Looks like Essence.com is running a survey to asses public opinion on hair, specifically natural hair. Interesting.... If you wanna take it, click here. Come back and let me know what you think.
Interesting. I took it and made sure I check "good" for what I consider my hair type to be. Wonder who came up with the questions...I thought I was the only one left who calls relaxers perms...lol
Okay. I took the survey however, one question bothered me. The one regarding how I considered my hair w/o a perm with the answers a)good, b)bad and c)manageable bothered me. As soon as I read it I thought, "Oh, here we go with this."
Just took the "survey"...um... a bit disappointed in Essence.
Being a researcher, I'm naturally a little critical of surveys and polls- always assessing validity, reliability, and bias. But even an untrained researcher can see that this survey was catering to particular women (and dare I say certain responses), seemingly made for women who wear weaves and perms. The responses were very limiting. There was no room for alternative answers- a place my responses mostly would have fallen. The one question that really bothered me was #4 (Have you ever worn a weave?). Well, not so much the Q as the response categories. The responses attached values on time frequencies! The other horrible question is how would you describe your hair? Good, Bad or manageable. These responses don't even go together. You have 2 emotive value judgments with a trait perception.
Do you know what this survey was for? What was it designed to assess?
I know this survey was not made for hard research, but they've got to do better.
Thanks for posting this...I think I may write Essence and ask what they heck is going on over there.
I almost took the survey but I realised it must have been written without proper consultation. Good hair is a phrase used to describe mixed race/biracial curly hair. I have 4a/b hair which is often called bad hair but in my opinion, my hair texture is fly! I think many natural women will be happy to call their hair good hair but will the survey then conclude that natural haired women have biracial curly hair or that we view our hair as perfectly fine?
You guys are right, this is totally flawed and clearly looks to cater to a certain type of female. I wrote Essence a few weeks ago regarding their lack of natural hair representation. I have not heard anything back but I do think, especially with the Good Hair movie coming out in Oct, that they are trying to get ahead of this "trend" with their readers. I took the survey and said I believe my hair is "good", not b/c of texture but because its my hair and I love it. I know that question was intended probably for people who have what used to be typically considered good hair but I don't care. It would have been nice to have a comments box to add details like that. Very interesting and I will keep my eyes peeled to see if they start adding more natural hair content.
I took the quiz. I didnt like the questions. esp. the one about how I define my hair. It also needed to be longer it didnt cover much. But I hope it helps essence feature more natural hair articles and styles.
I had the same issues with the survey that you ladies had. Question 8, which asks about hair texture - good? bad? or manageable? - irked me. I'm hoping everybody who takes that survey chooses good!
I also felt the survey is limiting. I answered the good hair question as manageable. I don't think I have good or bad hair...It's just hair. I am interested to see what, if anything, comes out of it.
At first I was going to say I agreed with @ChocolateOrchid but then realized everyone said something I agreed with in regards to the survey. It's skewed, biased and poorly written. Not sure what the goal is, but it seems like they have the goal in mind already and will only use the answers to support their story line. Not surprisingly, the survey/results are not meant to help resolve the ignorance surrounding natural hair. Leslie, thanks for sharing though!
Interesting. I took it and made sure I check "good" for what I consider my hair type to be. Wonder who came up with the questions...I thought I was the only one left who calls relaxers perms...lol
ReplyDeleteOkay. I took the survey however, one question bothered me. The one regarding how I considered my hair w/o a perm with the answers a)good, b)bad and c)manageable bothered me. As soon as I read it I thought, "Oh, here we go with this."
ReplyDeleteI don't care for Essence.
ReplyDeleteJust took the "survey"...um... a bit disappointed in Essence.
ReplyDeleteBeing a researcher, I'm naturally a little critical of surveys and polls- always assessing validity, reliability, and bias. But even an untrained researcher can see that this survey was catering to particular women (and dare I say certain responses), seemingly made for women who wear weaves and perms. The responses were very limiting. There was no room for alternative answers- a place my responses mostly would have fallen. The one question that really bothered me was #4 (Have you ever worn a weave?). Well, not so much the Q as the response categories. The responses attached values on time frequencies! The other horrible question is how would you describe your hair? Good, Bad or manageable. These responses don't even go together. You have 2 emotive value judgments with a trait perception.
Do you know what this survey was for? What was it designed to assess?
I know this survey was not made for hard research, but they've got to do better.
Thanks for posting this...I think I may write Essence and ask what they heck is going on over there.
Hmmm.... I have an issue with one question in particular...
ReplyDelete"How would describe the texture of your hair without a perm? Good? Bad? Manageable?"
I thought we were trying to get past that... :-\
I almost took the survey but I realised it must have been written without proper consultation. Good hair is a phrase used to describe mixed race/biracial curly hair. I have 4a/b hair which is often called bad hair but in my opinion, my hair texture is fly! I think many natural women will be happy to call their hair good hair but will the survey then conclude that natural haired women have biracial curly hair or that we view our hair as perfectly fine?
ReplyDeleteI didn't click the submit button
You guys are right, this is totally flawed and clearly looks to cater to a certain type of female. I wrote Essence a few weeks ago regarding their lack of natural hair representation. I have not heard anything back but I do think, especially with the Good Hair movie coming out in Oct, that they are trying to get ahead of this "trend" with their readers. I took the survey and said I believe my hair is "good", not b/c of texture but because its my hair and I love it. I know that question was intended probably for people who have what used to be typically considered good hair but I don't care. It would have been nice to have a comments box to add details like that. Very interesting and I will keep my eyes peeled to see if they start adding more natural hair content.
ReplyDeleteI took the quiz. I didnt like the questions. esp. the one about how I define my hair. It also needed to be longer it didnt cover much. But I hope it helps essence feature more natural hair articles and styles.
ReplyDeleteHey Leslie!
ReplyDeleteI agree.. this survey sucked! They definitely needed a comment area :(
I had the same issues with the survey that you ladies had. Question 8, which asks about hair texture - good? bad? or manageable? - irked me. I'm hoping everybody who takes that survey chooses good!
ReplyDeleteIn a nutshell, that survey was garbage!
I also felt the survey is limiting. I answered the good hair question as manageable. I don't think I have good or bad hair...It's just hair. I am interested to see what, if anything, comes out of it.
ReplyDeleteAt first I was going to say I agreed with @ChocolateOrchid but then realized everyone said something I agreed with in regards to the survey. It's skewed, biased and poorly written. Not sure what the goal is, but it seems like they have the goal in mind already and will only use the answers to support their story line. Not surprisingly, the survey/results are not meant to help resolve the ignorance surrounding natural hair. Leslie, thanks for sharing though!
ReplyDeleteI did not like this question:
ReplyDeleteHow would you describe the texture of your hair without a perm? A)good B)bad C)manageable
I was a subscriber to Essence for a good few years but stopped my subscription. I now have a 2nd reason for not reading this magazine.
Addendum
ReplyDeleteI answered C) manageable
Yeah. I know it's stupid.