Today, since I was in the neighborhood, I decided to break down and purchase Kinky-Curly Knot Today and some coconut oil at my local Whole Foods. A few of my YouTube subbies suggested I try these products when I first started making videos on the YT, so I figured "what the hell"!
I found both products relatively quickly, so I ran to the shortest checkout line, and the cashier happened to be a African American male. He saw the "Organic Virgin Coconut Oil" in a jar, he took a beat, and said
"What chu' gonna cook with that"? (probably trying to flirt)
I said "OH, I'm not going to cook with this; I'm going to put this in my hair".
THEN he said (rather loudly with Jim Carrey face contortions):
"You gunna put DAT in your hair?!? What?!"
Should I have tried to educate him? Should I have been sarcastic? Should I make him feel stupid and retarded? Should I have lectured him?
I took a beat, then said "Its a really good hair moisturizer, you should GOOGLE it", then walked away.
I was SO mad at myself for not SAYING or DOING anything! For some reason AfricanExport, from youtube popped into my head at that moment. I wished I could have morphed into her (I <3 her, heres her YT page : http://www.youtube.com/AFRICANEXPORT) she would've most definitely "kept it real" with him!
I'm used to that from white people, or people with non curly hair, when I mention I put EVOO in my hair. But from a black dude? A "brotha"? Even if he "didn't know, understand or comprehend", I thought that was kind of insensitive of him to say and do that to an African American (Bi Racial woman, what ever, this is my blog and I don't have to be PC) woman, where African American women, in general, are overly sensitive about their hair. I know *MY* sensitive ass is probably over-reacting, but his statement seemed to have a mocking undertone, and I was "bothered" by that all day. Then again, I live in LA, and all you see are butt-length weaves here anyway, so true he probably "didn't know better". Whatever. His loss.
How annoying is that! You get that kindda crap over her too. It's almost like they're proud to dumb down, like I'm gonna be loud and proud about the fact that I have NO clue what you do with your hair. Even though you know that ppl are ignorant, it's still annoying when you encounter them!!
ReplyDeleteYou did the right thing by staying calm and suggesting that the "brotha" google it. If you had gone off on him, it could have gone all wrong. This way, you showed him that his silly opinion has no affect on you and he may have even learned something.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Girl...I would have been irritated too! But yeah, you did the right thing. LOL @ telling him to google it!
ReplyDeleteYou probably did the best thing. If he got loud over how you decided to use items you are buying with your own money, how loud he would have been if you set him straight?
ReplyDeleteNo, I think you said the right thing and then walked away, I bet he felt like a fool! By the way I've been missing you on YouTube. You have really helped me with my natural hair, it is much like yours. I love your make up video's too :-)
ReplyDeletei agree with the other ladies...suggesting he google it was good. you took the high road. he just dont know how lucky he was. lol
ReplyDeleteThanks FLVS, that means a lot.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I wanted to say I love your youtube channel and I plan to follow your blog as well :-)...About your post: Idiots are gonna be idiots and such is life. It's best that you took the high road because that is the best way to deal with ignorance. I like your "google it" suggestion :-) Perhaps he should also google "how to have a decent conversation with a stranger without coming off as a complete ass!"
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