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14 Things You Should Never Say to a Woman With Natural Hair

Natural hair that is curly, wavy, kinky, or dreadlocked has become increasingly represented in society and media, largely because black women are stripping away the shame that has been attached to their textured strands and celebrating their crowning glory.

Social media-led movements like the #BlackHairChallenge and #NaturalHairIsProfessional, and celebrities, including Lupita Nyong’o, Solange, and Yara Shahidi, have helped to propel women of color with natural hair to the forefront. But unfortunately, there are still lots of people who don’t quite understand natural hair and feel the need to treat it like an intricate science project.

Genuinely intrigued or unabashedly aloof about the complexities of natural hair, people’s comments and questions often arise that may come off as rude, or even worse, racially insensitive. Asking “Can I touch it?” and then reaching in to grab someone’s hair without getting a clear “yes” or “no” is inappropriate. FYI: Women with naturally textured hair are not petting zoos.

To gain a deeper understanding as to why that question and reaction can come off as odd or impolite and spark an enlightening conversation, we asked 14 beauty bloggers, influencers, and editors who proudly rock their natural hair to reveal the most annoying things they’ve heard regarding their hair texture. Scroll along and take note!

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

School Tells 16-Year-Old to Change Her Natural-Style Hair
Miss USA Wore Her Hair Natural — and Social Media Is Loving It
Swimming With Natural Hair, Braids, and Dreadlocks Just Got So Much Easier

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