I've always been kind of confused by that....In what way do they "divide" them?
Personally, I think that a close-cropped afro looks great on women, but I've heard that a close-cropped afro on little girls is an absolute no-no. Can you explain why?
Black women who relax (straighten) their hair are accused of wanting to look more like white people in order to fit in to "white-dominated" society. Black women who maintain natural hair styles are accused of being extremist rasta-sympathizing back-to-Africa types. This is obviously an extreme stereotype of both camps, but should give you the picture. Toss in the fact that hair is spiritually symbolic (from Sampson to the Rastafarians), and the fact that it is an immediately recognizable visual statement (to be crass, imagine the fights we'd all have if you could immediately tell by looking the circumcised men from the uncircumcised men), and you have an explosive combination.
I've heard that a close-cropped afro on little girls is an absolute no-no. Can you explain why?
I haven't come across this, but I think it's probably connected to the fact that the traditional black family is very particular about gender roles. Tom boys are frequently persecuted wickedly (my wife was), and a short Afro is probably seen as "boyish".
Unfortunately, too many Blacks are hung up on having long, straight hair, and too many are insensitive enough to make critical comments or tease those who have short naturals. That kind of nonsense is harder on a small child than it is on a teen or adult who freely chooses short or natural hairstyles. Some don't care and so you will see short natural styles on some Black children, but most have problems with it.
The sad truth is, Blacks have had and internalized a lot of negative programming about hair from the larger society. We've been told that our natural hair is not presentable without chemicals and too many buy into that. While it's made and continues to make a lot of Blacks rich, it's also damaged the psyches of too many Blacks to count.