Men and women are biologically pre-disposed to procreate, and to select mates on an innate and objective basis of increasing the odds of continuing the species. Synchronous male female attraction is the manifestation of this genetic programming. We look for the signals of greater health in potential mates, understanding that this comes most readily in youthful displays, including hair length and hair quality.
The association between hair length/quality and better health is a researched finding (exampled
here). Regardless of ethnicity, average hair length decreases as age increases. Reproductive health follows overall health, and its correlation to youth, hair length and quality. Hair quality exists on a continuum of states reduced by chemical ‘processing’ straightening, heating, coloring or other visually enhancing, but also structurally distressing, procedures.
The history of American black women and their hair is one of social and biological misdirection. Black women, as varying admixtures of African and European ancestry, alter their hair in the attempt to have it appear longer and in a form similar to non-black (Euro-Asian) women, but in doing so they compromise both their hair’s quality and length. Chemical straightening (perming), frequent heat treatments (pressing), and extensions, over time make hair brittle, discolored, shorter, and less indicative of good health. Damaged hair is signaled as unattractive by our innate, health-seeking, senses.
Ironically, locking black hair into dreadlocks, a popularized multi-dimensioned style found in historical and present-day Africa and Eurasia, is one manner of growing tightly-curled hair into a longer style, while keeping it healthy. Contrary to misinformation, hair that is locked is washable, can be neatly styled, and must be conditioned similar to other more typical western styles, for best results. My own sister began wearing locks nearly ten years ago, after alternating between pressing and ‘perming’ for most of her adult life. Over the following years her hair has continued growing much longer than with previous ‘processed’ styles, making her more physically attractive (in my opinion).
It bears mentioning that the current pressing styles popular with black women increase the barriers to general exercise and weight management, wherein sweating counters the significant invested time and expense of hair-styling. Less exercise, in part, has the result of increasing the percentage of body fat and average weight of black women (a subject to be explored later in the series), in comparison to women without this exercise constraint.
When it comes to hair length, hair quality and attractiveness, black women may inadvertently detract from their overall physical desirability to all men, including black men, by choosing to pursue hair styles that sacrifice long-term hair length and hair quality. Black and non-black men alike seem to care most about length and quality (healthy appearance) within their similarly-wired ‘black-box’ mechanisms of what is attractive, in contrast to the belief that black women, to be more attractive, should have ‘white-looking’ hair, or vice-versa, ala Bo Derek in "10".
Up next in the series: Hair Color.
Link to
Introduction.
James C. Collier
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Let's call this an OPEN COMMENT POST. I certainly have my opinion on the impact President Obama has had, but I want to know what you think, behind your votes. I especially want to hear from folks who said they did not care. Let them comments rip!!!
I don’t know how many black NFL players/professional soccer players are also married to white women, but the title of this post speaks to the perception and greater probability of this happening with world-class black male athletes. But why? Is it because these exceptional men are self-haters? I think not. Could there be something about these woman that draws these men to them, and vice-versa? Perhaps, but it is likely not their skin color, per se.
Men and women are biologically pre-disposed to procreate, and to select mates on an innate and objective basis of increasing the odds of continuing the species. Synchronous male female attraction is the manifestation of this genetic programming. We look for the signals of greater health in potential mates, understanding that this comes most readily in youthful displays, including hair length and hair quality.
I was in Detroit on business and went to a restaurant for lunch. As I exited the men's room, I happened upon a slow moving old Jewish guy on his way in. I said, 'hello Mr. Sales!', whereupon he looked up at me through thick glasses and said with a perplexed view, 'do I know you?'. I said no, but that I was a big fan from way back. He got a big smile and said, 'are you sure that I don't know you, because you look familiar'. Before he continued on, he asked if I was enjoying my meal, and said that if I needed anything to let him know. I thanked him, we shook hands and parted company. Back at the table my Detroit host informed me that Soupy owned the place. From my experience, a nice guy, even without a pie in the face. 
If there was a time when men married for breast size those days are gone. Large breasts are more common each year. Nonetheless, women's breasts, along with men's chests, are still worthy of discussion.
Black women have a hard way to go – no rocket science here. This is especially true in the mating, beauty, and romance arena. As a demographic, they are least likely to marry, and most likely to bear children, minus a committed male partner and supporter. The negative implications of this are obvious and significant. Black women also present a tough exterior, physically and emotionally, perhaps as a result of their difficult circumstances. But what could be driving this disparity between male attraction to black women vs. women in general? Is it biological? Is it social?
By now much has been said about the Norwegians awarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. He is the first to say that he has not earned the award, and I would agree. So what were those crazy Norwegians thinking? Succinctly, they were saying to the US citizenry that their Norwegian fears matter. And not just Norway, but the rest of the world too.
Now my kids have never said this to me, but it would not be unreasonable, considering what we hear and see about the continent, from every media outlet and periodical around every corner. I certainly wondered this growing up. Just recently, the United Nations Development Programme came out (here) with their annual rankings of the best countries to call home, and, as usual, Africa contains nearly all the bottom spots of the list, based on life expectancy, literacy, school enrollment, and gross domestic product (GDP).
I wondered why I had not heard from the D.A. regarding a court date for Little Miss Suzie Q, who, if you recall, put a bullet through the wall into my quarters (living, not hind) a few weeks ago (here). Well, there’s a good reason for the silence – Suzie did a 'Bonnie' (pictured) and is ‘on the lam’, as crime professionals are want to say, meaning she skipped-out on whatever bail terms were set and is nowhere to be found.
