiming that they're natural, don't worry). There is a big problem in the natural hair community that people have with tearing down others because of their texture. We're supposed to be uplifting women of the natural hair community, not tearing them down.
There was a girl in my middle with a fro. The only one in the school with one. She was popular but she always seen as weird and not as pretty. And the same girls that said those things are natural now lmao figures. They’ll do anything for the trend I guess
I am 14. My mother never let me chemically alter my hair because she knew from personal experience that it can be very harmful. My hair is all natural, no dyes, no chemicals, no extra added hair, never been cut, and it is almost down to my butt length wise. It's very thick and naturally kinky. I keep it straight because I am a competitive dancer and it is easier to manage during the year with all the competitions I have to attend and the hair style that they want us to do which someone that is white came up with. The majority of the styles that they make us do require a substantial amount of hair, which is not a problem for me, but the other small amount of black girls that dance with me, it can be a challenge because of the damage to their hair from year of heavy braids and chemicals. If had a dollar for every time a white person came up to me an asked if my hair was real, or if I had extensions, or a weave, or why I never wear it natural, or why it wasn't dry like their hair, or they asked if they could touch it, or why it was so long because the other black people that they knew had short hair and weave, or what would happen if it got wet, or why it was so thick, I would be a millionaire!! And it's been going on since 6th grade, and I'm currently a freshmen in high school!
BeautybyElisabeth24 I have to say I stopped relaxing my hair about a year ago and I am in pure love with my natural hair and putting it in two big puffs on the side make me happy
BeautybyElisabeth24 Wow, that is a lot. Yeah, do not take everything offensive. I wear my natural hair too. Wear your hair however u want show ur culture.
When people in class ask me to move because they can't see over my hair and I'm like.. Um that sounds like a you not a me problem and there are like 4 other seats open so.... Move.
Icy Cube you can't please everyone tho. if you please one person then you have to do it to everyone that finds the natural hair to be a. " disturbance ". People can move themselves or the teacher better give me a seat in the back cause I probably put alot of work into that style , and don't want to mess it up with ponytails. or in my case a puff ball. Maybe I move once, but I wouldn't suggest constantly giving in.. people need to get use to natural hair and learn to work with us.
Icy Cube - that once happened to me in the movie theatre. Opening night for Cap A: Civil War so the theatre was packed and I unfortunately was seated behind someone with the biggest hair ever. I don't give a shit what anyone says, it's inconsiderate. I didn't pay my money to stare at hair for 2hrs smh and those fuckers at the Vue Cinema weren't offering no damn refunds kmt. Ended up real aggravated, walked out to ticket office, lobbied hard till they finally pulled the manager out and told me I could move my ticket onto the next available viewing, he allowed my two friends to move their viewing up with me. The woman in front of me had such an entitled attitude in regards to me putting up and shutting up talking about how she can do what she wants smh
I saw TK and her sister in a Target commercial last month, and i was marveling at how pretty their hair was and then my momma said "They need to comb that it looks matted." i was like "no ma thats just what long 4c hair looks like." I think my mom's been relaxing her hair for so long she forgot how kinky hair works.
I am a black girl too. I was born in England but raised in Germany ( in a small village) growing up there wasn't always easy for me cause I was the only black child there. When I was in kindergarden I didn't notice the difference between me and the other kids because all of my family members are white. But suddenly at school I got bullied because of my black skin and my curls which made me very sad and somehow I didn't feel like the others. when I was little I just saw myself in the mirror but now I saw everything what separated me from the white people but you know I had one thing to learn in my life, we're all people white and black people and everyone is beautifull the way he looks! We have to except ourselves the way we are or no one will. God made us perfect!!! #curlyhairidontcare #ilovemycurls #blackgirlsrock I know I am only 14 years old and some of you might say: little girl you can't tell me what to do! - but I think I can give you the best advice. Love yourself the way you are, god made you perfect! Love you all ♥ ( if you want you can hate, I don't care. I learned to ignore hate and mean words over the years! )
Cut the crap how can all your family members be White and you came out being Black ? I think you're confused because you don't really know who you are .
Cut the crap how can your whole family members be white and you came out being Black?? I think you're confused because you don't know what you really are.
When I was a child (age 10), the school performed mandatory Lice Inspection periodically. I had just had my braids done the day before and had no idea that the nurse was going to insist that my braids be taken down! I did not have lice, but the nurse and her assistant thought it necessary to carry out their will on the head of a 10 year old child. I was then sent back to class, mortified, violated and upset that my hair was a mess and I was not able to fix it propperly because the lack of understanding of the teachers and nurse. This trauma brings tears to my eyes even 28 years later. Ignorance can hurt people deeply.
I know right?! You shouldn't feel apologetic about what your hair looks like. Accepting your natural texture is accepting a part of yourself. You shouldn't have to feel ashamed like I used to be of my 4C hair. For the first time I'm embracing it and it's so freeing!🙌🕊
When I was in Elementary School , every single one of my classmates were Caucasian. There were only three African-American students, including me, in the entire school. Each time I arrived at school in the morning , the girls in class would have their hair still wet from their washes in the morning. They used to ask me why mine wasn't wet in the morning. They would ask why brown people had 'hair that looks like that' and why it stood so straight. A particular group of girls would always touch my hair and say, "I'm so glad my hair isn't like that." At home , I told my parents that I wished I was white, so my hair would be the same as my best friends' hair. I added chemicals, straightened it every morning , and after a lot of persuasion , my mom decided she'd let me wash my hair every morning so I could see what would eventually happen. My hair thinned and shrank, and I had to wear extensions to school every day at the young age of 7. I moved to Africa for Middle School, where the girls loved and admired each others' natural locks. I started taking pride in my hair. I moved back to the US to begin high school, and I wear my natural hair confidently and with pride now, and many of the girls in my school do too. I guess I have started to feel more comfortable now that every student at my high school is African American, but I also think that as I have grown , I have gotten to realize that my hair is a part of who I am, and I do not need to damage or change it for anyone!
I went to a catholic school and I was the only black girl in my class, and my sisters and I were the only black people IN THE SCHOOL. And they would make fun of my hair all the time. I heard one girl say that my hair was so ugly and I've probably never heard of shampoo and conditioner.
I remember the same experience in school. ppl asked if I washed my hair, and this was while I permed my hair. ppl believed that our hair was this way because we didn't wash it. they don't understand the frustration
Blue Pineapples I'm sorry they made fun of your hair it's hypocritical because isn't Catholic school supposed to reinforce Christian teachings? Which I'm assuming should be love and acceptance? I know there's alot of foolishness that goes on everywhere but they were 100% wrong & racist for that. I would've gotten in a fight over it. 🐸☕ Your hair is amazing!! Your hair is YOUR hair ♡💜💙💚💛❤♡
It took me 30 years to learn to accept my lovely African textured hair I inherited from my Dad! My Mom is Korean so I grew up with her as my ideal beauty, and even though she always made sure I knew I was loved and very beautiful, I still wanted my Mom's hair. Now, being grown, and tired of the baggage, I decided natural was the best for me, and even my husband loves my sexy texture more than when I relax it. So for now, natural is where my hair stays@
shawnakay brown first of all, im not American. second, it's not because of rape that mixed people exist. it's usually because a black person and white person consensually had a child. it's pretty simple, you're just over complicating things.
Growing up, I had that break a comb hair texture. Very thick and coarse, but I was rarely teased about my hair. I would often get my hair braided from women in my community, if my mom didn't do it. They would tell me how beautiful my hair texture was, and how STRONGER my hair was. My mom said I could get a relaxer if I wanted to when I got my period, so when I turned 12, I got one. I mainly got the relaxer because getting my hair pressed didn't last as long. As I got older, I started seeing the negative side of getting a relaxer. I remember watching Good Hair, and I began educating myself more about what I was putting on my hair. I would go from braiding my hair to a relaxer, back to braid and so on.. In 2013, my hair decided it was time for a change because the relaxer did absolutely nothing for my hair anymore. I'll be 1 year back-to-natural on my birthday (April 6)! The transitioning process was great because I was able to work with my natural hair and relaxed hair.. However, the more my natural hair grew out, the more I was pissed off with getting relaxers in the first place! I love my natural hair. To anyone considering transitioning back to natural: definitely research, have patience, look at a variety of naturals online for styling tips, and love your hair!
Loving your self as a black women has always been hard. As for me ,it led to self harm and a bad eating disorder. My curves and my big hair as ways seem to be a "danger" to society. It hurts for people to ask you why you look a certain way and you have no answer. The desperation for me to fit societies mold set me in a deep depression. I was all ways taught as a child "PERM" is my life saver, and at 16 I finally realized it was only killing me. I had shaved my head many times and resort to weaves to hide my hair but it never helped. . As years went on my self harm cuts had gotten deeper and they all need stitches to be prepared.
When I was in elementary school, my best friend (who is mixed, so has very frizzy hair) didn't have it braided in cornrows like she usually did. She came up to me bawling her eyes out because she didn't want to face school with her 'puffy' hair. She was embarrassed. She forced me to braid it for her (of course I did it) and if only she knew then how beautiful her natural hair was! To all people who think your hair is too big, or feel embarrassed about your hair, know that YOU are beautiful and YOU are AMAZING. Love it because you're stuck with it :)
I have the exact same hair as you Amandla. Except it's red and bigger and not as short. And I'm white. And I've been teased and mocked and made fun of all my freaking childhood. I accept it more today. Your hair is beautiful !
Im a black girl who has natural hair but I straighten my hair, I don't wear weave, and Im not fond of natural hair ON ME, but this is not because I hate myself or my "blackness" I don't see it as ugly, I think girls with curls are BEAUTIFUL and dedicated because I do not have the time,lol... but in all seriousness I like my statight hair, It's my aesthetic and it's apart of who I am. I love my hair but I am never reflected in these or in magazines, it always seems like as a black girl you are either: relaxed, curly or have weave and that's not true... but I LOVE these they mean alot and Im happy TeenVogue is stepping up to the plate my heart is GLOWING
I've pretty much just started my hair journey. At the age of 11 I got my first relaxer ( which my mom didn't want me to do) I kept getting them 3 years later, and at the age of fifteen I said enough with all the damage and hair breakage, so I stopped getting relaxers and it's been more than a year. My hair is recovering nicely, it's thick, unruly and does what it wants to, but I love it now, it's so much more convenient. It's growing fast and it's usually soft.I can wake up in the morning, fluff it up and leave.😆👏🏽👌🏽🙌🏽
I love this!! This reminds me of myself. I wore my natural hair majority o my life. 3rd grade was my 1st perm then I went back natural 4th grade. Started middle school 6th grade but I was the odd ball because I was the only one wearing my natural hair & box. So I permed my hair again. Then all of highschool my hair was straight. Then at 18 I went natural & it's staying that way. I always had a head full of thick curls & regret ever straightening it to fit in with my peers.
Tomorrow is going to be the first time I'm gonna wear my natural hair to school. I go to a prominently white school so this is a big deal to me. I've been flat ironing my hair since I was 12 and now ( two years later) I've finally decided to accept my hair the way it is. Wish me luck👍🏾😊
+Ana Collins good for you :) I felt the same in primary school which was mostly white but now I'm in a school with all different races and I don't care as much... its said that this happens
I hope you wore it....rocked it and not give a fuck about anybody's opinion even tho it may be hard. I've went fully natural in July 2015 and when I cut it I loved my Afro and felt good about myself but that was when until my mom came home and she hated it. Everytime I wore it out fully she made mean comments about it that hurt me to my core. I thought since she was my mother she'll be more accepting and will love it but I was wrong. Now I usually wear my hair up in a bun or a puff but now I think Ima start wearing it fully out so just like you this will be a new thing to me too....I wish you the best on your natural hair journey.
I'm not black but I have curly and big hair and When I was little I was so shy to let them down .. I wanted to have them straight or tied . Because I felt different and didnt thought it was pretty. Now I just dont care anymore . I love my hair both way straight or curly ! And surprisingly people with straight hair are really amazed by my curly hair sometimes .. Some of them really like curly hair ..
+Kiana Geraldino because curly hair is beautiful. i think more beautiful than straight. im also a curly girl. i wonder why i ever relaxed my hair. i have been relaxed for over 20 years and am sick when i think of it. but now, im loving my hair. i use to hate the fullness too but not anymore.
Kiana Geraldino yeah. I love curly hair too. There is no hair style that stays out of style. So wear it however u want it. There is someone like u out there too.
I watched this video 5 years ago and Julia is the reason I went natural last year. I couldn’t get the image of her out of my head. I was amazed she had the confidence to be seen as she is! I thought it was unimaginable before I saw her. Now, I am on my natural hair journey again and doing my best to stay positive throughout. Stay strong, y’all! 🙏🏾✨💛
to all black women and girls: y’all are drop dead gorgeous! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. YOU. no, not only the light skin ones! also the brown skin and especially the dark skin queens !!! your hair is amazing, your braids are stunning! i get that it’s hard to accept yourself because of the eurocentric beauty standards but pls remember that you are beautiful and you’re worth so much. black women are MAGIC!!!
Honestly when I was in middle school I would touch my black friend's hair because I liked how poofy it was when she wore it in a ponytail She would tell me not to but I was in middle school (aka immature and ignorant/naive) and I just thought I was doing a normal friend thing (you know how we find it funny to annoy our friends and family?) I never knew it was a racial issue until high school and I felt really bad looking back, but by that time we didn't see each other as much bc we didn't have classes together anymore and I felt awkward apologizing. I could/should apologize to her on Facebook but I'm nervous to... But thank you for sharing. I learned my lesson through watching and reading stuff like this online so it DEFINITELY makes a difference and educates those of us who don't know, so thank you again
So one thing stuck out to me and that was the story about the woman whose white classmates would come up and touch her hair. This actually happens to my daughter (who is white--I'm part Japanese as well). Her black classmates touch her hair aaaaaall the time. She would come home begging me to cut it (it's to her waist, like mine) and tell me that people wouldn't stop petting her. I realize today is a different time than when the woman in the video was speaking, but I didn't march to the school and tell them to stop touching her hair. I used it as a way to instill in my daughter the importance of boundaries and affirming your boundaries and expecting others to respect her boundaries (and likewise that she respect theirs). The thing I thought was so awesome about all of this is that she learned the difference between black hair and white hair but the other day, she asked me, "Mommy, why does black hair look different than ours?" So we had a conversation about it and I used it as an opportunity to educate her on the differences between people and races and help her celebrate the differences between all of us. Even as an adult, sometimes I still have questions and I want to learn. That is how we grow and connect to each other! So, for example, I might ask a black co-worker about their hair in a very inquisitive way. If that person were to get pissy at me for asking a question because I genuinely want to learn more so that we can grow and hear one another, that's their problem. There is nothing wrong with asking questions, provided they are respectful and not derogatory or done with the intent of mocking of course. Food for thought, for anyone reading who doesn't like answering questions or is automatically offended if someone like me were to ask about it. Some of us just want to learn and hear your story.
Well said, I really hate this culture of self a victimizing. And I'm tired of seeing it from black people, if you're the only person in a school with a specific trait then kids will be curious. Its human nature, I've seen a video of a white person who was hairy and blonde being pet by a punch of African kids. These kids weren't being condescending and "oppressing", they were just curious.
I understand wanting to learn more about another races differences, but just because you want to learn doesn't mean we want to teach. Especially when the time you're asking your questions is inappropriate (for example: school or work). There are also soooo many other ways to learn other than asking someone who doesn't want to answer your questions (for example: google, youtube, books, etc.)
+Jannell Richburg Not wanting to answer someone's questions does not mean you go on to claim they're oppressing you. And how is asking someone at school or work inappropriate? Do you not socialize at those places? I think you missed OPs point
+Jannell Richburg Not wanting to answer someone's questions does not mean you go on to claim they're oppressing you. And how is asking someone at school or work inappropriate? Do you not socialize at those places? I think you missed OPs point
True Blossom maybe they are truly wondering why your hair looked like that. Remember that they are only used to it in a particular texture and look. Just explain to them and whether they want to accepted it or not, that's not your business.
I went natural about 3 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made because I never knew what my curl pattern actually was. I love my curly hair now and am starting off fresh again with a TWA. I'm rocking it! and it has really made me embrace myself and natural beauty. Great video! Keep them coming!!! 🎉😃✊🏾
I'm not black but I have extremely curly hair (its just like Amandla Stenberg) . I'm Middle Eastern (Egyptian) and I lived in the US so every time in school (I'm still in school) ''Oh my god! why is your hair like that?'' or ''Can i touch it '' or ''Your hair is like noodles! it stretches haha noodle girl!"' I was so frustrated like girls i swear if you don't get your nasty ass hands off of my hair right now imma slap you xD even comments from teachers like ''This is now how a student should look!'' Like excuse me? just because my hair is curly doesn't mean I'm not an appropriate student. I'm here to get my education only so how is my hair interfering with my education? To every Black,White,Asian,Arab,Hispanic and all the other races LOVE YOURSELF! You're wonderful and lovable. If someone asks you or comments on your hair just say ''It's my hair, and i love it''
I just started wearing my natural hair out in public and I feel really self conscious and ugly and it doesn't help that people stare at me as if I'm crazy or doing something wrong.
+NotSoTypical Be confident. I know it's easier said than done but it is not impossible. When you're walking down the street and there are accusatory stares, keep your nose in the air and walk like you own this world because you do, along with every other race of humans. You are beautiful. Your afro is beautiful. Your skin is beautiful. Your features are beautiful. This is the truth and let it set you free. I have very kinky hair and I usually wear it in a short afro (once in a while I blow it out to a bigger afro) and initially my family was very skeptical and un-approving about my natural hair but even when they told me these comments, I told them, "I like my hair. I like me the way I am. You're not going to make me hate me." They stopped with their negative comments. Now, I said this to them because they matter to me. Strangers on the street who stare don't bother me. I owe them nothing and I hope you realize the same. You owe them nothing. But you owe it to yourself to love you; the way you were born and be happy.
I've worn my hair natural for a year now. Yes help people stare but just tell yourself that they are admiring your gorgeous hair. Think positively not negatively. It's so worth it 😊
Maroon Horizon Its been three months since this comment and I now know what you mean when you say its worth it. It really is! I've never felt so beautiful and now I hardly notice when people stare!
This is probably the best thing Teen Vogue has ever done, Brava! These stories resonate to the core of my being. It helps that each of these women are Beloved Black Women of the Internet in their own rights, but all together in one video? *Swoon.*
This series is so beautiful. Thank you so much Teen Vogue for using your platform to bringing attention and spreading the message that black is beautiful, powerful and unique. Us, black girls truly appreciate it.
I didn't have a choiche. My mother relaxed my hair when I was 7. Now I'm 15 and transitioning to natural hair. My mom gives me a lot of shit for it. ("Why are you washing your hair every week? Are you trying to act white?" or "What?! I can comb your hair dry if I want to!" or "You're going to end up with a bald head when you're older!") and she put cornrows in my sister's(8) hair and left them in for WEEKS without moisturizing them and my sis goes swimming every week with her class so I can't help but think about how damaged her hair must be. I touched her hair yesterday and it was SO dry. I just hope that once I have long natural hair my mom trusts me enough to do my sister's hair.
when i was about 7,8, or 9 i got really depressed and angry for done reason mainly because i had to get my hair relaxed and get weaves as well. I hated it a lot. Lol it was a bad. At one point i started to hate water because i subconsciously associated it with the pain of a relaxer. I remember thinking that I'm never gonna get another weave in my damn life ever again and asking her to let me be natural. In the summer of my 8th grade year i went natural and never looked back. I love it and because my mom never really let me and my siblings watch tv and i went to a damn near all black elementary (1 white girl, 1 puerto rican girl, 1 mexican boy, and 1 Taiwanese girl) and middle school (1 puerto rican girl and 2 white girls) i never felt pressured to dye, chop, or perm, my hair. #hairstories
my mama does this, anytime I have my natural hair out she calls it ugly and blah blah and it makes me want to cry. and she just pushes it further calling me a street rat , like my hair ain't even that bad tf
I'm sorry to say it but if your mama is black and yet calling you ugly fir showing your beautiful hair she's really a messed up mama that needs to love herself more Wear your natural hair beautiful, take care of it and love it... Sometimes is ok to rock with weaves like other people can rock with afro is ok but don't do it because you think ur hair is ugly is not Our Black women are beautiful and even more beautiful when thy have their natural hair and take care of it There's tips and ways to take care of it all over the Internet so plz wear it more often and don't let your mama hurt your feelings she should be ashamed of herself for real
I say. Wear it natural, take care of it, make sure it grows nice, long and healthy and rock it, and she'll be envious of it in the end you just wait and see.
I grew up with my mom perming my hair because she believed that perming my hair made me pretty. I remember feeling ugly when my hair got nappy because my ponytails would look retarded and lopsided, not slicked down. But as a kid i just preferred braids and twisties after i got my hair permed anyway. But i made my mom a believer when i decided to go natural at like, 16 and started taking care of and growing out my natural hair. She thinks my hair is so pretty and calls me beautiful all the time. But let me give you some advice: Earrings. Lip gloss. (i just use Vaseline or Shea butter as lip gloss) and Headbands. Headbands are optional. You dont really need them. All of which you can buy at dollar general or family dollar. It will make you look shiner :D And its very simple, she will see your beauty in no time. Keep your hear healthy, because that's what natural hair is-healthy hair- and grow it out. Have fun with it!
I loved this video so much. I am transitioning to Locs in april and I'm so looking forward to it. I am 16 years old and I've always felt like my hair wasn't really matching my personality because I've always worn Braids 'till this very day. I'm sure to find myself within the Locs. Thankyou so much for this video. You guys are simply the best. Much, much love and peace from Belgium
I know what ya mean about Lauryn her hair was amazing in locs. I was so impressed I never seen such movement, beauty and style freedom in locs...I'm still wowed by that
I used to want straight hair, but then I figured out how to love my hair for who it is. Even when people tell me to straighten it, it's what make me unique and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thx so much for making this video Teen Vogue!!
my friends are alwaya telling me to straighten my hair and i dont want to so i tell em no amd there like why and im like becausw i like my hair like this and one day i can to school with my hair in a huge puff ball and this white girl was like FAITH is that your real hair😂😂 and im like yes honey
I don't know why some people say that curly or afro hair is bad hair I have curly hair and when I was young people make jokes of my hair and in that time I was feeling bad at my myself but one day I realized is not what other think about your hair but just be yourself and now I let my hair wild and free and so many people come to me saying they want my hair ♡
I used to want to perm my hair so much to tame it more but my mom would never let me and for that i am grateful because I LOVE my natural hair so much!
One time I told A bunch of white girls that I didn't want my hair to be touched, and then they try to sneak up and touch it when I wasn't paying attention like what the fuck
Wow! Love this I have been natural going on one year now. I love it I was always insecure about my hair. I knew I had to go natural because I burned my hair from heat damage. I straightened my hair every week sometimes twice a week for 3-4 years. By the end my hair ends were fried and static-y. My hair was brittle, i had split ends, dry and it stop getting really "straight". I also used the wrong shampoo. I used head and shoulders, garnier and treeseme. My hair was uneven, it stopped growing too. So crazy. I wish I knew about natural hair. I love my hair now. I'm overwhelmed sometimes but I'm learning and it has truly been a journey. I learned almost everything from TH-camrs so I thank them so much.
Now you and +kleighrockets are both absolutely correct in different ways. to call someone black or white is indeed racist, it's a sociological fact and also treating someone differently based on their race/ color is also racist. But what you have just done is also racist. The reason color blindness is called the new racism is because it completely disregards the present and historical experiences a race has based on our new innate fear of talking about race because we are afraid to offend anyone. Now you didn't acknowledge that these women have had experiences that were based primarily around their race and how their race effects them. To completely disregard this and only acknowledge the fact that they used the words black and white is not appropriate either. To stop using black or white isn't going to change anything because that is how people identify themselves. To stop racism we must acknowledge how people are effected by race relations and promote equality in that.
+kleighrockets yeah, but if you call people black or white you're like dividing people because of their skin color. We should be proud of oír skin color no matter white, black, asian.... and embarace it. Idk it's just my opinion
Silvia Sánchez Collado "dividing people" isnt wrong. what's wrong is to ignore our cultural backgrounds and diversity. to not see race is to erase the experience of others. there's nothing wrong with being of different a race than someone else.
I really needed this I am a 16 year old black girl and is very insecure about my hair, I had problems with it falling out from eczema and felt very ashamed from it, my hair is naturally short but with this video I feel thAT I could do anything with my hair, grow it, were it naturally,or with weave
I'm so over black women talking endlessly about their hair. We are more than hair. I can't stand it when I'm out with a group of women and they spend the ENTIRE time talking about what they did to their hair and why and by whom. Bored to tears.
Yeah we are more than our hair but we get judge because of its NATURAL texture. We're being told it's ugly, this is what it's all about. It's not the same as a bunch of girls talking about their beauty treatments (although there is nothing wrong with that too). You wanna be a pet black person? Go be, but don't disrespect other black people's struggles, white people are doing enough of that.
+Jenn Terry But why are you watching this video and waist your time commenting on here? You read the title right? It is important for a lot of black women
My mom keep saying my hair is too big, that I should stop wearing it natural. Her dream is to see my hair relaxed but I'm not going back. I love the way it is.
About a year ago I let my hair go natural and I was struggling about if people would except it. I recently went to school with my hair down and I was really self conscious about it. Two of my friends(who are white, not that race matters) said that it was too big and uncontrollable. They asked me if I had a hair tie. It made it even worse for me so I put my hair up, no matter what my other and closer friends said. I later decided not to care, and it's hard because I am at the age where you care about what people think. This video showed me I'm not the only one.
I used to attend an all girl high school, and majority of the students were white. My first year, I tried to fit in with the white girls. I straightened my hair every week, wore lighter contacts and everything. I realized that they still didn't like me. So, by my second year I gave up and started wearing my hair natural, and took out the colored contacts. They still didn't like me, but at least I liked me.
Kayrawan I love this! This could make a great poem.
Kayrawan That's right! You love you, and God loves you, those who are worth it will follow suit!!!
Kayrawan good as long as ur happy that's all that matters
Kayrawan Never change for people. There are people everywhere. The world awaits for u. They have to get ready 4 u. If they don't, then they can change their attitude.
Yaaaaassss girl slay!! ❤️
black women shouldn't feel ugly cuz trust me that's far from the truth.
thank you
thx
Bless you
BigBoss 💯
BigBoss thanks
OMG these ladies are beautiful and the hair is amazing
I agree
right
Lucifer Laveaux a
@@GabrielWJensen nothing is unprofessional about it. Its our natural hair and we proud of it. We shouldn't have to straighten it out for y'all. Get outa here.
Gabriel Jensen how is it unprofessional
whenever I told white girls that I only wash my hair like less than once a month since I have braids they would always be eww and that's disgusting, it's like they wanna know about our hair but they don't realise our hair isn't like theirs
Edit: after 3 years I'm really surprised to see how many likes this comment got, thank you! Secondly, to everyone still saying it's gross to wash your hair once a month, please refer to the part where it says 'I have braids', if I had my hair natural I would obviously wash it more often and it's surprising that black women still have to explain what we do to our hair do make other people feel comfortable, a message to all the black girls out there: whatever hairstyle you have, you look great and keep doing you!
yea, I tried to explain to a lady why I only wash my hair once a week and my explanation flew over her head. she says "I want my hair to be clean, so I wash it every day." I hate explaining it to ppl who just don't want to learn
they are extremely uneducated and ignorant
Pixie Johnson sometimes im afraid to tell them how often I wash my hair in braids💀 because if they were to insult me I would have caught a case 😂
That's true, we have the benefits of not having to wash our hair every day. The jealousy and the never smh
Pixie Johnson I know right.
I love every single one of these women
Lee Swordsmin stop trolling you're white
Me too
Them , their hair , and their blackness ; are a gift to this world .
I use to strengthen my hair and blow it out to make myself fit in. But when I found out I was pregnant and having a little girl three years ago I stopped. I wanted to show her that she is beautiful the way she is. Now we rock our curls together. I'm still not the most confident person when it comes to my big red curls, but I do it for my little girl so she won't feel the way I did when I was little.
Pillar Sturkey 😢❤
Pillar Sturkey you are a great mom! Congratulations!
Pillar Sturkey Yes, children can be a huge life changer. My mom got out of a coma. She has to learn how to walk, talk, and eat. Her body forgot that stuff. I would always get into something. I still am. And my mom would have to chase after me. She learned how to walk faster.
I'm so proud to be a black woman and i love my hair. Thanks girls for this video
When you're proud to be black then stop claiming everything and anything as black especially Biracials.
@Rae Golden
Well I know you guys love claiming biracials to be black that's why they're the ones replacing and representing you guys in movies like this amandla stenberg lol.
@Rae Golden
Well look at how your beauty image and standards has been gradually erased by half white or multiracial women I feel sad for the real black people in a racist country like America.
All the American movies showing as blacks are all Multiracial women, sad that you guys don't understand the importance of proper representation.
@Rae Golden
They're taking advantage of you guys but you're suffering mentally and physically
Suffering and Smiling lol.
@Rae Golden
I hope you guys can change that one day because this image is only in your hands, white people can't change that for you because they loved to see you being erased through there bloodlines out of the face of America thanks for understand I only wish for you guys a beautiful proper representation of your image.
This was great dialogue and I love the women you chose to have the conversation.
I chemically altered my hair when I was 13 and it burned my scalp every month!! Ugh. But at 21 I cut the chemicals out and started all over. I still struggled and tried to hide my hair but now I am so comfortable with it! I still straightened it sometimes but I know that wearing my Afro out is okay!! Im 24 now, and I'm so glad we have girls like Amandla in the mainstream to show little girls what I didn't have growing up
BooksAndBigHair funny how I relate so much to this comment. I'm still at that faze where I hide my hair from the world, but least I don't flat iron it bone straight anymore. It's been a process for me, I'm learning one day at a time to accept my hair, but I think it be awhile before that happen. It took my cousin a whole year before she could accept her hair, might take me that time length, longer or maybe even shorter. Oh well. I'm working on
Omg same I got hair permed at 13 as well because all white girls even my own kind was telling me your hair is to nappy to big so I straighted it each and everyday and constantly got perms I noticed my hair started falling out on wash days so I did the big chop
i love ur videos💜
BooksAndBigHair that is terrible. There are people who do hair for a job for a reason. That reason is that hair is complicated. U have to let a professional with a license who actually has experience with hair do ur hair. Cheap is never good for ur body. Just like no cheap food, no cheap hair products. U real what u sow if u do something terrible u can get hair damage, and bold spots if u let someone who does not know the chemistry behind hair its self. They can braid too tight, so ur hair falls right out. If u want good hair get good products. Getting bad products is like say I want to go on a diet and eating junk food. U r hendering, preventing healthy hair. I use passionsbeautybar.com products becauas my mom made them. I see that she is about hair growth more than anything. She has hair growth oil too.
BooksAndBigHair Oh and certain chemicals use. Especially using many types is bad. U r basically experimenting in ur own home. With that u can cause ur pH of ur hair to change which will also cause serious hair loss. Please do not look on youtube of so many people making the same mistake. Experimenting on urself is unhealthy. passionsbeautybar.com products of the Karen line is for people with chemicals in their hair because it strengthens their hair. My sister has a relaxer so she would not to deal with curls. She is Dominican. She uses this line.
I like Amandla soo much I love the fact that black women are embracing their natural curls even more.
Amandla Stenberg is NOT black she is Biracial.
Spirit World Biracial people are considered as black.Like president Barack Obama who has been labeled as the first black president.
Priscilla Owusu Pankyee Not everywhere. I've only seen that in the US
Phoebe A oh okay but that is what I know
***** No, she is biracial. Due to her pigment, she is seen by whites as non white. She is not "pure" white, so she has experiences of a MIXED girl. It is not erasing her experiences of being a POC.
this lit. Black people are awesome
Facts
Yes we are ! :)
Spedass Productions troll
Spedass Productions HATER
Yassss we love facts
What makes me mad are the black girls that bullied me for curly hair. I've left my hair natural ever since I was a child. I wasn't allowed to have weave or perm. Then all of a sudden the girls who bullied me for my hair want to twist their hair and leave it "natural" -_- Like did anybody else go through this...? Is there anybody here who bullied a girl with natural locks out of jealousy?
Maryam I remember in 3rd grade I use to wear my hair in giant twin puffs and the other kids use to touch it and be so confused about how my hair was naturally curly and why it changed colors in the different seasons. Then, in 5th grade a girl was jealous of my hair and decided to get it cut, twisted up and then put color changing dye in her hair so, when she was in hot weather certain parts of her hair would turn From yellow to red. I didn't even pay attention to her. She would say things like, "Oh my hair is naturally like this" all I could do was laugh when I told my mom about it.
Maryam Twisting and styling hair isn't damaging unless you chemically damage it, so yes, their hair still is natural. And I have to agree with you on that. Some black girls don't like me because I'm mixed and got that "good hair." Lots of women who are a part of the natural hair community aren't very fond of women with looser textures as a whole. Some believe that it's only for people with something similar to 4a hair and up, when really, it's for women who have put down their heated tools and embrace their hair, or have been doing so all their life (I'm not talking about white women with straight hair or loose waves claiming that they're natural, don't worry). There is a big problem in the natural hair community that people have with tearing down others because of their texture. We're supposed to be uplifting women of the natural hair community, not tearing them down.
Yeah have their the nerve to say my hair nappy. No my hair is beautiful and it strings when its moisturized.
There was a girl in my middle with a fro. The only one in the school with one. She was popular but she always seen as weird and not as pretty. And the same girls that said those things are natural now lmao figures. They’ll do anything for the trend I guess
Ur so right...my hair wasnt "black" enough. I was measured by the black girl by the length of my ponytail. Auuurgh!
They are all so beautiful
This is what I say when people touch my hair:
"I have lice."
lol. When people ask to touch my hair I say be careful it might bite you because they always try when it's wet and puffy
LOL that's pretty funny but I wouldn't say that at my school bc people would start rumors.
i want to touch it and cuddle you too
LOL!
JALO LIONEL 😂
I am 14. My mother never let me chemically alter my hair because she knew from personal experience that it can be very harmful. My hair is all natural, no dyes, no chemicals, no extra added hair, never been cut, and it is almost down to my butt length wise. It's very thick and naturally kinky. I keep it straight because I am a competitive dancer and it is easier to manage during the year with all the competitions I have to attend and the hair style that they want us to do which someone that is white came up with. The majority of the styles that they make us do require a substantial amount of hair, which is not a problem for me, but the other small amount of black girls that dance with me, it can be a challenge because of the damage to their hair from year of heavy braids and chemicals. If had a dollar for every time a white person came up to me an asked if my hair was real, or if I had extensions, or a weave, or why I never wear it natural, or why it wasn't dry like their hair, or they asked if they could touch it, or why it was so long because the other black people that they knew had short hair and weave, or what would happen if it got wet, or why it was so thick, I would be a millionaire!! And it's been going on since 6th grade, and I'm currently a freshmen in high school!
same people ask is my hair is fake and my hair is all natural
same people ask is my hair is fake and my hair is all natural
BeautybyElisabeth24 I have to say I stopped relaxing my hair about a year ago and I am in pure love with my natural hair and putting it in two big puffs on the side make me happy
BeautybyElisabeth24 Wow, that is a lot. Yeah, do not take everything offensive. I wear my natural hair too. Wear your hair however u want show ur culture.
When people in class ask me to move because they can't see over my hair and I'm like.. Um that sounds like a you not a me problem and there are like 4 other seats open so.... Move.
preach
DaAmazingKay Agreed
Big Gravy :(
Icy Cube you can't please everyone tho. if you please one person then you have to do it to everyone that finds the natural hair to be a. " disturbance ". People can move themselves or the teacher better give me a seat in the back cause I probably put alot of work into that style , and don't want to mess it up with ponytails. or in my case a puff ball. Maybe I move once, but I wouldn't suggest constantly giving in.. people need to get use to natural hair and learn to work with us.
Icy Cube - that once happened to me in the movie theatre. Opening night for Cap A: Civil War so the theatre was packed and I unfortunately was seated behind someone with the biggest hair ever. I don't give a shit what anyone says, it's inconsiderate. I didn't pay my money to stare at hair for 2hrs smh and those fuckers at the Vue Cinema weren't offering no damn refunds kmt. Ended up real aggravated, walked out to ticket office, lobbied hard till they finally pulled the manager out and told me I could move my ticket onto the next available viewing, he allowed my two friends to move their viewing up with me. The woman in front of me had such an entitled attitude in regards to me putting up and shutting up talking about how she can do what she wants smh
my untamed hair + first row in assembly + height = dammit.
hehe same (sup army)
+OTAKU_ KPOP I'm an army!!!!
SUP I LOVE YOUR PROFILE PIC
ARMY
Armyyyy 😁
I saw TK and her sister in a Target commercial last month, and i was marveling at how pretty their hair was and then my momma said "They need to comb that it looks matted." i was like "no ma thats just what long 4c hair looks like." I think my mom's been relaxing her hair for so long she forgot how kinky hair works.
chilewith carnage my mom has been cutting her hair.
That is so annoying ugh
They are all so beautiful omg
Nice to see finally a place for black women
I am a black girl too. I was born in England but raised in Germany ( in a small village) growing up there wasn't always easy for me cause I was the only black child there. When I was in kindergarden I didn't notice the difference between me and the other kids because all of my family members are white. But suddenly at school I got bullied because of my black skin and my curls which made me very sad and somehow I didn't feel like the others. when I was little I just saw myself in the mirror but now I saw everything what separated me from the white people but you know I had one thing to learn in my life, we're all people white and black people and everyone is beautifull the way he looks!
We have to except ourselves the way we are or no one will.
God made us perfect!!!
#curlyhairidontcare #ilovemycurls #blackgirlsrock
I know I am only 14 years old and some of you might say: little girl you can't tell me what to do! - but I think I can give you the best advice. Love yourself the way you are, god made you perfect!
Love you all ♥
( if you want you can hate, I don't care. I learned to ignore hate and mean words over the years! )
Cut the crap how can all your family members be White and you came out being Black ? I think you're confused because you don't really know who you are .
Cut the crap how can your whole family members be white and you came out being Black??
I think you're confused because you don't know what you really are.
When I was a child (age 10), the school performed mandatory Lice Inspection periodically. I had just had my braids done the day before and had no idea that the nurse was going to insist that my braids be taken down! I did not have lice, but the nurse and her assistant thought it necessary to carry out their will on the head of a 10 year old child. I was then sent back to class, mortified, violated and upset that my hair was a mess and I was not able to fix it propperly because the lack of understanding of the teachers and nurse. This trauma brings tears to my eyes even 28 years later. Ignorance can hurt people deeply.
Its not just all about the hair, there is alot more to it.
A very big step to loving yourself regardless of what people think!
Thanks for sharing!!
I know right?! You shouldn't feel apologetic about what your hair looks like. Accepting your natural texture is accepting a part of yourself. You shouldn't have to feel ashamed like I used to be of my 4C hair. For the first time I'm embracing it and it's so freeing!🙌🕊
When I was in Elementary School , every single one of my classmates were Caucasian. There were only three African-American students, including me, in the entire school. Each time I arrived at school in the morning , the girls in class would have their hair still wet from their washes in the morning. They used to ask me why mine wasn't wet in the morning. They would ask why brown people had 'hair that looks like that' and why it stood so straight. A particular group of girls would always touch my hair and say, "I'm so glad my hair isn't like that." At home , I told my parents that I wished I was white, so my hair would be the same as my best friends' hair. I added chemicals, straightened it every morning , and after a lot of persuasion , my mom decided she'd let me wash my hair every morning so I could see what would eventually happen. My hair thinned and shrank, and I had to wear extensions to school every day at the young age of 7. I moved to Africa for Middle School, where the girls loved and admired each others' natural locks. I started taking pride in my hair. I moved back to the US to begin high school, and I wear my natural hair confidently and with pride now, and many of the girls in my school do too. I guess I have started to feel more comfortable now that every student at my high school is African American, but I also think that as I have grown , I have gotten to realize that my hair is a part of who I am, and I do not need to damage or change it for anyone!
so true. Don't judge a book by its cover
I went to a catholic school and I was the only black girl in my class, and my sisters and I were the only black people IN THE SCHOOL. And they would make fun of my hair all the time. I heard one girl say that my hair was so ugly and I've probably never heard of shampoo and conditioner.
your profile picture is really cute.
I remember the same experience in school. ppl asked if I washed my hair, and this was while I permed my hair. ppl believed that our hair was this way because we didn't wash it. they don't understand the frustration
I'm sorry:/ Thats really awful. Im sorry people are like that. Your hair is beautiful and unique! Don't listen to them!
Blue Pineapples I'm sorry they made fun of your hair it's hypocritical because isn't Catholic school supposed to reinforce Christian teachings? Which I'm assuming should be love and acceptance? I know there's alot of foolishness that goes on everywhere but they were 100% wrong & racist for that. I would've gotten in a fight over it. 🐸☕ Your hair is amazing!! Your hair is YOUR hair ♡💜💙💚💛❤♡
That's sad because not only is that rude but they didn't even ask. They don't know what detangling is like!
Black women are so beautiful.. Their skin complexion and hair they all should never feel ashamed of who they are.
It took me 30 years to learn to accept my lovely African textured hair I inherited from my Dad! My Mom is Korean so I grew up with her as my ideal beauty, and even though she always made sure I knew I was loved and very beautiful, I still wanted my Mom's hair. Now, being grown, and tired of the baggage, I decided natural was the best for me, and even my husband loves my sexy texture more than when I relax it. So for now, natural is where my hair stays@
Yeah, the Korean standard of beauty is pretty harsh but I love how your Mum made you feel loved. That's nice 😄😄😄
shawnakay brown there is no such thing as Mixed hair. There is no one way of being mixed.
***** No. You are wrong. Not all African have tight hair.
shawnakay brown first of all, im not American. second, it's not because of rape that mixed people exist. it's usually because a black person and white person consensually had a child. it's pretty simple, you're just over complicating things.
Hey Stopthat yes natural is real, and people love it. Even haters.
Growing up, I had that break a comb hair texture. Very thick and coarse, but I was rarely teased about my hair. I would often get my hair braided from women in my community, if my mom didn't do it. They would tell me how beautiful my hair texture was, and how STRONGER my hair was. My mom said I could get a relaxer if I wanted to when I got my period, so when I turned 12, I got one. I mainly got the relaxer because getting my hair pressed didn't last as long. As I got older, I started seeing the negative side of getting a relaxer. I remember watching Good Hair, and I began educating myself more about what I was putting on my hair. I would go from braiding my hair to a relaxer, back to braid and so on.. In 2013, my hair decided it was time for a change because the relaxer did absolutely nothing for my hair anymore. I'll be 1 year back-to-natural on my birthday (April 6)! The transitioning process was great because I was able to work with my natural hair and relaxed hair.. However, the more my natural hair grew out, the more I was pissed off with getting relaxers in the first place! I love my natural hair.
To anyone considering transitioning back to natural: definitely research, have patience, look at a variety of naturals online for styling tips, and love your hair!
Denisha H. girl how do you comb it? i went natural 4 months ago & am struggling. help a girl out!
Loving your self as a black women has always been hard. As for me ,it led to self harm and a bad eating disorder. My curves and my big hair as ways seem to be a "danger" to society. It hurts for people to ask you why you look a certain way and you have no answer. The desperation for me to fit societies mold set me in a deep depression. I was all ways taught as a child "PERM" is my life saver, and at 16 I finally realized it was only killing me. I had shaved my head many times and resort to weaves to hide my hair but it never helped. . As years went on my self harm cuts had gotten deeper and they all need stitches to be prepared.
Ok that's why you guys are all over internet claiming mixed race people as black hypocritical self haters.
Love this :)
I love the authenticity and variety of participants, just wish it was longer.
When I was in elementary school, my best friend (who is mixed, so has very frizzy hair) didn't have it braided in cornrows like she usually did. She came up to me bawling her eyes out because she didn't want to face school with her 'puffy' hair. She was embarrassed. She forced me to braid it for her (of course I did it) and if only she knew then how beautiful her natural hair was! To all people who think your hair is too big, or feel embarrassed about your hair, know that YOU are beautiful and YOU are AMAZING. Love it because you're stuck with it :)
amandla you are gorgeous!!
Their hair is so AMAZING tho!!!
I really love how simple and how cute amandla is 🙏 so proud to see her in a lot of movies recently ! #BlackGirlsRock
I have the exact same hair as you Amandla. Except it's red and bigger and not as short. And I'm white. And I've been teased and mocked and made fun of all my freaking childhood. I accept it more today. Your hair is beautiful !
I always get teary eyed watching these kinds of videos its so great and amazing when people come to accept and love who they are
Im a black girl who has natural hair but I straighten my hair, I don't wear weave, and Im not fond of natural hair ON ME, but this is not because I hate myself or my "blackness" I don't see it as ugly, I think girls with curls are BEAUTIFUL and dedicated because I do not have the time,lol... but in all seriousness I like my statight hair, It's my aesthetic and it's apart of who I am. I love my hair but I am never reflected in these or in magazines, it always seems like as a black girl you are either: relaxed, curly or have weave and that's not true... but I LOVE these they mean alot and Im happy TeenVogue is stepping up to the plate my heart is GLOWING
True. White girls with frizzy loose curls straighten their hair, even hispanics. It's part of the diversity of all hair types :)
You look mixed in your picture not black.
***** I can tell by your comment duh😒
awesome ;)
I have hair like Amandla's but I straighten it so I can actually comb it and maintain it properly
I can relate so much to amandla when she says she used to be so afraid of being too big or too seen. Those words speak to my soul
I've pretty much just started my hair journey. At the age of 11 I got my first relaxer ( which my mom didn't want me to do) I kept getting them 3 years later, and at the age of fifteen I said enough with all the damage and hair breakage, so I stopped getting relaxers and it's been more than a year. My hair is recovering nicely, it's thick, unruly and does what it wants to, but I love it now, it's so much more convenient. It's growing fast and it's usually soft.I can wake up in the morning, fluff it up and leave.😆👏🏽👌🏽🙌🏽
I love this!! This reminds me of myself. I wore my natural hair majority o my life. 3rd grade was my 1st perm then I went back natural 4th grade. Started middle school 6th grade but I was the odd ball because I was the only one wearing my natural hair & box. So I permed my hair again. Then all of highschool my hair was straight. Then at 18 I went natural & it's staying that way. I always had a head full of thick curls & regret ever straightening it to fit in with my peers.
Tomorrow is going to be the first time I'm gonna wear my natural hair to school. I go to a prominently white school so this is a big deal to me. I've been flat ironing my hair since I was 12 and now ( two years later) I've finally decided to accept my hair the way it is. Wish me luck👍🏾😊
+Ana Collins good for you :) I felt the same in primary school which was mostly white but now I'm in a school with all different races and I don't care as much... its said that this happens
I hope you wore it....rocked it and not give a fuck about anybody's opinion even tho it may be hard.
I've went fully natural in July 2015 and when I cut it I loved my Afro and felt good about myself but that was when until my mom came home and she hated it. Everytime I wore it out fully she made mean comments about it that hurt me to my core. I thought since she was my mother she'll be more accepting and will love it but I was wrong. Now I usually wear my hair up in a bun or a puff but now I think Ima start wearing it fully out so just like you this will be a new thing to me too....I wish you the best on your natural hair journey.
I've watched this so many times. Subscribed to teen vogue because of their coverage of Amandla. So proud of this sis!
I'm not black but I have curly and big hair and When I was little I was so shy to let them down .. I wanted to have them straight or tied . Because I felt different and didnt thought it was pretty. Now I just dont care anymore . I love my hair both way straight or curly ! And surprisingly people with straight hair are really amazed by my curly hair sometimes .. Some of them really like curly hair ..
+Kiana Geraldino because curly hair is beautiful. i think more beautiful than straight. im also a curly girl. i wonder why i ever relaxed my hair. i have been relaxed for over 20 years and am sick when i think of it. but now, im loving my hair. i use to hate the fullness too but not anymore.
+Kiana Geraldino you have black dna,
white curly hair is not the same as black curly hair lol
Girrrrl i hope you flaunt it 😍 curly hair is awesome
Kiana Geraldino yeah. I love curly hair too. There is no hair style that stays out of style. So wear it however u want it. There is someone like u out there too.
I watched this video 5 years ago and Julia is the reason I went natural last year. I couldn’t get the image of her out of my head. I was amazed she had the confidence to be seen as she is! I thought it was unimaginable before I saw her. Now, I am on my natural hair journey again and doing my best to stay positive throughout. Stay strong, y’all! 🙏🏾✨💛
to all black women and girls: y’all are drop dead gorgeous! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. YOU. no, not only the light skin ones! also the brown skin and especially the dark skin queens !!! your hair is amazing, your braids are stunning! i get that it’s hard to accept yourself because of the eurocentric beauty standards but pls remember that you are beautiful and you’re worth so much. black women are MAGIC!!!
What do you mean especially? So you're just calling dark skinned queens? And no other queens? 🤡Literally clown
I went natural in January. I started off the new year with new, natural hair. I'm still learning to love my hair.
Honestly when I was in middle school I would touch my black friend's hair because I liked how poofy it was when she wore it in a ponytail
She would tell me not to but I was in middle school (aka immature and ignorant/naive) and I just thought I was doing a normal friend thing (you know how we find it funny to annoy our friends and family?)
I never knew it was a racial issue until high school and I felt really bad looking back, but by that time we didn't see each other as much bc we didn't have classes together anymore and I felt awkward apologizing. I could/should apologize to her on Facebook but I'm nervous to...
But thank you for sharing. I learned my lesson through watching and reading stuff like this online so it DEFINITELY makes a difference and educates those of us who don't know, so thank you again
So one thing stuck out to me and that was the story about the woman whose white classmates would come up and touch her hair. This actually happens to my daughter (who is white--I'm part Japanese as well). Her black classmates touch her hair aaaaaall the time. She would come home begging me to cut it (it's to her waist, like mine) and tell me that people wouldn't stop petting her. I realize today is a different time than when the woman in the video was speaking, but I didn't march to the school and tell them to stop touching her hair. I used it as a way to instill in my daughter the importance of boundaries and affirming your boundaries and expecting others to respect her boundaries (and likewise that she respect theirs). The thing I thought was so awesome about all of this is that she learned the difference between black hair and white hair but the other day, she asked me, "Mommy, why does black hair look different than ours?" So we had a conversation about it and I used it as an opportunity to educate her on the differences between people and races and help her celebrate the differences between all of us. Even as an adult, sometimes I still have questions and I want to learn. That is how we grow and connect to each other! So, for example, I might ask a black co-worker about their hair in a very inquisitive way. If that person were to get pissy at me for asking a question because I genuinely want to learn more so that we can grow and hear one another, that's their problem. There is nothing wrong with asking questions, provided they are respectful and not derogatory or done with the intent of mocking of course. Food for thought, for anyone reading who doesn't like answering questions or is automatically offended if someone like me were to ask about it. Some of us just want to learn and hear your story.
Also, to continue our conversation about this, I just had my daughter watch this with me. (She's 7.)
Well said, I really hate this culture of self a victimizing. And I'm tired of seeing it from black people, if you're the only person in a school with a specific trait then kids will be curious. Its human nature, I've seen a video of a white person who was hairy and blonde being pet by a punch of African kids. These kids weren't being condescending and "oppressing", they were just curious.
I understand wanting to learn more about another races differences, but just because you want to learn doesn't mean we want to teach. Especially when the time you're asking your questions is inappropriate (for example: school or work). There are also soooo many other ways to learn other than asking someone who doesn't want to answer your questions (for example: google, youtube, books, etc.)
+Jannell Richburg Not wanting to answer someone's questions does not mean you go on to claim they're oppressing you. And how is asking someone at school or work inappropriate? Do you not socialize at those places? I think you missed OPs point
+Jannell Richburg Not wanting to answer someone's questions does not mean you go on to claim they're oppressing you. And how is asking someone at school or work inappropriate? Do you not socialize at those places? I think you missed OPs point
u girls are so pretty were the ppl around u blind or what? jeez
they're all so beautiful holyyy
“why are my puffs so puffy”
me: ummm isn’t that why they call it *puffs*
1:20 OMGGGG she is soooo pretty!😍
I wore my hair natural to school for the very first time and someone said to me what's wrong with your hair.
I haven't wore it natural since
don't listen to them
True Blossom Maybe they were wondering why your hair looked different.
True Blossom maybe they are truly wondering why your hair looked like that. Remember that they are only used to it in a particular texture and look. Just explain to them and whether they want to accepted it or not, that's not your business.
i know this was 5 years ago but the next time someone asks you a question like that, revert the question back to them.
amandla stenberg is a queen. and so are all of these other inspirational woman. you rock your black hair !
I'm proud to be a black girl.
I went natural about 3 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made because I never knew what my curl pattern actually was. I love my curly hair now and am starting off fresh again with a TWA. I'm rocking it! and it has really made me embrace myself and natural beauty. Great video! Keep them coming!!! 🎉😃✊🏾
I'm not black but I have extremely curly hair (its just like Amandla Stenberg) . I'm Middle Eastern (Egyptian) and I lived in the US so every time in school (I'm still in school) ''Oh my god! why is your hair like that?'' or ''Can i touch it '' or ''Your hair is like noodles! it stretches haha noodle girl!"'
I was so frustrated like girls i swear if you don't get your nasty ass hands off of my hair right now imma slap you xD
even comments from teachers like ''This is now how a student should look!''
Like excuse me? just because my hair is curly doesn't mean I'm not an appropriate student. I'm here to get my education only so how is my hair interfering with my education?
To every Black,White,Asian,Arab,Hispanic and all the other races
LOVE YOURSELF! You're wonderful and lovable. If someone asks you or comments on your hair just say ''It's my hair, and i love it''
Master Wooz Angelz did you say you are Egyptian but you arent black
@@djmix3397 modern Egyptians are white people by race.
1:29 I almost jumped out of my seat- all that hair is amazing !!! 😍😍
I have super curly hair (I am white) but I can honestly say it's really annoying when people touch/pet my hair.
It ain't the same.
Thanks for the great video
Sincere love to all black women
I just started wearing my natural hair out in public and I feel really self conscious and ugly and it doesn't help that people stare at me as if I'm crazy or doing something wrong.
+NotSoTypical Be confident. I know it's easier said than done but it is not impossible. When you're walking down the street and there are accusatory stares, keep your nose in the air and walk like you own this world because you do, along with every other race of humans. You are beautiful. Your afro is beautiful. Your skin is beautiful. Your features are beautiful. This is the truth and let it set you free. I have very kinky hair and I usually wear it in a short afro (once in a while I blow it out to a bigger afro) and initially my family was very skeptical and un-approving about my natural hair but even when they told me these comments, I told them, "I like my hair. I like me the way I am. You're not going to make me hate me." They stopped with their negative comments. Now, I said this to them because they matter to me. Strangers on the street who stare don't bother me. I owe them nothing and I hope you realize the same. You owe them nothing. But you owe it to yourself to love you; the way you were born and be happy.
Olanma Mang Thank you. I was having another day of doubt but this just gave me the motivation to keep going.
NotSoTypical glad I could help :
I've worn my hair natural for a year now. Yes help people stare but just tell yourself that they are admiring your gorgeous hair. Think positively not negatively. It's so worth it 😊
Maroon Horizon Its been three months since this comment and I now know what you mean when you say its worth it. It really is! I've never felt so beautiful and now I hardly notice when people stare!
This is probably the best thing Teen Vogue has ever done, Brava!
These stories resonate to the core of my being.
It helps that each of these women are Beloved Black Women of the Internet in their own rights, but all together in one video? *Swoon.*
I am in love with this!
This series is so beautiful. Thank you so much Teen Vogue for using your platform to bringing attention and spreading the message that black is beautiful, powerful and unique. Us, black girls truly appreciate it.
I didn't have a choiche. My mother relaxed my hair when I was 7. Now I'm 15 and transitioning to natural hair. My mom gives me a lot of shit for it. ("Why are you washing your hair every week? Are you trying to act white?" or "What?! I can comb your hair dry if I want to!" or "You're going to end up with a bald head when you're older!") and she put cornrows in my sister's(8) hair and left them in for WEEKS without moisturizing them and my sis goes swimming every week with her class so I can't help but think about how damaged her hair must be. I touched her hair yesterday and it was SO dry.
I just hope that once I have long natural hair my mom trusts me enough to do my sister's hair.
all of these women are so gorgeous!
when i was about 7,8, or 9 i got really depressed and angry for done reason mainly because i had to get my hair relaxed and get weaves as well. I hated it a lot. Lol it was a bad. At one point i started to hate water because i subconsciously associated it with the pain of a relaxer. I remember thinking that I'm never gonna get another weave in my damn life ever again and asking her to let me be natural. In the summer of my 8th grade year i went natural and never looked back. I love it and because my mom never really let me and my siblings watch tv and i went to a damn near all black elementary (1 white girl, 1 puerto rican girl, 1 mexican boy, and 1 Taiwanese girl) and middle school (1 puerto rican girl and 2 white girls) i never felt pressured to dye, chop, or perm, my hair.
#hairstories
my mama does this, anytime I have my natural hair out she calls it ugly and blah blah and it makes me want to cry. and she just pushes it further calling me a street rat , like my hair ain't even that bad tf
I'm sorry to say it but if your mama is black and yet calling you ugly fir showing your beautiful hair she's really a messed up mama that needs to love herself more
Wear your natural hair beautiful, take care of it and love it... Sometimes is ok to rock with weaves like other people can rock with afro is ok but don't do it because you think ur hair is ugly is not
Our Black women are beautiful and even more beautiful when thy have their natural hair and take care of it
There's tips and ways to take care of it all over the Internet so plz wear it more often and don't let your mama hurt your feelings she should be ashamed of herself for real
malak D Thank you, and yeah she's black. I feel bad for her because she has low key self hate
I say. Wear it natural, take care of it, make sure it grows nice, long and healthy and rock it, and she'll be envious of it in the end you just wait and see.
That's so sad :/
I grew up with my mom perming my hair because she believed that perming my hair made me pretty. I remember feeling ugly when my hair got nappy because my ponytails would look retarded and lopsided, not slicked down. But as a kid i just preferred braids and twisties after i got my hair permed anyway. But i made my mom a believer when i decided to go natural at like, 16 and started taking care of and growing out my natural hair. She thinks my hair is so pretty and calls me beautiful all the time. But let me give you some advice: Earrings. Lip gloss. (i just use Vaseline or Shea butter as lip gloss) and Headbands. Headbands are optional. You dont really need them. All of which you can buy at dollar general or family dollar. It will make you look shiner :D And its very simple, she will see your beauty in no time. Keep your hear healthy, because that's what natural hair is-healthy hair- and grow it out. Have fun with it!
I’m biracial and am the only coloured person in my class. So it was always hard for me to accept my hair. But I’ve grown to love it.
People always look at my hair like its some kind of foreign object
I loved this video so much. I am transitioning to Locs in april and I'm so looking forward to it. I am 16 years old and I've always felt like my hair wasn't really matching my personality because I've always worn Braids 'till this very day. I'm sure to find myself within the Locs. Thankyou so much for this video. You guys are simply the best. Much, much love and peace from Belgium
Our hair is beautiful. They wish they had it
I know what ya mean about Lauryn her hair was amazing in locs. I was so impressed I never seen such movement, beauty and style freedom in locs...I'm still wowed by that
1:59 is so beautiful 😍
I used to want straight hair, but then I figured out how to love my hair for who it is. Even when people tell me to straighten it, it's what make me unique and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thx so much for making this video Teen Vogue!!
my friends are alwaya telling me to straighten my hair and i dont want to so i tell em no amd there like why and im like becausw i like my hair like this and one day i can to school with my hair in a huge puff ball and this white girl was like FAITH is that your real hair😂😂 and im like yes honey
I don't know why some people say that curly or afro hair is bad hair I have curly hair and when I was young people make jokes of my hair and in that time I was feeling bad at my myself but one day I realized is not what other think about your hair but just be yourself and now I let my hair wild and free and so many people come to me saying they want my hair ♡
where did that girl get that hat and how does it fit on her head
must be magic
Franchesca's smile is so radiant
i big chopped last month in march, i'm happy i did.
congrats girl :)
Symi Hope thanks :D
I used to want to perm my hair so much to tame it more but my mom would never let me and for that i am grateful because I LOVE my natural hair so much!
One time I told A bunch of white girls that I didn't want my hair to be touched, and then they try to sneak up and touch it when I wasn't paying attention like what the fuck
This was such an inspiring video for all black girls with natural hair 💖💖👏👏 Thank You
I relaxed my hair cause it was very dry I guess now im cutting it of and starting again
Wish me luck
so great! i love it! i wish Teen Vogue would make more videos like this!
When people try to diss my hair I'm like your hair is just a long noodle...boring af
I've been transitioning from relaxed hair to my natural hair for about a year now. I really love this video!!
Yes Amandla is mixed... And I don't see what's wrong with the fact that she's mixed !!!
there is nothing wrong to the fact that she is mixed or even the video itself, but then she kind of contradicts with the title of the video
Cayla Y no she is still black
yup I straightened it to fit in as well..pure honesty
it's not because I didn't like it before..just to fit in.
Amandla is mixed. Not black.
The sisters' hair is soooo beautiful!!
Franchesca Ramsey needs to dissapear.
Wow! Love this I have been natural going on one year now. I love it I was always insecure about my hair. I knew I had to go natural because I burned my hair from heat damage. I straightened my hair every week sometimes twice a week for 3-4 years. By the end my hair ends were fried and static-y. My hair was brittle, i had split ends, dry and it stop getting really "straight". I also used the wrong shampoo. I used head and shoulders, garnier and treeseme. My hair was uneven, it stopped growing too. So crazy. I wish I knew about natural hair. I love my hair now. I'm overwhelmed sometimes but I'm learning and it has truly been a journey. I learned almost everything from TH-camrs so I thank them so much.
why the heck is people is getting so comfortable say black and white just stopp being so racist
lmao no. it's racist to treat someone differently due to their race. you're not racist just for saying "black or white"
Now you and +kleighrockets are both absolutely correct in different ways. to call someone black or white is indeed racist, it's a sociological fact and also treating someone differently based on their race/ color is also racist. But what you have just done is also racist. The reason color blindness is called the new racism is because it completely disregards the present and historical experiences a race has based on our new innate fear of talking about race because we are afraid to offend anyone. Now you didn't acknowledge that these women have had experiences that were based primarily around their race and how their race effects them. To completely disregard this and only acknowledge the fact that they used the words black and white is not appropriate either. To stop using black or white isn't going to change anything because that is how people identify themselves. To stop racism we must acknowledge how people are effected by race relations and promote equality in that.
+kleighrockets yeah, but if you call people black or white you're like dividing people because of their skin color. We should be proud of oír skin color no matter white, black, asian.... and embarace it. Idk it's just my opinion
kleighrockets it just don't feel right after history
Silvia Sánchez Collado "dividing people" isnt wrong. what's wrong is to ignore our cultural backgrounds and diversity. to not see race is to erase the experience of others. there's nothing wrong with being of different a race than someone else.
I really needed this I am a 16 year old black girl and is very insecure about my hair, I had problems with it falling out from eczema and felt very ashamed from it, my hair is naturally short but with this video I feel thAT I could do anything with my hair, grow it, were it naturally,or with weave
I'm so over black women talking endlessly about their hair. We are more than hair. I can't stand it when I'm out with a group of women and they spend the ENTIRE time talking about what they did to their hair and why and by whom. Bored to tears.
Candace S. Because I'm a big fan of Amandla's and I want to help change the conversation around black women and beauty. Have a great week!
Yeah we are more than our hair but we get judge because of its NATURAL texture. We're being told it's ugly, this is what it's all about.
It's not the same as a bunch of girls talking about their beauty treatments (although there is nothing wrong with that too).
You wanna be a pet black person? Go be, but don't disrespect other black people's struggles, white people are doing enough of that.
+Jenn Terry yes i feel you
Find some better friends I guess.
+Jenn Terry But why are you watching this video and waist your time commenting on here? You read the title right? It is important for a lot of black women
this what im talking about be yourself. so your real natural self.
My mom keep saying my hair is too big, that I should stop wearing it natural. Her dream is to see my hair relaxed but I'm not going back. I love the way it is.
About a year ago I let my hair go natural and I was struggling about if people would except it. I recently went to school with my hair down and I was really self conscious about it. Two of my friends(who are white, not that race matters) said that it was too big and uncontrollable. They asked me if I had a hair tie. It made it even worse for me so I put my hair up, no matter what my other and closer friends said. I later decided not to care, and it's hard because I am at the age where you care about what people think. This video showed me I'm not the only one.