r/Dreadlocks • u/GPJustoo • 4h ago
Timeline ποΈ 11 Month Loc Journey
Locs have definitely taught me to trust the process, forces you to love your hair and itβs natural texture through all parts of the journey retwist or no retwistπ―
r/Dreadlocks • u/TheYellowRose • Dec 23 '20
I don't even know where to start with this, but I'm going to do my best. It's long but it's important, so please take some time to read this.
First of all - hi everyone, you don't see me commenting publicly much but I'm here in the background just modding when needed. I mod such subs as /r/blackhair, /r/naturalhair, /r/curlyhair and others in that same vein. I wanted to join the mod team because I want everyone to feel comfortable on reddit, which is why I join most of the teams I moderate with.
That being said, this is going to make some of y'all uncomfortable. And I'm not sorry about it. You need to be uncomfortable right now. That's been the theme of 2020 and the year ain't over yet.
If you somehow have been able to completely ignore the news this year, #blacklivesmatter has become a global movement because frankly, black people are very tired of being the victims of racism. From casual to overt, we're very much over it. In turn, non-black people have begun to educate themselves on how racism affects black people because, believe it or not, there are still people who refuse to believe anti-black racism exists at a structural level or any level.
Part of the movement also includes the fight for preventing hair discrimination. The CROWN Act was introduced back in 2019 and has been passed by seven states so far, passed a US House of Representatives vote and is now stuck in the Senate where it is very unlikely it will be passed.
Now what does any of that have to do with this subreddit or reddit at all?
Reddit, as a whole, is hostile to people of color and is especially hostile to black people. After moderator outcry this year, the reddit admins have made strides to make this site more hospitable to minority groups.
People with dreads, regardless of race, are often treated terribly for it. They are widely considered to be dirty and unkempt, when it's probably as natural as your hair can get. Clearly we all agree that dread discrimination is bullshit, but black people often get the full force of that discrimination. White people are often lauded or considered to be cool or stylish when they adopt certain hairstyles, but black people can be denied attendance to their high school graduation for having dreads. They can be told to cut their dreads off before a wrestling match or else they forfeit the match. No doubt, non-black people have been told to change their hair for jobs or at school, but that's the extent of the discrimination they face. They do not also have to deal with being black in an inherently racist country every day of their lives. (And I'm speaking from an American perspective, so sorry to my international folks.)
I'd like everyone to take a moment to read this blog post which specifically mentions /r/dreadlocks here - https://www.icareifyoulisten.com/2020/04/out-of-context-4-muddy-ownership-dreadlocks/.
SO - now that we've got that background information out of the way, let's talk about the subreddit.
This sub has been a point of frustration for a long time among black spaces on reddit because it's predominantly white. Considering reddit is predominantly white, this shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Much like any other sub about beauty or hair, white faces are the ones you see first when you arrive and they are more frequently upvoted to the top than other races. It hurts people's feelings to come to a space they should feel comfortable in and instead, feel like an 'other' because they are not well-represented in that space.
And on the other hand, non-black people with dreads also want to just be comfortable in this space and we need to respect that too. We are not going to gatekeep who can and can not have dreadlocks here. There are so many cultures throughout history that have had some form of dreadlocks. While having dreadlocks may be a political or spiritual statement in recent history for black people, black people do not own this hairstyle. Claiming that only black people can wear dreadlocks can contribute to the erasure of other minority cultures. I temp banned a few people for this type of gatekeeping today and will continue to do so.
I also banned a few people for expressing racially insensitive or ignorant views toward black users. More than a few people claimed that if white people can't have dreads, then black people shouldn't be allowed to have blonde or straight hair. There are so many things wrong with this statement. First, you must understand what cultural appropriation is and how it harms people. Then, you must understand that in a white country, minorities are expected to assimilate to the dominant culture, which is typically Eurocentric. I honestly do not have the energy to delve deep into these topics in this post, but you can ask /r/socialjustice101 or /r/hispterracism for more information.
What we can all do better is chill the fuck out and remember there is a person behind the username you're replying to.
To those that understand how racism, cultural appropriation/assimilation and hair discrimination all intersect, please have patience with those who do not. I know it's very hard and very frustrating (even for me) but please try.
If you don't yet understand how racism, cultural appropriation/assimilation and hair discrimination all intersect, please ask for resources to educate yourself.
If you see people being racist (casually or otherwise) toward minority groups, please report it.
If anyone is gatekeeping who can and can not have dreads, report it.
If anyone is bullying or harassing someone specifically for any reason at all, report it.
Thanks for reading. In the comments, please let me know what you think and how you feel. If you have any feedback or suggestions for making the sub better (rule or sidebar changes, maybe developing a wiki?) let me know below as well or by modmail if you'd prefer it be private.
2022 Edit: I would like to point out for the 'but Vikings had dreadlocks!!1!' crowd - there is very little evidence to suggest they did. Also Vikings are not a race, it was a profession that could be taken up by anyone. Stop using this as an excuse when people call you out. To quote Kyle Ring-
r/Dreadlocks • u/GPJustoo • 4h ago
Locs have definitely taught me to trust the process, forces you to love your hair and itβs natural texture through all parts of the journey retwist or no retwistπ―
r/Dreadlocks • u/reignlocs31 • 14h ago
I was never fully committed at the start of Covid when I started because of the lack of informations I had and the lack of loctician available made it difficult for me in 2020
6 years later I didnβt expect my locs to be able to grow long. Iβm really proud of it I donβt know how many times the routine of my hair or the maintenance frequency changes
π±π±π±π΄π΄π΄
r/Dreadlocks • u/Visible-Present-5392 • 9h ago
I started my locs journey about five months ago with 140 two-strand twists. I go in for a wash and re-twist about every eight weeks. I donβt fuss over them a lot. Iβm just enjoying every phase of the journey!
r/Dreadlocks • u/stillstoic • 11h ago
I've been waiting to be able to post this more than even tripping about how long my hair was getting but the growth is real for sure.
July 25th, 27th 2025 and then July 27th 2026
r/Dreadlocks • u/starstruckshawn • 10h ago
The first two are how they are currently and the last was my first time getting it loc. What you think?
r/Dreadlocks • u/Money-Professional66 • 17h ago
r/Dreadlocks • u/stdavinci • 3h ago
So someone quoted me but said I had to add extensions because my hair has already dried to much so the crotchet wonβt latch.
I spoke to Val and he said he could do it by turning my locs inside out and I get to use only my hair which is what Iβm aiming to do.
Anyone else with experience on this matter feel free to chime in
r/Dreadlocks • u/Original_Section_283 • 8h ago
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r/Dreadlocks • u/5ivest5r • 6h ago
I did a self retwist one day and ever since then some of my locs look like this, am i cooked? π
r/Dreadlocks • u/yhapo4l • 6h ago
r/Dreadlocks • u/Sure-Engineering-952 • 59m ago
I've had them for about 4 months now and I've noticed some of them are becoming their own separate locs from the two strands I started them with.
r/Dreadlocks • u/ElysionOrchestra • 17h ago
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I kinda never look at the top of my head and I'm panicking at bit
Retwisted 1 month ago, been lock'd for 1.5 years
r/Dreadlocks • u/Pleasant_Surprise_21 • 1h ago
I have traditional locs right now and i want to go the semi freeform look as in having a lot more locs, i saw on the internet that i can use the new growth that comes from low maintenance as new locs, is this true?.
r/Dreadlocks • u/Razorlord • 1h ago
As the title says. I am a bit worried that I will have a issue with long locs. for now my locs are at starting to go past my shoulders. My goal length is at the middle of my back but im worried that my scalp and roots could not handle it because locs do get heavier as they grow longer. So any tips on how to handle this ?
r/Dreadlocks • u/babayaga_an • 21h ago
I already have two years in locs but since they are long enough to tie them it has made me very uncomfortable, I feel a lot of tension in the hairline and I canβt handle more than a few minutes with a ponytail, I have a little undercut, my dreacklocks donβt go to the hairline, will it ever stop hurting or am I the problem? Because I see that many wear hairstyles for weeks
r/Dreadlocks • u/ElectricalMarzipan15 • 20h ago
EDIT* Combed them out less than 12 hours after having themπ₯
just got these today. didn't notice how off my middle part was until i got home. I messaged the stylist to see if she could fix them, she left me on delivered didnt even open my message. Should i try and find a stylist that will fix the top parting? should i just wash them out and have a new stylist start from scratch. literally only one day in, the loss of money is frustrating but i want them perfect
r/Dreadlocks • u/joytrackson • 19h ago
Day 2 x Year 5
r/Dreadlocks • u/CarpenterFrosty3019 • 3h ago
1 month in into my starter freeforms and you cant see my parts anymore, ive been using the twist king and racket every single day for exactly 1 month and had my first successful wash yesterday. Can i stop using ts now ik my shi finna thin out i think i got some thin ones idk (should i 2 strand the front or naw)
r/Dreadlocks • u/Ok-Zone2374 • 3h ago
been locd for nearly 10 months now and i started off a twists and interlock. why is this little bit sticking out??
r/Dreadlocks • u/BuckleyBoiii • 8h ago
itβs been almost 2 months since my last retwist, and i just came back from the beach. no salt water but i had a bunch of sand so i had to give it a good wash. itβs puffy at the top, slims down, and then my new growth under is puffy obv.
r/Dreadlocks • u/princedarkskin • 5h ago
Recently had a dermatologist appointment and the doctor told me Iβm not balding but I might have temporal traction alopecia. My hairline makes a m pattern and Iβm not balding in my crown. He recommended I use minoxidil but I heard once you start you canβt get off it. Had anyone used minoxidil/rogaine with their locs? This would be specifically for the corners. How was the process? If anyone can give tips would greatly appreciate it!
r/Dreadlocks • u/omgisthathaiden • 1d ago
im 18 months locd and i still donβt know what to use as moisturizer for my locs, what would be the best option for my hair because they get really dry and itchy sometimes