The Meaning of Tender Headed

This an actual IM conversation* I had with Simone yesterday. The name Tender Headed has been on my mind for many years now. It sort of sums up my life and thus, the blog reflects that.

Simone: how would you define tenderheaded
Sent at 3:14 PM on Tuesday

me: i woudl say that it's a phrase used in black culture to describe how a person reacts to getting their hair done. our hair normally thick and curly and as children it was often put into differnt braided styles, most poularly cornrows
you would sit on the floor between your mother's legs while she navigated you're mane with a comb and brush
she would pull hard, jerking and twistign your head this way and that all the whiel you winced in pain or said OWW! over and over again
to which your mother would say, girl you are SO tender headed!
this phrase follows you into early adolensence when you're mother took you to the beauty salon

Simone: aw the nostaglia

me: she would tell the hair dresser- well, she's TENDER HEADED, like you couldn't take it or something
and even now, at the salon, the stylist may ask you if you are tenderheaded so she knows what kind of client she's deling with
so there's that
BUT
i also think it means beign sensitive
i've always been told that i'm too sensitive
well at least when i was younger
and it bothered me
but not anymore. i am proud to admit that i am tender headed in and out of the salon chair
ok...all of that is going in the blog


*Yes, I realize there are many misspellings but when I IM, I have no time to spell correctly. I'm too busy typing as fast as I can before the other person cuts me off.