Black women confront Chris Rock on Oprah Today

[hairsothick]

I think this is an excellent point.

If black women were wearing weaves that mimicked their actual texture (and I don't just mean natural. Relaxed black hair still has some texture), I don't think we'd be having the same discussion.

[Big generalization] Most White women wear weaves as an extension of their natural hair. Most Black women wear weaves to cover up and disguise their natural hair.

Silky straight Yaki doesn't mimic black women's hair. It just doesn't.

Exactly. White people get extensions with white people hair.

Black people get extensions with white ppl hair <---that doesn't work.

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

I know a lot of white women wear weaves, but I highly doubt that they are wearing weaves at an higher rate than black women.

You can go to any Walgreen's (just about) and find hairpieces, phony ponies, and I've seen plenty of White girls at the BSS (especially) buying hair.

I think this also has a lot to do with cross-cultural communication, or the lack thereof, as a blogger indicated. At least in the US, there is very little personal contact with our vanilla counterparts, outside of the superficial. I do believe that the majority of us simply don't have very significant relationships/dialogues with Whites to even uncover such hair habits.

My girl in Oklahoma wears clip on tracks. So do her biker girlfriends. They're White and rocking their tracks. Do I believe they're a minority?

Not at all.

And that's solely based on my personal contact with them in the US and in Europe. I understand that this can vary according to region (as it apparently does with our hair).

 

[whitedaisez]

I think this is an excellent point.

If black women were wearing weaves that mimicked their actual texture (and I don't just mean natural. Relaxed black hair still has some texture), I don't think we'd be having the same discussion.

[Big generalization] Most White women wear weaves as an extension of their natural hair. Most Black women wear weaves to cover up and disguise their natural hair.

Silky straight Yaki doesn't mimic black women's hair. It just doesn't.

hahahahahahahaaa dat is SOOO true, yet funny!

 

[MissNina]

I think by rejecting certain stereotypes we are creating our own.

Oprah wears a weave a lot of times. I wear weaves sometimes (BSL). Just because you wear weave doesn't mean you DON'T have long hair. Some of us use it as a protective style. I know this isn't the majority, but there are some of us that do.

 

[crazydaze911]

I dont get home till 6:30, can someone post a link if you find it on YouTube in the future?
TIA

 

[Mizz Diamonds]

I think this is an excellent point.

If black women were wearing weaves that mimicked their actual texture (and I don't just mean natural. Relaxed black hair still has some texture), I don't think we'd be having the same discussion.

[Big generalization] Most White women wear weaves as an extension of their natural hair. Most Black women wear weaves to cover up and disguise their natural hair.

Silky straight Yaki doesn't mimic black women's hair. It just doesn't.

i agree with you on the weave matching the hair texture I have worn weaves and phony pny that matches my texture and that is what I see girls on road wearing to and they even tease the phony ony clip to make it look big and "natural" looking

 

[shunemite]

I don't know WHY white folks act all brand new when it comes to this they wear weaves exentions and fake hair prolly MORE than Black folks

http://www.ivari.com

And sometimes pay a hell of a lot more than some BW ever will to have long think locks

Oh please

You're right. Statistically worldwide, Caucasians support the largest percentage of the world's extension supporting market. WORLDWIDE. Especially in Europe.

 

[glamazon386]

Okay I understand both sides of the coin so don't stone me for this comment but most of the BW I encounter in on a day to day basis are wearing weave or some type of extension. And those that aren't either have a short hair cut or some type of short damaged hair. It's rare that I see long, healthy hair that's real. Can we really be upset at somebody presenting the truth? I know being on this board warps people but please believe we are a minority.

Yes other races wear weave and spend more money on theirs (mainly because installs cost more, they have to buy better quality hair because of constant washing, etc.) but I don't think it's as common as it is in the AA community here in the US. Nearly every white girl isn't walking by with extensions in her head. I also think their installs look more realistic and natural. Many of the installs I see on BW head are obvious, poorly done, poorly taken care of, etc. so it's more visible.

 

[beans4reezy]

Things must be really different where I live, because just about every AA woman I see DOES have a weave- at work, church, grocery store, etc

Just about every?

Must be a regional thing: you will find countless of long, healthy haired, Black women rocking their own hair Brooklyn, NY.

Shout out to my long haired sistahs up in Canarsie!

 

[Blessed_Angel]

So far, a couple of AA confront Chris rock about his movie. One lady was upset that the movie makes people assume all AA have weaves. Chris is making good points also, so watch today.

I understand his assumptions because it's so common and immensely popular. If woman assume it, why can't he?

Go on the Wendy show with some long hair, and she'll want to feel your scalp for tracks (I've seen her do that a couple of times). She doesn't believe anyone when they say their hair is real....I don't see folks confronting her!! And I don't see her feeling white folks' scalp.

Oprah made an announcement to white people "Do not go up to black women and ask if they have a weave".

And I hope they don't do a scalp test either.

Things must be really different where I live, because just about every AA woman I see DOES have a weave- at work, church, grocery store, etc. It's not offensive to me, since its what I see too.

Exactly!! I'm not offended either.

One last thing...I've seen countless online forums in which Caucasian and East Asian girls are discussing weaves and posting pictures of their wigs, pieces, and tracks. And Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and most White celebrities have been wearing false hair for DECADES. So has the general population. They just don't come out about it, the way many of us do. (Kim Zolciak, anyone?...) And most of us just ASSUME that it must be their hair...

But they speak to White folks about fake hair as if it's some great, unknown mystery to them. That's one of the things that annoyed me about watching Oprah with Chris Rock...

I understand what you're saying, but I don't know any white woman who wears weaves. Alot of time it's mentioned that celebs wears weaves, but how many white woman that we work or interact with actually have it? People mainly go by what they see on a daily basis.

Besides, the ones that are "regular" white folk that wears weaves, they less likely to tell us; and it's hard to tell if it's matching their hair texture. And many of us don't "look" for it in whites; it would have to be obvious for us to know.

The difference with blacks, is that you don't have to be a celeb to wear one; many of them are wearing weaves.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Many black women wear weaves, but to me that doesn't matter. I'm so sick and tired of generalizations about black women making their way to the media. The media is full of generalizations about black women, show me something different for once. It's rare that one of us gets to control what images are presented to the media, at least use the opportunity to present something new and different. At least present all different angles of the issues. I don't care if most black women are rocking straight weaves, ALL aren't so why not drive that point home? All black women aren't desperate to have straight, euro hair, and many black women have their own long hair. If Chris Rock claims he did 'research' for this film, he should have come across SOMETHING about black women with long hair and presented that if he was going to be on almost every major talk show talking about our hair.

If might be okay for some of you, but not for me. If white people were up on stage spewing out these generalizations left and right, people would have been upset. Chris Rock shouldn't get a pass either.

Exactly. White people get extensions with white people hair.

Black people get extensions with white ppl hair <---that doesn't work.

No, both get extensions with ASIAN hair.

 

[glamazon386]

Many black women wear weaves, but to me that doesn't matter. I'm so sick and tired of generalizations about black women making their way to the media. The media is full of generalizations about black women, show me something different for once. It's rare that one of us gets to control what images are presented to the media, at least use the opportunity to present something new and different. At least present all different angles of the issues. I don't care if most black women are rocking straight weaves, ALL aren't so why not drive that point home? All black women aren't desperate to have straight, euro hair, and many black women have their own long hair. If Chris Rock claims he did 'research' for this film, he should have come across SOMETHING about black women with long hair and presented that if he was going to be on almost every major talk show talking about our hair.

If might be okay for some of you, but not for me. If white people were up on stage spewing out these generalizations left and right, people would have been upset. Chris Rock shouldn't get a pass either.



No, both get extensions with ASIAN hair.

Or European hair... A lot of white people use European hair.

 

[ricochet]

I wish Oprah knew about this board because we are a culture within ourselves here. We are a culture of healthy hair care and have done the research to prove it. Each and every one of us that has discovered lhcf.com has made the decision to say "Dang it, I am sick and tired of these bogus products, scissor happy stylists, and being a slave to the Saturday getting your hair done all day because your stylist overbooked" rituals. We are tired of family members, friends, co-workers, telling us that black hair doesn't grow and if it does, it just means you are mixed or got that "g*** h***". We are tired of celebrities like Tyra who try to speak "on behalf" of all us telling us WHY we wear weaves, WHY we get relaxers, WHY our hair doesn't "grow"(I hate that, our hair won't retain length people retain length!!!!), WHY black people's hair is most of the time short, etc, etc, etc...I am just tired of it. If Oprah or Chris Rock knew of LHCF, all of these stereotypes would be put to shame. It would take a minute, but all of them would have to quickly insert their foots in their mouths. I have seen the curliest of the curly, coiliest of the coily and kinkiest of the kinky hair grow down backs on this board. Okay, I gotta stop, I am getting upset.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

When I was wearing weave, I saw more White women than Black women at Adorables in Manhattan picking up their extensions.

Extensions are more popular with White women and always have been from what I've seen. Jessica Simpson even has a line of weave....although it's not called weave but rather "extensions": http://www.hairuwear.com/jessica.aspx?pgID=997

Brittany Spears has extensions all the time, Paris Hilton, Paula Dean (who pulled out her clip in hair on the air) etc. It's not just Black women who wear weave. I heard Mike Vick's fiance on an interview being asked about her weave & she corrected the DJ saying her "extensions" as if extensions & weave are not one in the same.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Or European hair... A lot of white people use European hair.

That's a luxury for those who can afford Russian hair, which I actually think is just Indian hair that has been labeled 'Russian'. When I first heard of Indian Temple Hair I heard of it from a white site about hair extensions.
http://greatlengths.net

If black women had access to hair that was more our texture and was affordable, we'd jump on it. Hence the popularity of Brazilian hair, which like Russian hair is probably just Indian hair labeled as something it's not.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Exactly!!! I have 2 White coworkers who wear fake hair. One White woman had a blonde phony pony on a few times this year (she does not hide her scrunchie well) and one White male coworker wears a lace front aka toupe every day.

One last thing...I've seen countless online forums in which Caucasian and East Asian girls are discussing weaves and posting pictures of their wigs, pieces, and tracks. And Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and most White celebrities have been wearing false hair for DECADES. So has the general population. They just don't come out about it, the way many of us do. (Kim Zolciak, anyone?...) And most of us just ASSUME that it must be their hair...

But they speak to White folks about fake hair as if it's some great, unknown mystery to them. That's one of the things that annoyed me about watching Oprah with Chris Rock...

 

[Twix]

Things must be really different where I live, because just about every AA woman I see DOES have a weave- at work, church, grocery store, etc. It's not offensive to me, since its what I see too.

I live in your city. I admit that I've seen a LOT of women wearing weaves since I've moved down here, but I was surprised that so many women had naturally long hair down here, too. I'm from Michigan, and a lot of people from the Detroit area went to my college. Most of them wore weaves.

 

[SND411]

Hey AfriPrincess You raise an interesting point, but if this is the case, why do they not assume our short or mid-length hair (when permed/straightened, for example) is a weave? Ultimately, there is an underlying assumption that Black women can't have long hair...

Even on the forums, I've seen many people attribute "long hair" to somehow being "White" (huh?). However, I'm in Europe and I very rarely ever see women walking around with long tresses. Even my hair (which I consider to be fairly short for NY standards) is much longer than the women I see out and about or when I'm traveling in Europe. And in NY, the women that I typically saw with long hair that was their own (that is, those women who weren't AA) were often Mexican or PR. I'm getting a bit off topic, though...

Also, so many of us have assumed or claimed that folks like Jill Scott, Badu, or even Lauryn Hill are wearing weaves/wigs (whether or not they actually are and whether or not it was eventually proved or disproved).

I think that when it comes down to it, the thing that seems to make everyone suspicious is length and thickness, regardless of texture.

I have a problem with C. Rock clowning Black women based on stereotypes (even if the stereotype holds true for certain regions of the US). We've got to demand better for ourselves as Black women...

These are two really great points. I think when some people think of long hair, it somehow automatically means straighter textured hair.

The second point I also agree with. Have you heard of RusticBeauty on youtube? She even said that some girls on the train were talking about how fake her hair was, EVEN when it was just a puff she was wearing. So I think this is also true.

 

[glamazon386]

That's a luxury for those who can afford Russian hair, which I actually think is just Indian hair that has been labeled 'Russian'. When I first heard of Indian Temple Hair I heard of it from a white site about hair extensions.
http://greatlengths.net

If black women had access to hair that was more our texture and was affordable, we'd jump on it. Hence the popularity of Brazilian hair, which like Russian hair is probably just Indian hair labeled as something it's not.

Very true. I can't get with some of the Asian hair on us. It's just too silky or something. There's a girl in my class who has a weave with some and the hair itself is absolutely gorgeous but the texture looks like asian hair so it stands out on a black person. It just doesn't look right.

And in all honesty with this hair we really have no idea what we're getting. They could tell us anything and just process and put it on a weft and we'd be none the wiser.

 

[hairsothick]

No, both get extensions with ASIAN hair.

White people's hair texture is a hell of a lot more similar to Asian people's texture. So in my eyes, it's still white people hair.

Black people don't have Asian hair either so it still doesn't work. I don't see your point.

 

[SweetSpirit86]

Many black women wear weaves, but to me that doesn't matter. I'm so sick and tired of generalizations about black women making their way to the media. The media is full of generalizations about black women, show me something different for once. It's rare that one of us gets to control what images are presented to the media, at least use the opportunity to present something new and different. At least present all different angles of the issues. I don't care if most black women are rocking straight weaves, ALL aren't so why not drive that point home? All black women aren't desperate to have straight, euro hair, and many black women have their own long hair. If Chris Rock claims he did 'research' for this film, he should have come across SOMETHING about black women with long hair and presented that if he was going to be on almost every major talk show talking about our hair.

If might be okay for some of you, but not for me. If white people were up on stage spewing out these generalizations left and right, people would have been upset. Chris Rock shouldn't get a pass either.



No, both get extensions with ASIAN hair.

I think you missed the point. Irregardless, it looks like their natural hair. Us? Not so much.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

Exactly!!! I have 2 White coworkers who wear fake hair. One White woman had a blonde phony pony on a few times this year (she does not hide her scrunchie well) and one White male coworker wears a lace front aka toupe every day.

White women 'extensions' are all up and through Sally's and I've seen them in every 'white' BSS I've visited. Your average white woman is more likely to wear clip ins than get them installed because they prefer fusion which is very expensive. When I worked at a boutique, I saw many fusion installations because we were a few stores down from a salon that did them. The young white girls with $$$ were indeed getting them installed like it was nothing.

 

[Twix]

well i just moved from Detroit and women walking around with out at least one track is not the nor even if they have a super short cut best believe they got at least one track glued up in there. Moving the Sc i was so impressed with the amount of hair natural and relaxed that is actually full and healthy!

I used to wear glue-in tracks a lot... When I moved down here I had to cut that out, though; it is too hot and WAY too humid! (that, and it was horrendous for my hair.)

 

[jasmin]

This why right now I have no desire to see this movie.

 

[almond eyes]

That hair could be from a corpse!!!!! or from someone's head who has eczema!!!.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[BroadstreetBully]

White people's hair texture is a hell of a lot more similar to Asian people's texture. So in my eyes, it's still white people hair.

Black people don't have Asian hair either so it still doesn't work. I don't see your point.

I think you missed the point. Irregardless, it looks like their natural hair. Us? Not so much.

I made my point clear. Both groups are wearing whatever hair is available to them, which is not WHITE hair. I don't know what type of installs you all are seeing, but a good install on a black woman looks no different from her own relaxed hair. Most quality extension companies offer hair that has been processed to look and feel like relaxed afro textured hair. Black women rocking their own long hair are still accused of wearing weaves. I've been asked if I'm wearing weave and my hair is natural.

It has to do with length, and not with texture (unless she is wearing cheap, silky weave), when most black women wear their own hair straight and flowing without extensions.

 

[HairBarbie]

I made my point clear. Both groups are wearing whatever hair is available to them, which is not WHITE hair. I don't know what type of installs you all are seeing, but a good install on a black woman looks no different from her own relaxed hair. Most quality extension companies offer hair that has been processed to look and feel like relaxed afro textured hair. Black women rocking their own long hair are still accused of wearing weaves. I've been asked if I'm wearing weave and my hair is natural.

It has to do with length, and not with texture (unless she is wearing cheap, silky weave), when most black women wear their own hair straight and flowing without extensions.

Seriously?

98% of black's women's hair relaxed or not looks nothing like those shinning, extra, extra straight weaves/extensions. As for those top notch, quality extensions how many bw do you think can afford those kinds of weaves/extensions?

White hair=Blond, Red and light brunette no?

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I am absolutely befuddled.

Why is it that when 'we' get the spotlight on 'us' the natural instinct is to fall back to what everybody else is doing?

I can show up in any predominantly black neighborhood in this country and see some form of fake hair. Period. And it's not going to be any special 'hide your healthy hair under a weave day' either.

The reality is that weaves, wigs and relaxer are a part of the majority of AA's lives and I don't care how many waistlength naturals you know personally, the dollars spent by the black community on those products tell a different story.

If this movie was about white womens hair I wouldn't give a damn. I went to see it because it was about women like me, who look like me and who have the same cosmetic issues/challenges that I do. If 'we' are going to be the biggest opponents of movies that are about us and our issues then 'we' also can't complain when nobody makes movies about us and our issues.

 

[Twix]

I made my point clear. Both groups are wearing whatever hair is available to them, which is not WHITE hair. I don't know what type of installs you all are seeing, but a good install on a black woman looks no different from her own relaxed hair. Most quality extension companies offer hair that has been processed to look and feel like relaxed afro textured hair. Black women rocking their own long hair are still accused of wearing weaves. I've been asked if I'm wearing weave and my hair is natural.

It has to do with length, and not with texture (unless she is wearing cheap, silky weave), when most black women wear their own hair straight and flowing without extensions.

I think, though, that the point that people are trying to make is that in a lot of cases, relaxed hair can still tend to look like white hair, i.e., the texture that it is not. Yeah, it's clear to me when I see relaxed hair that it's chemically altered black hair, but it looks a lot more "white" than curly, kinky black hair.

Length is still an issue, yeah, I agree. But I also disgree with last notion: I don't think that most of us have our own straight, FLOWING hair sans extensions. Maybe in the Northeast/New England region it's different, but from what I can tell from the places I've lived, most black women's hair is kept at maybe just above BSL, and very rarely is it flowing, so to speak.

 

[Renovating]

Crackers Phinn, I wish I could thank you 10xs for that. Tell it!