Black Barber Shops vs. White Barber Shops

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

Across the street from the Fire Station I worked at from 2002 to 2005, there were 2 barber shops. If a black man walked into the white barber shop the would say, "We don't cut your kind's hair. Go 3 doors down." If a white man walked into the black barber shop they would say, "We don't cut your kind's hair. Go 3 doors down." Both of the shops are in a section of town that has about 80% black residents. I never got my hair cut at the white barber shop but my old Captain did. It was very strange. Depending on the barber sometimes the "We don't cut your kind's hair." would be replaced with "We don't cut you people's hair" but you get the idea.

David

[vadawg]

1. yup its kinda self segregation, i see it every day, people of all colours, races, religions etc

want to be around people like them, dosent matter where you go in the world your gonna find people gravitating towards the people who have shit in common with them...

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bonobo]

3. I would like you to explain this better.

No offense, but if you reread your last sentence, you will see it contains some kind of error that makes it hard to understand what you meant to say.

BTW, I did not unrec this. However, I would if I saw it got over 5 votes perhaps. It doesn't belong on DU's Greatest Page in my opinion. I have been here a long time and I expect that a Greatest Page OP should be well-written, well-thought out and rise to a higher standard then a quick comment type like this. (which is also fine, but not exactly "Greatest", n'est pas?)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

5. I edited it. Hope it's more clear.

I could care less about rec's and unrec's as long as there are comments. Otherwise I find it cowardly.

[Bonobo]

7. Got it.

The thing I take from this story is that sometimes what seems like racism is actually people coming to an honest accomodation with each other. That too is mutual understanding.

When people 'decide' they don't want to be racists, the first thing they often do is to put on the old "I am color blind" mask. They pretend they no longer even see or distinguish between people's color. But that too, is a mistake. Because you have to take people's different backgrounds into account to understand how to best act, see?

Being non-racist is not about treating everyone the same. It is about treating them all different.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. I always found it racist, it's odd though.

It wasn't malicious, and they sent the business to black barbers. It was just strange. I had forgotten about it until I saw another thread about black barber shops. There was only one incident at either barber shop and it was a broken window from a break in it was at the white barber shop.

[Warpy]

4. Beauty parlors used to be like that

until beauty schools started to train their students for higher end practice. Modeling agencies started to demand that beauticians be able to do different ethnic hair types and beauty schools responded and now it's all through the system.

However, if you want really elaborate cornrows, your best bet is still a predominately black shop that specializes in them.

Barber shops might catch up some day.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

6. Maybe one day.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. They still are, but like the barbershops there is some rationale behind it other than racism

While the barbers might disagree with me, cosmetologists have a lot broader field, and specialties are to be expected. New chemicals, tools, and styles coming out every day etc. Men do not have nearly as many options and permutations.

My daughters had very different hair, one had curly/wavy hair, the other kinky almost nappy. Not surprising given their lineage. They could never go to the same hair shop. Different places different skills. The issue for the one with the tight curls was that she did not follow African American fashion trends, which made it that much harder for her. Then again, living where we did, sometimes there were few options.

[Warpy]

22. My point was that any salon can pretty much

be counted upon to produce a corporate hair style in any type of hair, even my 3 continent ancestry, straight as a poker, fine as spiderwebs mop.

Specialty styles still require specialty salons.

[TheDebbieDee]

9. I'm an African-American female and if I walked

into a shop with which I was unfamiliar, if I didn't see any African-American cosmetologists I would ask if any of the cosmetologists there had experience with my type of hair. If none were experienced with my type of hair then I would ask if they had anyone on staff that specialized in my type of hair or if they could suggest a shop that handled my type of hair.

For me, this was no big deal. I don't want someone who doesn't know what they're doing working on my hair just to prove a point. After all, I wouldn't go to dermatologist to get my eyes examined, would I?

Cosmetologists can be specialists with types of hair just as doctors can specialize in areas of medicine.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. That seems like a wise plan to me. I wear a flat top I've had the same barber for 16 years.

[Horse with no Name]

13. I'm just the opposite

If I walk in and see an African American cosmetologist, that's the seat that I want!
Angela did my hair for years then she got ill and had to retire...then Nicole did it for a few years and then got married and had kids and stayed home and I ALWAYS loved my hair. Every single time. I never had to say what I wanted, just told either of them to make it look good and I was always pleased.
I haven't had what I consider a GOOD haircut in a very long time.
I will tell you the ones to run from...the ones with BIG BIG bleached hair! Yeoowww! I had one of those gals put bleach on my hair for highlights and it looked like cornsilk and felt like sandpaper when they were done. That was not attractive.
The lady that does my hair now is hit and miss. It is like bipolar hair. One time I reallly reallly love it and the next time I reallly reallly hate it.
There aren't many choices in the area I live and at least she doesn't spin my hair into rapunzel-locks, but the (lack of) consistency really sucks.

[TlalocW]

11. When I first saw the subject, I thought the thread would be about White vs Black Barbership Quartets

Still kind of disappointed.

Just sayin'.

TlalocW

[vadawg]

12. roflmao okay you win this thread.....

[blogslut]

14. There is a difference in the needs of the clientele

For example, did you know that razor shaving can be very irritating to black skin? Do you know the alternative solution? Would that white barber shop stock the product? Would that barber know how to apply the product?

Believe it or not, cutting hair and giving shaves isn't easy. It takes practice as well as skill. If a barber or cosmetologist is only practiced on a certain ethnic clientele then you bet your damn boots they're going to suggest the different client of untried ethnicity go elsewhere. A lousy haircut can ruin your life, at least temporarily. Do you really want to be some barber or cosmetologist's guinea pig?

[EFerrari]

15. The accomodations people make when they live or work in close quarters

are fascinating to me.

This weekend, everyone in the neighborhood down the road seemed to be having a yard sale. This is the very easternmost area of East San Jose where there are tons of Chicano families. On my way home from the store, I saw a sign that said, "Yarda Sale".

[proteus_lives]

17. I've had barbers tell me I should go to an "ethnic" salon.

On the account of my ultra-thick, curly locks. I have what has been uncharitably referred to as "jew/dago hair". Your tale doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

[vadawg]

18. luckily for me ive been a skinhead since i was a kid, so i can honestly say ive never been to a hair

salon or a barbers other than to get a shave.. :) saved a fortune in shampoo over the years as well....

[proteus_lives]

19. Oy, I've thought about shaving the head but I would look like Lex Luthor's little brother.

Ha!
But seriously I like my head of hair, two favorite things about my hair: it makes me appear two inches taller and I've heard this from more then one woman: "You don't do or use anything special to get those curls? 'Nope, soap/shampoo and water.' I hate you." :-)

But whenever I've moved it's always a bitch to find someone who knows how to cut it. I've got a good person now.

I've never gotten a professional shave, are they nice? I've seen it done in movies and it always looks so cool. Is it worth it?

[vadawg]

20. yup the old shave is definetly worth it, just make sure there are no burrs on the blade

funnily the only reason why i originally had a skinhead was due to lice, my mother didnt have the time to continually comb my hair so my father cut it all off, my sister only had it for as long as it took the hair to grow back but i just kept the look....

[nc4bo]

21. Both sides are missing out on making more money. That is dumb. nt