4B | The Safe Hair Type

What do you enter for hair type on your profile in your favorite hair communities? Is what you enter your actual hair type or a "safe" choice? I am one of the few people that places 4b on my profiles for the perceived acceptability of the hair type.

Early on in my natural hair journey my hair had no visible curl pattern and I primarily wore it in stretched styles. It was because of these things that I didn't really know my hair type and neither did I care. The not knowing or caring made it easy for me to select 4b and type it into the hair type box on my profile settings--no hesitation.

Someone may wonder why I selected this type and the reasoning was simple. I first knew that type 4 hair is commonly associated with black women. If I wanted to ruffle as few feathers as possible, I had better pick something in the 4s. That left me to picking a second identifier for my hair--a, b, or c.

Now, people who are on team 4c are very exclusive about their club. They are quick to tell you that you do not belong for any number of reasons--visible curl pattern, shine, ANYTHING really. Though I had no visible curl pattern, I didn't want to claim team 4c then get told I didn't belong.

That left 4a and 4b. I saw plenty of instances when someone would be told they were NOT 4a by other people but almost none where people were told they were not a 4b. This made 4b look like a welcoming and inclusive group. That's what sealed the deal and I'd been calling my hair 4b across the web ever since.

Recently I created a YouTube video finally being straight and answering the hair type question. Since I now wear my hair with a curl pattern, I used my interpretation of the chart and said that I was 4a. The comments say I'm 4b. I believe 4b is now legitimately claiming me.

Anyone else who is unsure of their hair type is welcome to sit at the table of 4b where we welcome everyone with open arms.

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