Natural hair and protective styles are becoming one and the same to the culture. Dating back to slavery, we have managed to figure out a way to upkeep our very versatile hair. The creativity is what gives us life and the fact that it belongs to us, is how we find new and innovative ways to add to the arsenal of hairstyles. So, when entertainers feel compelled enough to rock any protective style inside a very narrow-minded and culturally clueless fame bubble, I cannot help but to stan-literally each time.
And Tia Mowry gave me alllll my life when she decided to do just that.
Taking to Instagram to show off her look, Mowry sported bantu knots, shaped in the form of a mohawk. Additionally, the photo captioned, "Keep your circle small and your mind at #peace. Quality over Quantity. #bantuknots," shows the actress in a knee-length white dress and gold accessories to tie it all together.
For much of 2020, Mowry has been embracing her natural locks, after doing the big chop at the start of the year.
"My sister [Tamera] and I started in this business and I've never worn my hair [natural] until adulthood. My curly hair was seen as problematic and inconvenient, and it made me insecure. My outlook changed in adulthood, I felt like, If this is what God gave me, I am gonna roll with it."
And sis has been giving us hair envy ever since.
But Mowry isn't the only one wearing the popular 'do, many celebs have sported them faithfully. A few of our faves are below:
Ciara
Ciara debuted a costume at a performance at the Bacardí Halloween Event, which included braided knots for us to swoon.
KiKi Layne
Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
Actress KiKi Layne was an absolute boho-chic vision as she stunned the red carpet of the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Rihanna
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Clear Channel
Of course, Robyn Rihanna Fenty rocked tf out of her knots (which she has done, publicly, on more than one occasion). This bold look was from the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Amandla Stenberg
GP Images/WireImage
Amandla Stenberg stunned at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival for The Hate U Give with her take on bantu knots.
Tessa Thompson
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Entertainment
Always a vision, Tessa Thompson slayed her bantu knot rendition at a Men in Black: International London photocall. And sis did not disappoint.
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi/Instagram
And Yara stole the show at Paris Fashion Week with her amazingly perfect take on the bantu knot style.
As the natural movement continues to gain steam, we look forward to witnessing the evolution of this, and many other styles over the next few years. Love to see it!
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Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
RELATED
The reason why I think that this is relevant to today’s topic is, as I was doing some research for it, I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit as I read things like “men need to orgasm in order to release sperm; women don’t need an orgasm to conceive” and “Why do women orgasm? It’s still a mystery.” Umm, is it? Because if you factor in the oneness component that I just mentioned (which more people should take to heart if you ask me) and then add to that the fact that the ONLY purpose of a clitoris is sexual stimulation and satisfaction for a woman — female climaxing and the need for it to happen as much as possible should baffle absolutely no one.
Sex serves a layer of benefits and yes, for both men and women, pleasure should be one of them. And since that is the case, a woman being able to orgasm, as much as she can, should be promoted…in content on a consistent basis.
And that is why I thought some of you might find it interesting that there are certain things about men, specifically, that science says can increase the chances of you climaxing — not only more but more intensely too.
Let’s dive in.
How Masculine a Man Is
GiphyI’m gonna be honest: All of the women out here who give pushback on submission and yet want a man to physically look up to (you know, someone who is 6’ or over which is only 15 percent of the male US population, by the way) fascinate me. So, you want a man who towers over you yet you think it is antiquated for a man to lead you? Do tell. Anyway, that is the first thing I thought about when I read that a man’s level of masculinity plays a significant role in how often a woman is able to orgasm and how quickly she is able to do it.
It would appear that some of the backstory on this is, on the physical tip, men with strong jawlines and broad shoulders represent being in good health as well as being able to protect their family while research also reveals that men with beards make many women believe that they would be good fathers. And yes, as much as social media may say — or scream — otherwise, women tend to prefer dominant (exerting authority or influence) men more as well. All of this together, in the bedroom, results in more and faster orgasms for women. Fascinating.
A Man’s Personality
GiphyA sense of humor in a man can really take him a long way in life — including when it comes to giving women orgasms. That’s why articles like “Funny Men Give The Best Orgasms, According To Research” exist. Although it’s probably a given that a lot of us are drawn to this character trait because it makes us feel good, research also says that humor taps into our creativity, makes it easier for us to adapt to things, and can help us to be better problem-solvers too.
Sexually, I would think that being funny helps because humor and orgasms both provide dopamine hits which is the feel-good hormone that runs throughout our bodies. While we’re on this topic, other personality traits that will make you cum more when it comes to men include being creative, warm, and faithful — gee, imagine that. #sarcasm
Also, a Man’s Self-Esteem
GiphyI’m pretty sure it doesn’t surprise you in the least that the more intense your orgasms are with a guy, the more attractive you’ll find him to be and the more willing you’ll be to have sex with him multiple times a week. Yeah, y’all be careful with this one because something else that science says is whenever a really good orgasm comes your way, as a woman, your brain literally switches all the way off for a moment (which could explain a lot when it comes to who some people choose to deal with out here…just sayin’). Anyway, apparently it would seem that a truly confident man is who’s able to pull all of this off.
That makes sense because confidence is all about having a high sense of self-worth; embracing challenges; not having a lot of self-doubt; listening well to others; standing firm on one’s own beliefs; putting plans into action, and taking control of one’s life. Plus, since a lot of women will admit that they prefer a man to be a provider and protector, which in turn causes them to feel safe, and feeling safe also makes it easier to let go and enjoy sex fully — yes, all of this tracks.
Foreskin
GiphyIf no one else will say it, I WILL: the double standard on foreskin vs. the extra skin that a lot of women have when it comes to their vulva is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, if you know some things about your clitoris, it’s constructed a lot like a mini-penis in the sense of it experiences an erection of sorts when it’s aroused and the clitoral hood is the clitoris’s “foreskin.” So, to be out here giving the “ick” to men for how they were born when some of us have large or hanging lips — yeah, let’s chill on that.
Besides, according to science, “uncut men” not only have a greater level of sensation during sex, but that extra bit of skin (which isn’t as much as a lot of y’all make it out to be…relax) actually gives women more consistent orgasms too. Don’t believe me? Read this here and this here.
If He Ejaculates
GiphyI dunno. If you’re not a selfish partner, this one seems like common sense because, if a man “completes the act”, that means he was able to “get his” and that seems like something any good lover would want for their partner (the only thing better? Experiencing it with him at the same time!). However, what I did find interesting is there’s a greater chance that a woman will orgasm herself if she knows that her partner came.
In fact, one study said that a little over 50 percent of women thought that it was very important that their partner ejaculated during sex while a little over 22 percent said that they experienced more intense orgasms if he came during intercourse.
Some studies say that the sensation of the sperm inside of the vagina may play a role in this; however, since that means that you must engage in unprotected sex (check out “Thinking About Going Condom-Free? Read This Before You Do.”) in order to vouch for this one…I’ll just say to use forethought, wisdom and definitely get tested before attempting it.
BONUS: How Your Friends See Him
GiphyThe more you learn, boy. Have any of you heard of the sexy son hypothesis before? The gist is this: If you create children with someone who other women find attractive, the belief is that you will end up having sons who have that same quality. And yes, being with someone who you think is appealing to other women — seems to increase the chances of you having an orgasm too (chile).
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Hmph. It’s intel like this that explains why so many think pieces say that the brain is the most powerful sex organ that we have. Anyway, if you’re someone who wants to have more orgasms or more intense orgasms, perhaps take some of this data to heart. For all you know, it might be the blueprint that you’ve been looking for all along.
Thoughts? Comments. Confirmations? LOL.
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Featured image by Giphy