I've seen a ridiculous amount of comments on the internet about touching hair being racist. Back story, I have a co worker who loves hair and always asks people if she can touch their hair. I wanted to do so back, but did not for fear of it being racist. Through time I've been taught to feel as though its wrong to do so, but if someone asks to touch your hair can I not ask to do so back?(she has beautiful hair btw.)
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How is touching another person hair considered racist?
- Thread starter TaterTots
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Poltergust
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Because it's totally creepy (and therefore not socially acceptable in most situations) and almost always gets directed towards black people.
Your co-worker is weird.
Your co-worker is weird.
Byakuya769
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Crimson_Gold
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How is it racist or why is it racist? If you're attending a hair touching exchange meeting, do you. If you're walking up to various minorities, with whom you have no relationship, prepare for the shit you're asking for
ElectricBlanketFire
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Especially at work
Shaved my head and folks at work wanted to touch it, nope I am not a dog
Slammin_Hammon
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I can't speak to it personally, but I imagine most people don't appreciate their hair being treated with the same regard as an exotic animal in a petting zoo.
Feel the Swift
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Alcotholic
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It's considered racist because happens to black people often and exotifies their hair. It's also weird.
Sparrowhawk
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Is no one reading the OP? I'd say that if someone asks to touch your hair, it's probably okay for you to ask if you can touch theirs lol.
Do you have female friends? I'm a guy who's had long hair since I was like 10 and girls are always wanting to touch it.
Do you have female friends? I'm a guy who's had long hair since I was like 10 and girls are always wanting to touch it.
ryutaro's mama
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Ask yourself honestly, no matter how nice someone who was White's hair was, did you ever have the urge to ask them to touch it?
This goes hand in hand with, how many times, no matter how well they spoke, have you felt a need to call out how articulate and/or well spoken a White person was?
BigJonsson
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I'm white and people have touched my hair before, usually doesn't bother me but it's not randoms doing it
Did you read the OP? Someone else is touching my hair and my natural response is to do so back, but due to posts like yours it makes me feel awkward. Meaning, I do not touch anyone elses hair. I just take it.
thewaffles
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Trojita
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It seems these requests or happenings without consent hits the black community the most. There is explanations that they are doing this because black hair is "different", which is a component of white supremacy. It also is not viewed by the black community well because it seems they are being demeaned as a pet, harkening back to ownership of their people.
I will admit there is just weird people that like to touch hair apparently. Some people are obsessed with textures, but should control themselves and know what is approriate in public.
I don't understand why. But I've also had people in public touch my hair or ask me if they can.
Megabyte117
Member
I mean, if you ask for permission and it's not some random off the street then maybe it's alright? I've had students and coteachers touching my hair (I work in Japan) but it honestly doesn't bother me too much.
Skellig Gra
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QisTopTier
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Darryl M R
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White people have a fascination with touching people of color's hair because of the different texture.
This isn't a zoo and I'm not a pet. Don't touch me and don't ask.
Now if you have a co-worker and you two have some hair bond go for it.
It's really late for a thread like this. You could have searched and read the blogs and articles that explained how textured hair is viewed as exotic. And common sense would tell you if someone touched your hair and you consented then you could ask to do the same. What are you even doing?
This isn't a zoo and I'm not a pet. Don't touch me and don't ask.
Now if you have a co-worker and you two have some hair bond go for it.
It's really late for a thread like this. You could have searched and read the blogs and articles that explained how textured hair is viewed as exotic. And common sense would tell you if someone touched your hair and you consented then you could ask to do the same. What are you even doing?
Kingpin Rogers
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BigJonsson
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Yea, my hair is soft and completely straight
But yea, you shouldn't go around touching hair or anything without permission and even then it would probably come off really badly
As a white person with curly hair, I can assure you it happens.
Probably not as often, and I agree it's fucking obnoxious, so I feel for you.
itwasTuesday
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yanipheonu
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I dunno, if someone asks to touch my hair, I don't mind. I have nice curly hair that I like brush with my hands myself. (I'm visibly white, though multi ethnic) 
a few girls have asked.
If someone's putting their hands on someone else without their permissions though, clearly that's an invasion of someone's space and a pretty bad social move.
The racism thing is really funny though. I'm pretty sure most humans have hair, what does race have to do with it?
a few girls have asked. If someone's putting their hands on someone else without their permissions though, clearly that's an invasion of someone's space and a pretty bad social move.
The racism thing is really funny though. I'm pretty sure most humans have hair, what does race have to do with it?
PabloBolivar
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What do you mean? You find that hard to believe? I've touched white people hair.
Kid Kamikaze10
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Because it's inconsiderate. I'm sure that most people who ask are simply curious and have no negative intentions, but the way that it objectifies you is incredibly demeaning, and it just gets annoying. So think about it from the other person's perspective, and then it makes sense. (Though asking like you've done here also helps.)
This is at work. I should point out that I'm white and the person touching my hair is black. Seems like some are not understanding. She always asks if she can touch their hair. I want to do so back when she touches my hair, but I hesitate because some people out here find it weird. If it's happening to me, why can't I do so back?
Gordon Shumway
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MrToughPants
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I was banging a black girl and made the mistake of grabbing her hair. She got angry and scolded me for doing it, was hilarious.
cryptosporidium
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People sometimes like to feel hair, when I go bald shave people like feelin the velcro head. when my buddy grows his hair out like the black kid from hey arnold people love touchin his hair, same with my other friends afro (he white tho). nothing to do with race, at least not around here
I dunno, if someone asks to touch my hair, I don't mind. I have nice curly hair that I like brush with my hands myself. (I'm visibly white, though multi ethnic)
If someone's putting their hands on someone else without their permissions though, clearly that's an invasion of someone's space and a pretty bad social move.
The racism thing is really funny though. I'm pretty sure most humans have hair, what does race have to do with it?
If y'all have that kinda of relationship do you. But in general it seemed as weird or rude in America among black people
yeah it is too late for this shit
ryutaro's mama
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This sounds like a YMMV sort of thing. I don't think I have ever in my life seen a Black person solicit touching the hair of a White person.
I have, however, experienced the reverse quite often.
chronos4590
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Ya'll really out there touching Anyones hair? Really? Like for kicks?
lmfao Honestly I want to know also
ditto
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