Undertheshadetree.com

Hey all!!!


I know I haven't been writing lately...as with most women, I have several things on my plate right now...I'm applying to Ph.d programs, preparing for the GRE, transitioning jobs, thinking of ways to save the world, teaching...and trying to find a little time for myself...please visit www.undertheshadetree.com, where you can find my group FEMINISM, as well as join other groups on the site that are simply wonderful...I'll be back on anaturalrose.blogspot.com, in a few weeks...if I don't write before then...remember to exercise your RIGHT TO VOTE!!! Nov. 4, 2008!!!

Are we all really prostitutes???

I read an article on the Daily News that stated that prostitution is one of the oldest professions known to humankind...and also that even during this economic turmoil occuring in the United States...prostitutes have not seen a decrease in revenue..

The survey that followed was simple: Do you think that prostitution should be legalized? 78% of respondents agreed that prostitution should be legalized and 22 % of respondents indicated that prostitution should not be legalized. Now of course, we need more information to really get to the root of things. Such as, how many of the respondents were men and how many were women, the age of the respondents, the race, socioeconomic level, etc...all of this variables are valuable to assessing who has these views.

Many people shun the thought of prostitution, exotic dancing and any other sexual profession. I remember a long time ago, a pastor stated to the congregation, "if you hate your job, your prostituting yourself". What was meant by this statement, was that at the end of the day, you are still selling yourself, to make profit for someone else and you hate it. Models walk down an aisle everyday with next to nothing on and pose half nude on a regular basis, yet that is not seen as prostitution. Many women will not go out on a dinner date, etc. if the guy or female refused to pay and court them in a way that they feel warranted. I'm asking for you all, to step outside of the box, and think of many ways in which you are someone else you know may have prostituted yourself and then answer this question...

Should prostitution be legalized? Why or why not?

Flipping the script....does it really work?

Many times, women find that their version of feminism include "flipping the script", based on stereotypes of women. For example, many women attempted to own the word BITCH...and use it as an endearing term for friendship, with their very close friends, a powerful woman who does not take mess from anyone, someone who has their own opinion and can be blunt about it...etc. etc...Additionally, the same could be said for clothing... A few decades ago, (well not talking about disco days) but 20's-60's, women were pretty much dressed from head to toe. As the years went on, women decided to show their freedom of choice, by dressing a tad scantily, for some, as an in your face, this is my body, I can do what I want, dress how I want, talk how I want to talk...the same can be said for how many women can flaunt body parts they were blessed with as well...so the question is...does this help in regards to feminism? Are women gaining more respect, by standing out on their own and saying we will not adhere to the double standards placed on us? Or do we as women, simply look like damn fools, validating misogynistic views set forth by both men and women?

Educating ourselves- The Economy is bad

America, land of the free! America land of opportunity! America the beautiful, America the damn great!...and negroe's, jews, gentiles, asians, whites and latino's alike are all fearing losing their jobs or struggling trying to find one. Now if your wondering what the in the world this title has to do with the above lines....well if you listen, I'll tell you :)...One thing that I do as an instructor, is to make sure that my students know that it is OKAY to ask a question that they may think is dumb, or that everyone already knows. Everyone is talking about the economy is bad. People are scared they will lose their job any day now. People are fearful. But do we really KNOW what's going on? At the end of the day, do we really know about Roth IRA's, investments, 401K's etc. I never thought that we as a people, were ignorant, but we are, when were' too fearful to ask what we may think is too basic to ask the next person. Sometimes, I feel like I need to take Political Science 101 all over again, because do I truly know all of the facts. We all hear what they say on television, but do we really know what is BEHIND the messages and policies. So this blog, is not to give a quick tutorial on any of these things. But more of a proposal, to say why don't we start giving a fact a day...on any subject you want. Talk to your friends, family, co-workers, etc. lets stop having such an elitist mentality within our community, and lets just try to help each other out in the best way we can...if we do that, I don't think we'll be as SCARED as many of us currently are and we'll see what we can do to move forward and position ourselves in such a way, that we are self-sufficient and dependent upon ourselves..This can be done, just read about any history book....that's all for now folks!

Nappy Hair and Afrocentrism

There are well over 12 definitions of the word "nappy", according to the American Heritage Dictionary. When referring to hair, the word nappy means 1. Offensively Tightly curled or coiled hair... hmmm...now I really didn't need a dictionary to explain to me, the feelings and stories that have been behind the word "nappy". Most women of African descent have had some story with the word nappy, whether it be them calling someone else's hair nappy or having their hair called nappy. And yes...it was never an endearing term within the African-American community. What I want to know is, who claims that it is OFFENSIVE? How can one's hair be offensive? Why did I write this blog? Well for a couple of reasons. First, the other day, I recently went to the African Hair Braiding spot and I got kinky twists. Now true, I was in a rush when I went and I washed my hair without completely combing my hair out....but when the stylist who was from West Africa said, "the problem is, your hair is nappy"..I thought, wtf? I actually don't have coarse hair to begin with, but that wasn't the point..the point was that, that word has always been associated with being an offensive term, I don't care how you try to spin it..and especially in America, has been associated with many African offensive hair jokes.

Then I started to think about some of the images that I have seen from some of the African people that I have come across lately and research that I've engaged in. I noticed how when African-Americans call themselves being "Afrocentic", they often show this pride through hairstyles..i.e. Afro's, locs, twists, cornrows, braids, etc..however, lately, I have come across Africans who live in America and I've noticed that many are using skin bleaching cream, straight hair weaves, perms and any other style that is everything but natural. When I went to Africa, I was disappointed to hear Africans use the word "nigga" in such access..I said damn, globalization is clearly having a negative effect in the Afrikan community. African-Americans are trying to be like Africans, thinking they are at paying homage to their roots by certain hairstyles at times, and many Africans are trying to assimilate in the European culture, by lightening their skin and straightening their hair. Does hair define who you are? NO. However, when it gets to the point where slavery ideologies are transcending among our beloved Africa...where we had strong civilizations with Kings and Queens, and both Africans and African-Americans begin to buy into some of the Eurocentric ideologies, I think what next....I begin to get scared....really scared.

Transitioning from perm to a natural state

Hey this blog, is just for my friend Vi, Ms. Unpredictable...:)

Well my friend told me today, girllll, why didn't you tell me that the reason it was so hard for me to comb through my hair, was because most of it was natural but the ends are still permed. I started off telling her about one of my favorite shampoo's by Carol's Daughter, Rosemary Mint Shampoo with Sea Moss. The ingredients are all natural, including rosemary mint which stimulates the scalp for hair growth, lavender extract that softens the hair and essential oils that keep the hair properly conditioned. Well, I'll tell you all, like I told her, the transition state is a tricky one and it is best to have the ends properly trimmed off, or you WILL face hair breakage and a difficult time trying to comb through your hair..

Now, if you are not ready to get a major hair cut, here are a few options 1) trim off a little at a time, so there is not a dramatic cut 2) cut off all of the permed ends, 3) Use Carol's Daughter Lisa's Hair Elixir (warm it up) and mix it with Carol's Daughter's Hair Butter and saturate your ends and ALWAYS comb from the ends up to the root...if you have other products you choose to use, that's great as well, just make sure there is NO mineral oil, which provides no nourishment to your hair and acts more as a coating of the hair, but provides no real conditioning....(Pictures will be up soon, for natural hair styles and more conditioning tips!)

Black Women in Business or Just Women

We've all heard it before, women just can't seem to get along. Even within groups and organizations that are geared towards increasing positive relationships among women, i.e. sororities, civic groups, heck, even women's day at church, there appears to always be some sort of obstacle to women being able to work in peace. Now the title of this blog is black women in business or is it just simply women in business, who allow power to go to their head? I recently did not show up to an interview with a black owned company that was ran by black women, because I have either been in scenarios where black women have abused their power and on every account have found a way to solidify that they are the boss and will say and do anything to demean another black woman and I did not want to go there.

Now this is the problem...I'm an African-American woman who works and advocates for equality for women and African-Americans and I don't even choose to work with my own people if I can avoid it, because again, there's always some type of drama. Will we ever be able to get along? If Michele Obama happens to become the 1st lady, will that increase positive interactions with us, or will it remain how it has always been..another jealous filled array of opinions from our "own"...either way, I see the current state of African-American people and especially African-American women in a slow process of complete denigration and simply stating a place of no hope for us to start treating each other better and like the old adage says, how they would like to get done...so I'll end it out with this, at this time, hell no, I don't believe that African-American women business owners have ever been fair or just. And I wait for the day that justice is finally distributed to ALL those who have done anyone wrong, business or otherwise.

Under Construction

Hey!!! I just couldn't wait any longer to write. I just felt the urge to do so, although my blog is no where near where I want it to be. I see such a great vision of showing and learning of new hair styles,sharing experience with new hair and skin products, new fashion styles, culture and more. I see women of all shades, cultures, and hair types coming together and discussing issues that shape our identity today. I guess for the most part, that will be done, through typing my thoughts, although I hope this works in such a way, that many, many many many people will share their hair stories and thoughts, because as I frequently say, thats how we learn....so stay tuned, because there is definitely more to come!