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This week on Go Off Sis, we explore the cultural realities surrounding texturism. Do people actually judge black women on the texture of their hair? Press play to hear these women sound off!

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Transcript
00:00I believe that texturism is real in the black community.
00:03While it wasn't created by us, we have maintained it.
00:07I started relaxing my hair when I was 14.
00:09I was about 13.
00:10I first got my relaxer probably when I was like 7 years old, like really young.
00:16My mom tricked me into getting a perm on my hair.
00:19She told me that I was going to go and get a deep condition.
00:22This deep condition turned into be a perm.
00:25She thought that that would be best for both of us.
00:27My hair type is kind of all over the place.
00:30I have four different curl patterns.
00:33I have very coily, tangly.
00:37Super, I would say wavy.
00:39It's like a shaped.
00:41Front just has a mind of its own and curls when it feels like.
00:46In the back, it's a loose curl.
00:48And then the back is just not very defined.
00:53So because I was so confused about my texture, I permed it.
00:57It was kind of like a ritual in our house whenever there was a special occasion or the first day
01:03of school.
01:04It was just time to get our hair relaxed.
01:06I think in the black community, we value different hair types more than others.
01:11I'm comfortable with my hair texture now at 22, but I still have those days where it's like the other
01:16side of your brain.
01:17You know when you're scrolling on Instagram and you see a girl with looser texture hair.
01:21Her hair listens.
01:22Her hair obeys.
01:23Cantu works for her.
01:25While I love laid edges and baby hairs, sometimes I have to make sure and interrogate myself and make sure
01:31that I'm not doing it because I find it acceptable.
01:35I mean when you think about all the tutorial videos that people are doing with their hair, you do see
01:44more of the perfect ringlet type situation.
01:52Which honestly, I don't think it's very helpful.
01:58I didn't actually like my hair when I first went natural. I thought it was, I thought that when I
02:04cut it off it was going to be this loose, you know, curl.
02:08But it wasn't that. And so I had to learn how to love my hair.
02:11A dream hair texture.
02:14I've grown to love my hair texture and accept it for what it is.
02:17I've also grown to realize that my hair is going to do whatever it feels like it.
02:21So no matter if I do the same thing on day one and day two, it could look completely different.
02:27I can have my hair straight, I can have my hair curly, or I can have my hair in braids,
02:32you know.
02:32So I could be three different women if I want to. You know, depending on my mood, I could change
02:36it up all the time.
02:38It does whatever it wants and that's cool. So since it wants to do whatever it wants, I usually braid
02:43it up or do cornrows and put a unit on.
02:46I typically do a wash and go.
02:48I literally have one hairstyle. It's one bun at the back or one bun at the top of my head.
02:54The great thing about being a black woman or being black is that you are a whole bunch of different
02:59things and we look so different and we should embrace that.
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