MovieChat Forums > Good Hair (2009) Discussion > It is a Black Hair Issue - NOT Universal

It is a Black Hair Issue - NOT Universal


I don't know why everyone wants to come about and complain that this movie tries to be about race, and that every race has bad hair issues. It is quite frustrating for me to read, as a black woman, about a white woman who says she has bad hair, a latina complaining about her mom and her bad hair, and all the other groups of people who want to interject their bad hair stories.

What non-black people don't seem to understand is that hair is a serious issue among black women. It is NOT universal. All black women go through the process of having to spend hours on their hair - this, unless they have "good hair" which means they have "white" hair. It is very frustrating to me that I have to spend nearly 3 hours a week on my hair - and it isn't like I have a perm or get fancy hair styles. I have been natural for a couple of years because I was tired of the burned scalp, the time spent under the burning hair dryer, the need to get a perm every 6 weeks, and just the problems associated with my hair. Even though I stopped processing my hair, I still have to deal with my natural hair, which is not easy. First, I am a lawyer and people look at me when I enter my firm like I'm crazy. I mean, even a black partner told me "where do you think you are going to work?" when I told him that I wanted to go natural.

The best thing I did with my hair that wasn't so time consuming was get braids - every two months I would sit for 10 hours on a chair to get my hair braided - and then I had to find a style that was 'acceptable' for the work place.

No other race deals with that collectively! I am so tired of everyone complaining about how Chris Rock made a movie about black women's hair and how everyone else have a problem. Greek gods, is the only thing Black people can talk about is slavery and Africa? I mean, can't people just recognize that some pains are specific to a particular group? I don't go and complain that black people suffered in the Holocaust, too, when people talk about Hitler and that event (and yes, there were about 250,000 blacks killed - and there were gays, and other "undesireables). I don't interject - "Oh, wait, well, there were black people, too!" It is silly, isn't it? To cry like a kindergardener "I'm suffering, too!"

Please people - please understand that it is so different for everyone - some groups have it easier than others - and when it comes to hair, black women have it the worse. Period. I love my hair - I love it a lot - and I play with it a lot, too. But it is unfortunate that I can't just jump in the pool like some of my white friends, and not worry about my hair too much. Or I can't be calm when it is raining outside -

It isn't to say that some white people don't have problems with their hair, or that other groups don't. But no other group has the same problems black women have with their hair - not to the same extention, and not to the same costs both socially and economically. And what I mean by that socially and economically, I refer to job loss - before getting my job, I had to get my hair pressed because I knew that if I went to the interview with my hair natural, that I would be considered militant and undesirable. Just think, when the New Yorker wanted to satirize Michelle Obama and Barack Obama, how did they depict them on the cover of the magazine? They had Michelle with a big afro! They didn't have her with her straight hair!

Also, in the late 80s, there was a newscaster for CBS who was fired for wearing her hair natural - her hair was nice and neat but they let her go because of it. No other race has to deal with the assumption that natural hair is militant or "Panther" or "Black Power" -- No other race has to deal with someone coming to their office and saying "Wow, your hair is better straight, it is more professional!"

Please consider these things before interjecting some outlier situation of an Indian woman with "nappy" hair - collectively, Black Women hair is an issue that is specific to black women! It is not universal.

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Whew, you said a lot in that post and I do agree that it is a BLACK HAIR ISSUE, not a universal hair issue. From what I gathered, just recenty having heard about this documentary and seeing the Oprah episode with Chris Rock, Chris Rock wanted to find out more about the experiences that black women have had regarding thier hair and to get thier take on how they feel about their hair and why they feel that way. I don't think that this documentary is supposed to be very relatable to people of other races and ethnicities even though obviously their will be other people, not just blacks, who will be able to relate. Black women have very specific hair issues and that's what Chris Rock is addressing in the documentary.












"Chicken Tetrazzini"

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THANK YOU!! Not a single non-black person complaining about their "bad hair" would know what to do if they woke up with an REAL afro. lol.

Huckabee 2012!!

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As a white guy with thinning hair, I personally would be pretty happy about it!
Seriously, the issues addressed do specifically pertain to black women. I would add, however, that self-image concerns are universally human, so people of all races might enjoy this movie as much as I did.

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Agreed with all of you.

Lonely chicago pie

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Beautifully said!

Don't eva let nobody tell you you ain't strong enough

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[deleted]

"Oh, girl what do you know? "

Black girl here. Mixed, but still black. Plus, I have so many black relatives who deal with this issue so to you.

Don't eva let nobody tell you you ain't strong enough

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[deleted]

"When Nia Long was promoting the movie on Chelsea Lately, she said the opposite. Feel free to correct me though."

She said it has a universal message about loving yourself no matter what you look like which is true, but this documentary still focuses on an issue alot of black women in particular deal with. That's not to say white people shouldn't see it. They should come and get educated on black hair.

Don't eva let nobody tell you you ain't strong enough

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[deleted]

[deleted]

I'm white but I had 3 black roomates in college and the amount of time they spent on their hair daily was insane imo. This ins't about race, or it isn't unless you want to make it about race being "white" hair is considered "better" or better by some.

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I don't know why everyone refuses to see the elephant in the room. That is the problem with America - it ignores race and insist that it is not a problem. Well, that is as effective as a woman ignoring the lump on her breast, insisting that it is not cancer. Then, after a few years the cancer has ravished the entire body.

Look, race is not a bad thing - it is actually not even real (a social construct) but that is not the point here. Writing things like "unless you want to make it about race being "white" hair is considered "better" or better by some" shows that you simply do not understand the extent to which this Good Hair movie, and other commentary surrounding it, goes. It is bigger than good hair and bad hair. It goes to what America has viewed as beautiful - but especially what that means for black women.

The good hair, bad hair thing is not new. It was around when there was the "brown paper bag test" and other things - please don't tell me that terrorists know more about black and white relations here in America than Americans. I mean, as soon as President Obama was sworn in, the terrorists barked that they hoped he wouldn't be a "house negro." That message was deep considering the Presidents bi-racial heritage and the Uncle Tom phenomenon.

But I'm getting too deep here - the bottom line is that - save for artists - black hair is not welcomed in corporate America. There are very few - please point me to a natural haired sister who is not an actress (and there aren't that many) or a singer (there are more singers who are natural than other professionals). Aside from Whoppi Goldberg who pretty much pioneered the "I'm going to wear locks and I don't care" in the 80s, there was no one else. Everyone was on the creamy crack. There are little girls who are in first grade and have perms! I can't believe this - it is a dangerous chemical and little girls are being exposed to burning scalps and the like.

In any event, your roommates probably did spend a lot of time on their hair - but I think I could say that it isn't because of want. Instead, it is a need. Unless someone does not have wool like hair, then they really can't fully understand.

My girlfriend FINALLY understood when we went to Arizonia for Spring Break. We all went in the pool and I was tired of having a plastic bag over my head, so I decided that I'd just deal with having to wash my hair after the swim. We were in the pool, taking lots of pictures, and then it was time for dinner. Well, I explained that it would take me a couple of hours to get ready because I had to wash my hair, blow dry, and then comb it. (I had just gotten my first perm so my hair wasn't very straight yet). Everyone complained that I was exaggerating until they sat there and watched me as I tried to comb through all of my hair. And I couldn't just let it air dry, like one of my friends suggested. I tried that before and it was a disaster - knots left and right.

So everyone, please understand that this hair issue isn't a made up one. And it is not specific to other races but black women -- yes, women spend hours and hours doing their hair. But black women must spend that time or risk looking a hot mess. I wish I could just pull my hair back, or when I'm tired, just go to bed without having to get up and wrap my hair. (It isn't cute when you're rolling in bed with your significant other and you get up afterwards to wrap your hair). There are so many things that women without black hair will never understand. And that is fine. Just stop making noise when you have no idea.

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Some people will simply never get it and that is fine. But, just because you don't understand or can't relate doesn't mean the issue isn't valid or important.

Huckabee 2012!!

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to GABoston.













"Chicken Tetrazzini"

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Thank you so much! This made me smile!

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Interesting.

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I'm white but I had 3 black roomates in college and the amount of time they spent on their hair daily was insane imo.
Doesn't this only help to prove the OP's point? Your next four-word clause therefore makes no sense..





I'm not a control freak, I just like things my way

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Doesn't this only help to prove the OP's point? Your next four-word clause therefore makes no sense..


I'm not try to prove or disprove anything. I'm just saying that the 1st time I had real 1st hand experience with the issues black people face with their hair was in college and I genually surprised how much time my roomates spent styling their hair. I later on talked to my mother about it. She said when she was younger (the 60's) She used to sleep with curlers every night, rat her hair, etc etc etc. So it isn't just a black issue but most white women don't do those kinds of things anymore. Or atleast none I know.

I have no idea what specifically you are talking about that makes no sense ,being what I am saying seems straight forward to me, whether you agree or disagree with it. I didn't go out to make any comments on the OP just state my own personal experiences as limited as they might be but I will express them now. IMO this isn't a racial issue. It's a cultural issue. Many black women the world over do little more than wash their hair and call it a day. As a white woman I don't find nappy hair any more or less attractive than my own type of hair, something seems to be going on in the black community (in western countries) to make them have this view that white hair is better, just like in certain places in africa where being lighter skinned is better. Honestly people should just accept that they are who they are and everyone is beautiful in their own way. I know it's hokey but if you are over weight and come to terms with the fact you are never going to be a size six you are going to be a lot happier than starving yourself for years on end. I've only ever gotten my hair permed once but it was enough to never want to do it again b/c it was just painful. enduring massive pain for the sake of beauty isn't my thing.

Your race only has to do with the raw materials you are working with, your culture defines the lengths you are willing to go to appear beautiful, like flatheads binding their heads or chinese women binding their feet. Those are obviously a LOT more extreme but I am just using those instinces as a comparison.

My mother stopped wearing curlers in her hair in the 70's when straight hair became the fashion. The cultural ideal of what was beautiful changed so she no longer spend hours a day styling her hair. I'm not trying diminish the issue but from an outsider looking in and with regards to all women in general and the amount of time we are willing to spend on looking good, in the end the only people who honesty really truely care how you look is you.

That is my own personal opinion and I could very well be wrong but that's how it seems from my point of view.

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I'm not try to prove or disprove anything. I'm just saying that the 1st time I had real 1st hand experience with the issues black people face with their hair was in college and I genually surprised how much time my roomates spent styling their hair. I later on talked to my mother about it. She said when she was younger (the 60's) She used to sleep with curlers every night, rat her hair, etc etc etc. So it isn't just a black issue but most white women don't do those kinds of things anymore. Or atleast none I know.


The point is...if your mother decided that she didn't want to go through with all that and went in to work the next morning with her hair in it's natural straight state, she would likely not be called in her boss' office. No one was telling your mother that her naturally straight hair was considered "bad" hair and ugly. You are talking about a fashion trend that one could chose to follow or not with little to NO consequence. One that would end soon. We are talking about something that has been going for over 100 years. Like the OP said, it's not an universal issue. Not that others don't have their own hair issues, but IT IS NOT THE SAME. And that's okay. All you have to do is LOOK at super course, extremely tightly coiled hair and ask yourself how you would deal with it. Oh, and imagine there is a social stigma attached to whatever route you decide to go with. Fun, huh?

I applaud Stuff's statement and wish more people would just take that stance if they can't understand.

Huckabee 2012!!

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harveythepooka:

I work in corporate America; I know exactly what we (black women) are up against when we decide to unwhite our hair. Until your friends tell you that their supervisor/manager brought up their braids, locks, curls, dreds, (whatever "ethnic" style they happened to be sporting) and called it "untidy" and "unprofessional", you can't possibly understand how deep this thing goes. Sorry, I know that's blunt, but it's the truth.


LIVE the dream. PHEER the otaku.

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Oh god... you're white. You have no clue...

Yah, they spend a lot of time. That is all you see. You don't understand the history. You don't understand how they grew up with that or why they are choosing to spend that much time with it. You don't understand where all of this came from. Its not just about looking pretty. It came from a self-defeating history and it teaches girls from the age of 3 to begin hating themselves for what god has put on their hair in a way that other races cannot relate.

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It is quite frustrating for me to read, as a black woman, about a white woman who says she has bad hair, a latina complaining about her mom and her bad hair, and all the other groups of people who want to interject their bad hair stories.


You'd be surprised...

http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/afrolatin/part2/index.html

Latinas have this issue, too. But they're still light years away from actually talking about it.

The mark of my Deity shall scar thy DNA.

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Oh thelastpoet05 - I am cracking up over here because I am thinking - what, Dominicans - they are black! But of course that is a discussion for another time - but yeah, a lot of Dominicans are very black, and of course that is why they have tl straighten their hair. But for those who are on the telenovella - that is a different thing.

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You have to remember that there are Black people all over the world. Just because someone was born and raised in Latin America doesn't mean they aren't Black. Plus, a lot of the time what is considered "bad" hair in other cultures is considered "good" hair in the African-American community so again, it isn't the same. I know a lot of mixed women who were raised in white families and they think their loose curly hair is undesirable.

Huckabee 2012!!

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Plus, a lot of the time what is considered "bad" hair in other cultures is considered "good" hair in the African-American community so again, it isn't the same.


Exactly, it's worse. I grew up in a Dominican family and my hair was considered pelo malo by my relatives. But when I went to an HBCU, I got nothing but complements on how pretty my hair was and how people wished their hair curled like mine. It was seriously like night and day.

The mark of my Deity shall scar thy DNA.

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[deleted]

Sorry, but Dominican women aren't ALL hispanic women. Just like there are a variety of races in the U.S., there are a variety of races in D.R. When they come here, they are lumped into the the category of Hispanic or Latino.


So, SOME Dominican women have afro-textured hair, that doesn't mean that the rest of Dominican women do, and it certainly doesn't mean that the rest of Hispanic women do.

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Sorry, but Dominican women aren't ALL hispanic women. Just like there are a variety of races in the U.S., there are a variety of races in D.R


Really? I never knew that!

The mark of my Deity shall scar thy DNA.

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How you worded your post, it made it sound as if you were generalizing about ALL Hispanic women. I wanted to clarify it for other people who may not be aware of the differences.

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I would like to say that I am white and personally can't stand doing my hair. Most days it ends up under a bandana or what have you - I have even thought about shaving it. Truth be told my issue is just pure laziness and I would rather get on with my day than worry about how it is going to look. Oh, and yeah, in the professional world shaving it is really not an option, not for women or even men. Anyhoo, the actual point of me saying that is not to do the whole "poor me, I suffer too" speech... it is more along the lines of saying that my hair isn't really even all that hard to deal with when I actually decide to try, and yet it still annoys me. I couldn't even imagine myself in your shoes, that to even maintain after swimming in a pool is work. So, while I can't understand it from your point of view, I can try to give a little empathy - not that you were asking for any, I just like to give it if I can.

I am hoping to see this movie, because as you have mentioned, there is that elephant in the room, and something like this shows that races are going to be different, but it doesn't have to be a big deal, just fact. Somethings just aren't going to universal, and that doesn't mean it is a bad thing. I agree with you there.

I live in a fairly mixed area outside of Chicago and I still hear people (mostly white and hispanic) make comments regarding race. I also had an intern at the cafe I run (this is why I am bandana woman most days) who was black and she said to me that she was never somewhere where she wasn't made aware of her race in some way. I was embarrassed of myself because I realized that we often talked about racial issues, so I was lumped in with the rest. But I guess this is how it goes and I can only try to look past it. I believe there will always be racial problems because people do see color and differences. I guess the best I can hope for is that people see those differences, maybe inquire about them, but in the end say "forget it, I have my own life to worry about". Ya know... all this just to say that I don't always "get stuff", but I want to I found your post interesting and well put! So, I've been keepin' up :)

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