Sisterlock Snobbery

I read this on someone's blog. It is her blog but somethings are very negative. Sisterlocks, Braidlocks, Twistylocs, Nappylocs , Microlocs whatever..... and I am on no journey they are all the same to me. The only difference is the cost. I am transitioning from one to the next and for someone to say I shouldnt be able to get something because I have a perm is silly especially when their hair looks just like mine excluding the perm.

She called this Things I hate about sisterlocks.
3." I don't like the fact permies can get Sisterlocks. Having natural hair all my life and traditional locks before, I can definitely say, in my honest opinion, I feel everyone should have the luxury of feeling their natural hair before it's locked. It is a liberating experience and a wonderful way to get to know your own hair. I know that many would not have Sisterlocks if they had to cut their perm first, which I think is wonderful. I feel if you aren't ready to part with your perm, locks (of any sort) are not best for you. Permed locks is so counter intuitive




I love the response she got in her comments section and then she changed her tune.
This is the comment

While I agree with most of your points, I disagree with the one about people with perms shouldn't be allowed to get sisterlocks. One could say that you, with your natural hair texture, should never have gotten sisterlocks. Because quite honestly, your natural hair in sisterlocks looks just like what my relaxed hair (and natural hair on my crown) looks like.

And how can you throw out that blanket statement that people who start with perms don't know their natural hair!??!?! I know my natural hair extraordinarily well for someone who's had a perm for decades. And I know a lot of permed people who intimately know their various hair textures as well, many of whom decided to transition out of the chemicals.

As for people starting out with perms not wanting to part with their perms, I say this: people who decide to transition to natural hair obviously want to part with their perm! The way you state it is as though those who start with relaxed hair (me!) don't accept their natural hair, secretly want to keep chemically altering their hair, and therefore aren't ready to lock their hair. The only thing I wasn't ready to do was cut a substantial amount of my hair off in the middle of a Chicago winter.

Your comments about the perms really rubs me the wrong way, ESPECIALLY since (if I remember correctly from reading your blog a while ago) you've never had chemically altered hair! Your opposition to permies getting sisterlocks is laughable since that's what your comment about the perms sounds like: sisterlock snobbery. And you can't stand sisterlock snobbery according to your blog.And because you've never permanently altered your texture, your opinion reeks even more so of the "house negro/field negro" thoughts of the past - in other words, very divisive and tainted with superiority.

But it's your blog and your opinions and you're entitled to have them. I just hope that I gave you some food for thought from the mind of a person with relaxed ends. And that I wasn't too harsh.

Also, " " your comments about the permed ends: you say that people with them will realize they don't look good and cut them off. The goal of transitioning is to get rid of the permed hair while not drastically changing your look. But honestly, I can count on two fingers, the number of people with sisterlocks with all natural hair that looked good in the beginning months. The rest don't. And I've seen at least a hundred photos. (trust me when I say I did my research) But I can totally see what you mean when it comes with people who keep substantial amounts of relaxed hair for too long. I'm at 1 month and already trying to find out if I can start chopping a good portion off.


However in the bloggers defense she did have a series of her own of opinions a week later or whenever about things she likes about sisterlocks...... she mentioned

"I love how having Sisterlocks has been a catalyst to being natural for many sisters that would have not contemplated locs or natural hair with any other method. One sister blogger, e-mailed me on how great Sisterlocks has been in easing her transition from relaxer. I honestly never thought of it that way before, myself never having had a relaxer."


(read current post regarding this old issue at the top of this blog or link blocking a blogger dated June 30th)