It was recently brought to my attention from a fellow hair blogger that a certain Black Hair magazine has really dropped the ball when it comes to their children's corner. (I don't even want to say the Magazine name because I don't want to give them the added press! But I will...) Sophisticates Black Hair Styles and Hair Care Guide has recently published some really amazing women's styles!
But they have not done the same for the Kids.... :(
All three of these styles require heat! Which is damaging to the hair. But mostly what I'm saddened about is that it gives the impression that straight hair is better and prettier than curly. :( Read more below to see how I really feel about it! ...
(This is the letter I just sent to the publisher at info@associatedpub.com )
Dear Sophisticates,
I am writing to let you know that I'm more than a little disappointed in your Kid's section of your magazine. I am not black, and I have no black relatives, HOWEVER, I am a straight haired mom of a little girl with curly hair, and so I've been spending a lot of time learning about how to properly and carefully care for curls.
In so doing I've also spent a lot of time on websites that feature black curls and coils.
I don't care what type of hair you have, to use heat and chemicals on ANY hair at ANY age is Damaging! I won't even talk about chemicals, that's another whole topic, but it came to my attention that in several issues of your magazine you featured children's hairdos that ALL required heat, whether in the form of blow dryers or flat irons.
You have a huge reader base (I'm sure) and the potential to have an enormous impact in many many parents and children around the globe. It is time to STOP giving the impression that in order to look like a "princess" that a person has to have straight hair!!
Curly kids need to know that they are beautiful the way they are. There is NO need to change the texture of their natural hair in order for it to be pretty, shiny, well cared for, long, or acceptable! Especially with curls, to use heat disrupts the natural fibers of the hair and causes long term damage. For our little girls' curls to stay beautiful and healthy we need to stay away from things that will damage the integrity of their strands and celebrate what they already have!
Good grief, I was just on your website and on the front page I saw ONE curly haired woman!! and I had to scroll waaaay down to find her! You are celebrating BLACK HAIR! BLACK HAIR is CURLY!!!!
I do acknowledge (and this is why I bothered writing, because I know you have potential) that you have many natural styles for women in some of your magazines. And, they are beautiful! What I am saddened and frustrated about is that you haven't branched that out and over to the kid's corner of your mag. How about articles about how to care for coils? How about protective styles? How about ways to detangle 4b hair? How about pretty Natural Flower Girl hairstyles?? The possibilities are endless!
I'm not against the occasional straightening or blow drying, what I don't appreciate is your lack of anything else for kids.
Our children, teens and young adults have their whole future ahead of them. To only show them styles that are straight and require heat - you are limiting them to a lifetime of feeling like they aren't enough. That they need to be "fixed" in order to be beautiful or to fit into society.
Please address this concern. I know I am not the only one who would like your magazine to step up to the plate and be more than it is right now.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
~ Karli
author of www.curlyhairdodeas.com - a Children's Hair blog discovering and celebrating Natural Curls and Styles
And that's that! Thank you to Nikki at Beads, Braids and Beyond for drawing this to my attention and for the use of her pictures :) To read more about what the articles promote and see more pictures taken of the magazine, see Nikki's post HERE.
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