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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Experience True Beauty?

You know how your search history follows you while you're surfing the Internet?  Meaning, the ads of sites you frequent the most end up popping up everywhere you go when you're on the Internet.  Well, while I was searching for information about natural African hair care, an ad for a weave retailer began following me everywhere I surfed.  Now, I understand that the ad might have been following me because weaves are a very prevalent hair care product used by Black women, but the keywords I was using were natural African hair care, natural Black hair care and such.  So, my question is, why weren't ads from all of the different natural hair care companies and retailers, that I had actually visited, following me?  Why was an ad for a site that I had never been to and whose keywords - weave, wigs, unnatural, artificial - I didn't search, following me?


Now, the fact that this ad followed me throughout the day in my search for natural African hair care isn't what I find most disturbing.  Contextually, most disturbing is its slogan "Experience true beauty".  I don't know about those who might read this article, but I find the usage of the word true a little ironic in this instance, so I decided to indulge in a little dissection.
   
True [troo]  adjective, tru·er, tru·est, noun, adverb, verb, trued, tru·ing or true·ing.–adjective 
1.being in accordance with the actual state or conditions; conforming to reality or fact; not false
2.real; genuine; authentic
3.sincere; not deceitful
4.firm in allegiance; loyal; faithful; steadfast
5.being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
6.conforming to or consistent with a standard, pattern, or the like
7.exact; precise; accurate; correct
8.of the right kind; such as it should be; proper
9.properly so called; rightly answering to a description
10.legitimate or rightful
11.reliable, unfailing, or sure
12.exactly or accurately shaped, formed, fitted, or placed
13.honest; honorable; upright.

How is a weave or wig true?  How are we Black women being honest, honorable, legitimate, accurate, correct, not deceitful, genuine, authentic and real when we wear weaves and wigs?  What about a weave or wig is accurately shaped, unfailing, proper, rightly answering to a description, such as it should be, not false, in accordance with the actual state, conforming to reality or reflecting the genuine character of Black hair?     More importantly, what truth are Black women telling the world about how we feel about ourselves when we wear weaves and wigs?

Additionally, what is this retailer saying in this ad and why did it follow me around the Internet after I keyword searched for natural African hair care?  Apparently, natural Black hair isn't honest, honorable, accurately shaped, legitimate, of the right kind or reflecting genuine character.  Its also deceitful, non-genuine and not conforming to reality, as far as Elements Weave is concerned!

Beauty[byoo-tee]noun, plural -ties.
1.the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else
2.a beautiful  person
3.a beautiful  thing
4.something that is beautiful  in nature or in some natural or artificial environment.
5.an individually pleasing or beautiful quality; grace; charm
6.a particular advantage
7.something extraordinary
8.something excellent of its kind
Are Black women who wear weaves and wigs then saying we become beautiful when we put on the wig or weave?  Does it have a particular advantage?  Is it extraordinary?  Does it give intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind of the person wearing it?
   
When are WE going to stop accepting this standard and be true to ourselves, culture, history and community?  When are we going to stop perpetuating the world's racism of us and our hair?  Are we ourselves White supremacists?  Does our mental bondage manifest as self-hair-hatred?  Is naturally straight hair real beauty and naturally, non-straight hair ugly?  Let's not forget the word experience.  Is the retailer implying that when Black women wear weaves (since the model is Black) we are getting to experience what it feels like not to be Black, as Black people are the only people in the world that typically don't have this hair type?

I have a lot of questions, but I think the answers are clear.  Recognize the rules of the game and play to win.  Now go 'head and Grow Your Natural.    

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