What do your parents/friends think of your locks?

Last night I was on Skype with my sister and my mother was in the other room. She overheard me talking to her about how I started my neglect/natural/freeform journey and she got really upset with me... Saying that I am a "nappy wannabe N-word", that I'm going to be an embarrassment to be seen with...

Anyone else have parents or friends that are overly negative about your choice of dreadlocks?

I made an album on my Facebook to keep track of my progress and it honestly made me a little bit sad knowing that I have to block A LOT of people (including my own flesh and blood) from seeing it... I don't really care what they think but it will still upset me knowing that they'll judge me for the way I look.

updated by @mamakittylove: 01/13/15 10:03:50PM

my moms not racist but for 15 years everytime i looked in her direction her fingers made scissor motions everytime i talked to her i got when are u going to cut that dont you want a girlfreind you used to be so attractive blah blah blah oh yea was excluded from trips all over cause i was an enmbarrasment wasnt alowed my inheritence from my grandparents wich my m9om "invested for me" in enron and lost it all

and so on

but then 1 day were out xmass shopping and all these old blue haired old ladies like 6 or 8 of them surround me saying "i never saw such beautiful hair can i touch it" and 1/2 the ppl walking by said i love your dreads

that made my mom realize it wasnt something to be embarrased about but proud of

\the cutting remarks stopped then and there

the next year even got a tam for xmass

and she started signing petitions related to dreads like that lil girl that wss forced to changte schools

maybe when your family sees its not an emnbvarrassment they too will change but racism is an ugly thing and realoy hard to ovvercome

just be the chjange u want toi see in them

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

That's really wonderful SE! I'm so glad your mom changed her views on dreads! I've shown her beautiful sets of locks online before but she thinks they are all dirty and disgusting. I really do Hope she changes her mind someday and finds them as beautiful as I do.

soaring eagle said:

my moms not racist but for 15 years everytime i looked in her direction her fingers made scissor motions everytime i talked to her i got when are u going to cut that dont you want a girlfreind you used to be so attractive blah blah blah oh yea was excluded from trips all over cause i was an enmbarrasment wasnt alowed my inheritence from my grandparents wich my m9om "invested for me" in enron and lost it all

and so on

but then 1 day were out xmass shopping and all these old blue haired old ladies like 6 or 8 of them surround me saying "i never saw such beautiful hair can i touch it" and 1/2 the ppl walking by said i love your dreads

that made my mom realize it wasnt something to be embarrased about but proud of

\the cutting remarks stopped then and there

the next year even got a tam for xmass

and she started signing petitions related to dreads like that lil girl that wss forced to changte schools

maybe when your family sees its not an emnbvarrassment they too will change but racism is an ugly thing and realoy hard to ovvercome

just be the chjange u want toi see in them

My whole family is very conservative . I was the first to breastfeed my children, all over two years. I make my own clothes, grow and can my food. I ride my bike or walk most of the time. They see my hair as just one more bizzare thing I am involved in . They were upset when I took my Buddhist vows and cannot believe I camp and go to hippie festivals. My Mom made me promise, that if she died, I would cover my hair. I just remind myself it is my life journey,not theirs, and continue to love them.My sister says,her kids admire me because I never let it bother me, and I am an example to do what I want without hurting others.Be kind, keepin clean, you will win them over, even if they don't understand why you need to dread.

Thankfully my mother is all for breastfeeding; I breastfed my first until he was about 2 and I'm now 8 months into nursing my second. You seem a lot like me with how you grow food, ride your bike and walk a lot, and how you overall see things. I agree, it is my journey. It's my absolutely beautiful journey. I will not let them take my happiness away and I will continue to grow, with or without them. I just hope they support it eventually. Thank you for your advice!!!

Casey Fay said:

My whole family is very conservative . I was the first to breastfeed my children, all over two years. I make my own clothes, grow and can my food. I ride my bike or walk most of the time. They see my hair as just one more bizzare thing I am involved in . They were upset when I took my Buddhist vows and cannot believe I camp and go to hippie festivals. My Mom made me promise, that if she died, I would cover my hair. I just remind myself it is my life journey,not theirs, and continue to love them.My sister says,her kids admire me because I never let it bother me, and I am an example to do what I want without hurting others.Be kind, keepin clean, you will win them over, even if they don't understand why you need to dread.

My mother (aka my family) isn't very conservative but my amazing partners family is. They're classic southern and have adapted to me pretty well considering they haven't had to come in such close contact with someone like me before. I realize this is different but I think a large dose of confidence is really essential to dealing with the public at anytime that you might stick out. I have never been good at noticing what people think of me. I'm me and no matter how I've tried to fit in, in the past, I've never been very good at it. I'm great at being me. It's all i can do. People have many things to say about me, but I know who I am and it there's no feeling better than being in your own skin once you're comfortable being there