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Damn @Pioneer1, that is a thought provoking statement. Indeed, any perceived problems with Black masculinity is usually a function of white racism. Can you imagine dudes straightening their hair, dying it Blonde, and styling it the way Brad Pitt does?! How would it sound if these Brothers defended the practice saying it was easier to maintain or that Black women have no place commenting on the how men style their hair. Suppose Black women preffered this look and more brothers started adopting the style. In this scenario it would be pretty obvious we are striving for and preferring a European stardard of beauty. However if Black women do this a Black man better not say shit about it being about rejecting naural hair in favor of adopting a white standard.... instead the problem is the Black man -- not the impact of centuries of white racism. @Delano sharpton claims he adopted the style to play homage to Brown. Neither dyed there hair blonde. I'd give entertainers a bit more lattitude in how they present themselves... very few Brothers are interested in mimicking Al Sharpton's hairdo. Of course this is true, but obviously we a particularly shallow culture. Women (not just black women) and their hair is perhaps the pinnacle of this. Black women, typically take FAR better care of their hair than the do their bodies. They invest far more time and money in their hair than their education -- am I lying? Go to any impoverished neighborhood and what business do you see thriving? This is energy is entirely unnecessary to attract a man. Big businesses are the only beneficiaries.

Chev Perhaps "not finding agreement" isn't the best term to use, but not seeing eye to eye would be a better term. I'm not saying that you or Cynique see him as an enemy, I'm just saying that most conscious Black men assume most intelligent Black women will naturally ally with them and agree with them on certain issues when Afrocentricism is often the furthest thing from their mind and Black empowermen isn't one of their goals. Racial politics, and politics in general is mostly a masculine thing because it involves a territorial mindset that MOST (though certainly not all) women will never understand so they can't relate to why a conscious man would EXPECT certain behavior and thinking from them. The average mentality among most of our women is: "What's wrong with ME putting blonde highlights in MY hair if that's what I want to do? Don't I have a right to do with MY hair what I want?????"

@Pioneer1 That is not true! Both Cynque and I have agree with this "brother" on some valid points! @NubianFellow LOL! This if funny but, when you flip it, like this, I can see your point. LOL. true!!! But yes, it can be oppressive, and in certain cases, it is. As I said before, unlike you, who care, some Black men are 'white washed' or brain washed too, and they attack Black women for the wrong reasons.

@NubianFellow Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You know, I think that this was the problem: Here's another point about the married man 'Black-Sam' that first made that comment that morning: He had a picture of his wife on his desk. And guess what!? She was Black African AMerican, and her hair was a short, hot-combed, pressed straight hair style. My natural hair was never straight, hot-combed. I blow dried it, a BLOW-OUT--so it was very full. So Black-Sam was actually upset with me, because I didn't wear my hair, STRAIGHT! Can you believe that!? I believe he was offended due to my ethnic hairstyle. But, like you, most Black men always complimented me when I styled my hair natural. But, when I was younger, my Mom did give my sisters and I, chemical relaxers, and I continued for awhile and, completely butchered my hair. But during college, I completely stopped at some point, and went natural. And, never went back to those past days. I agree. I love this statement. And, I agree, but again, due to the past in how Black women have been so beaten down about their natural beauty, as you did write about, some have decided to wear straight hair styles. I don't like it for me, but I understand. Some black women look so gorgeous though, no matter how they style their hair.