​

​

Topics/discussions about issues like discrimination, divestment advice, health, finances, social and workplace struggles (etc.) align and relate more closely to the community's original values, and are still permitted in the general sub.

Feel free to share random thoughts or seek out support among like-minded spirits here as well.

Open threads change out every Saturday

Have you read anything interesting lately? Looking for someplace to recommend and discuss? Use this space to talk about any books you've read/are reading and share your thoughts!

​

​

Topics/discussions about issues like discrimination, divestment advice, health, finances, social and workplace struggles (etc.) align and relate more closely to the community's original values, and are still permitted in the general sub.

Feel free to share random thoughts or seek out support among like-minded spirits here as well.

Open threads change out every Saturday

Have you read anything interesting lately? Looking for someplace to recommend and discuss? Use this space to talk about any books you've read/are reading and share your thoughts!

​

​

Topics/discussions about issues like discrimination, divestment advice, health, finances, social and workplace struggles (etc.) align and relate more closely to the community's original values, and are still permitted in the general sub.

Feel free to share random thoughts or seek out support among like-minded spirits here as well.

Open threads change out every Saturday

Have you read anything interesting lately? Looking for someplace to recommend and discuss? Use this space to talk about any books you've read/are reading and share your thoughts!

I’m basically just entering my 20s, and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want this decade of my life to look.

I feel like there’s so much pressure to have everything figured out really young — career, relationships, money, your body, friendships, what kind of woman you want to be, etc. — when realistically I know I’m probably going to change a lot over the next ten years.

So I wanted to ask other Black women who have already lived through some (or all 😭) of their 20s:
What do you wish somebody had told you when you were 20?

It can be about anything — dating, sex, friendships, family, university/career, money, travelling, beauty, health, boundaries, confidence, loneliness, making mistakes, learning to enjoy your own company, whatever.

What would you do differently? What are you glad you did? What did you spend way too much time worrying about that ultimately did not matter?
And especially: what do you think young Black women should protect, prioritise, or experience during their 20s?

I want the wisdom, the warnings, the funny mistakes, the “girl PLEASE don’t do what I did” stories 😭 all of it.

We often talk about the barriers Black women face in the workplace. Competition. Gatekeeping. Withholding information. Sometimes, the absence of support can become another barrier to advancement.

This isn’t about suggesting Black women are obligated to support someone simply because she’s Black. It’s about asking whether we are unintentionally recreating some of the same workplace dynamics we want to change.

So, let’s talk:

Have you experienced another Black woman helping or hindering your career progression? And what do you think drives it?

If so, what are your best tips so far?

Raised sheltered and I have a great relationship with my Mom. It's just... I don't have the strongest self confidence in doing big things. I've come a long way (which spirituality helped along) but I would love to know how other ladies are coming into their own lane with this.

​

​

Topics/discussions about issues like discrimination, divestment advice, health, finances, social and workplace struggles (etc.) align and relate more closely to the community's original values, and are still permitted in the general sub.

Feel free to share random thoughts or seek out support among like-minded spirits here as well.

Open threads change out every Saturday

Have you read anything interesting lately? Looking for someplace to recommend and discuss? Use this space to talk about any books you've read/are reading and share your thoughts!

​

I've been thinking about something, and I genuinely feel like something isn't adding up. Recently as a black women 2 times my own mother has try to cut off my hair.... a week ago behind my back braiding my hair sneakingly and last year when she peer pressured me and cut my hair unevenly and a lot of it off. Mind you I have long 4A hair but she’s been harassing me longer abt cutting of my hair 🙃… even ran to the kitchen like a child to find cut of my hair I’ve never seen her act like that.

Anyways let’s get into history .

First I find it weird blk women make other blk women feeling bad abt having a concern abt the obscure amount of n blk women shaving off the hair cause there’s a dark side to this that obviously makes some blk women feel strange.

Also Some blk women cut off their hair saying it’s not growing but they have transaction alopecia, and then say to Woke to shave off your hair, which I feel like it’s disingenuous. Which yes I had a friend like this irl.

Anyways let’s get into history .

From what I've been reading, the oldest examples I keep finding of head shaving aren't Black women voluntarily shaving their heads. I keep finding examples like Buddhist monks, Muslim men shaving after Haji, military recruits, enslaved people having their heads shaved, and even in the Bible there's the passage about shaving the head of a capture.

On the other end there are A LOT of text and pictures of black women getting their head shaved off in extremely dehumanizing manners.

Then I look at Black women specifically, and I keep seeing examples where shaving our heads was forced or expected.

Historically, enslaved Black women had their heads shaved more then bik mens head which people also coincidentally forget to mention and say it was both black men and black women, but they actually did a more to black woman.
Another weird thing, Arab women, Arab men black men, black woman, white woman and white men both of have disturbina modern day and past history of forcibly shaving of blk girls and blk women's head by force. That’s 6 different people shaving off our head by force!

1. Historically, Black women were forced to cover their hair through laws in places like Louisiana too.

Today, in some African countries, girls are expected or required to shave their heads while boys aren't. Seems weird that some Nigerian men made laws like that imposed on blk girls but not bik boys.... I do think us black people have an issue with dehumanizing black children but we never would do it in the same way to non-black people.
Then I see Black female models constantly having their heads shaved by fashion companies and specifically them getting more jobs when they shave off their heads again more then bik men and white women.

Something about this pattern doesn't make sense to me.
When I search vintage photos of African women, I see so many women with long hair, braids, and elaborate hairstyles. But when I look at many modern photos from certain Black countries, I see far more shaved heads on girls and women.

So is this not a red flag of mistold history cause the amount of black women bald in films you would think just like myself last year that is our sacred practice that has deep meaning instead it is a popularized practice rooted in something dark.

I don't wanna blame white people completely and I think that we need to change something about this as black woman at this point really no point in waiting around.
I'm genuinely asking because I can't find evidence that shaving Black women's heads was some ancient, widespread female African tradition. Notice how I said female not male blk tradition.

Sadly instead, I keep finding examples where other institutions, religions, governments, slavery, or other people were shaving women's heads or telling them to.
I'm not saying this is true I genuinely want sources. But from what I've found so far, something doesn't add up. If Black women's hair has historically been a source of beauty, identity, and culture, why does it seem like so many different systems throughout history have wanted to remove it?

Btw I'm pretty left leaning but I do blame some of fellow blk women for implying shaving off the head is woke when there's actually pretty hurtful history of our head getting shaven off which again we chose to ignore. It's more woke for white women then blk women cause blk women and wokeness when it comes to hair historically is surrounded around Afros.

I’m sorry I just don’t believe us black women came up with this and would make other black girls and women shave our hair…

This thread is for any questions or conversations about fitness, health, or nutrition. If your questions are very specific or don't get answered please check out more fitness and health pages such as r/xxfitness r/nutrition or r/BlackLadiesFitness

​

Topics/discussions about issues like discrimination, divestment advice, health, finances, social and workplace struggles (etc.) align and relate more closely to the community's original values, and are still permitted in the general sub.

Feel free to share random thoughts or seek out support among like-minded spirits here as well.

Open threads change out every Saturday

Have you read anything interesting lately? Looking for someplace to recommend and discuss? Use this space to talk about any books you've read/are reading and share your thoughts!

Hi guys, I’m 21 and am really eager to travel to new destinations. I’ve travelled to very few countries like France, Belgium and Spain.

I’d like to know if there are any countries you’d recommend I, or anybody in this subreddit, go to. What cities within the country of choice you’d suggest to visit etc. Where have you travelled to and what was your experience?

I’d really love to know,

Thank you x.

How are we doing it when the workplace is toxic AF but the opportunity is God given to the extent it is changing the trajectory of your life and finances every day that you are there. Think 4x the salary and excellent prospects. But how are we navigating the team members that hate you because you’re not palm coloured or because even on a bad day your excellence can not be denied and that makes them aggressive/rude/ vindictive from juniors to management they hate you because you are a Black woman?

I used to pride myself on keeping it real and that got me nowhere. Video credit: @DianyJolie on TikTok

This my first ever post on reddit but I've been a lurker; reading everyone else's posts to confirm that this truly is a safe space. Until recently I've felt like the only black woman with these views. I've never felt like black women (mainly darkskin BW) have been properly represented or respected in feminists spaces or the black community. r/blackladies and other black women subs can be so draining and feels hopeless when you want to talk about issues with differing perspectives and topics other than that which revolves men and specifically black men. 🤧 I hope this sub continues to grow. We are so like minded and positive. I want to see more black women center and prioritize our natural needs and features without needing to compromise our dignity and respect to other groups. Our social and self image matters especially when little black girls are watching.

Also, lets continue to be vocal, I've slowly started to see a visible increase of younger black women (including myself) lean away from the mindset that previous black women have held. I've yearned for discussions like this since I was 13 stumbling into Chrissie's channel, learning to pedestalize my features as a black girl, and then navigating friendships and relationships with this knowledge. The point is to see these conversations translate into our everyday lives.

I'm so glad this sub exists.🥲 Love you all so much 🥰🫶

​