Black women confront Chris Rock on Oprah Today

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

That has been brought up in some of the threads, too. But it's likely that he thinks BM do not have any real influence on BW's hair decisions. From the interview I saw, he thinks black women don't care much BM think, and also that BM don't care about hair at all. He said this immediately after damn near having a heart attack and wetting himself over Oprah's hair.

If I remember correctly, he said that Black women "claim" that they're doing it due to Black men (pressure, etc.), but in actuality, in Chrisrockland, Black men don't care what our hair looks like (this according to him). In Chrisrockland, Black women are simply straightening their hair or wearing added hair "for themselves".

He's so blind and full of ish it's laughable. He needs a good three-hour sit-in with bell hooks.

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

I'm not too fond of Tyra, but we should send it to her AND Wendy. Somehow between the three of them I feel Wendy would be the one to really bite into it.

Wendy would totally be the one. She's scandalous, but I love her and she's always keen for a good story.

Does anyone remember when she used to do the traffic report for Kiss FM...and then later the "Top 8 at 8"? I've been loving some tacky Wendy for that long. So mad she's no longer on the radio, though..

 

[Mizz Diamonds]

Oprah has some amazing power and impact in this world. She could have spent literally 15 seconds on this show with a black woman with BSL hair, and that would have opened minds among black women all over the country, if not the world. Just 15 seconds showing a sista's hair, weaveless, and her briefly saying "I wash it twice a week and use a deep conditioner each time. Then I put it on rollers and sit under the dryer, and this is the result."

That brief little window into healthy hair care could have made thousands of women go on a search for thier own healthy hair journey. It breaks my heart that she didn't take that opportunity. With great power comes great responsibility.

That is so true I remeber years ago when she was talking about that whole foot and mouth thing and said she would never eat that type of meat again thensales in that product decreased dramatically

 

[aquajoyice]

He's gonna get it LOL!

 

[ImFree27]

No one should support his movie and just watch it on bootleg.....

 

[blackbarbie986]

I still think if you grow up in the ghetto, then go into the entertainment industry, the vast majority of black women you'll be exposed to will have weaves so he might not know any better. I want to see the movie for myself. If we do have any dark secrets, it's not weaves, but how much we go through to conceal our natural texture...

so true, so true

 

[kinkycotton]

After reading opinions from different blogs and other hair board I've notice some naturals dislike the movie because Chris Rock didn't push natural hair as being "good hair" and then you have women who wear weaves mad *** hell because they take it as he's implying AA women can't have long hair unless it's a weave.

Let's be real, there's plenty of black women till this day believes if you're black you can not have long hair. Where do you think most little girls, and men get this idea from? These are the same women who NEVER show their own hair because of shame.

These are the type of women I believe Chris Rock wanted to put in the limelight. Hell, before going natural I used to think the same damn thing until I educated myself on it. I'm sure Chris Rock learned a lot after making his documentary too. Not to mention it's a billion dollar industry and black women make up how much in America population? If you really think about it's baffling. I don't expect anything but laughs.

 

[aquajoyice]

Exactly, good point! JLO has a whole room full of wigs, weaves and hair pieces but know one is busting her out about it. I hear she has really thin hair and is always rocking a piece.

 

[theAlist]

If I remember correctly, he said that Black women "claim" that they're doing it due to Black men (pressure, etc.), but in actuality, in Chrisrockland, Black men don't care what our hair looks like (this according to him). In Chrisrockland, Black women are simply straightening their hair or wearing added hair "for themselves".

He's so blind and full of ish it's laughable. He needs a good three-hour sit-in with bell hooks.

omg YES! bell is my girl though!!!

 

[aquajoyice]

Yeah I can definitely say this true. I work with a couple that wear fusion ext. I'm the only black chick on my floor in the office that has long hair. I just thought it was funny one day my co-worker kept dropping ext hair that would fall from her head and I thought wow i'm in a world where white women have ext and me being the only black woman with long hair. LOL

 

[aquajoyice]

omg YES! bell is my girl though!!!

Off the subject I love your siggy!!! It's sooo cute!

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

Thank you! Between this thread and the other one about men not caring about hair, I was wondering if I was in a totally different Brooklyn than other ladies. While I see long, healthy hair (both relaxed and natural), I also see the complete opposite. And I see the opposite more often than anything else.

I've lived in Brooklyn (Canarsie, Clinton Hill & Brooklyn Heights) and in Harlem...but Manhattan is where I spent the bulk of my days. While I saw plenty of women with braids (including extensions), for example, an overwhelming number of women were knotty heads or relaxed with their own hair. Did they make up a majority? I'd argue yes in recent years. Circa 15 years ago? No. We were often rocking relaxed hair that was our own, or some sort of added hair; but I didn't see many knotty head girls wearing their hair free, for example.

This has been my experience, as well as the experience of several other women on this site. The idea of Black women rocking nothing but weaves or added hair is very 1993, for me. (And this does not mean that it's "right" or "wrong"...we all should be afforded the freedom to choose what we want to do with our hair without being judged.) And to be honest, I was surprised when many of the women here stated that in their cities/regions, most women wear weaves. More specifically, I'm surprised so many of us have that much money to invest in consistent weaving. Like, what do the women without that money to spare do? Does everyone just happen to have that sort of money to invest?

This is getting a bit off topic of what Chrisrockland says, though, because he's stating that a Black woman with hair = weave. What we (including the other sister from Canarsie) are stating is that there are plenty of Black sisters in NY with long hair that is their own. And that's a reality.

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

omg YES! bell is my girl though!!!

I love bell hooks and I know that after that a good three hours with her, Chris would stop that tap dancing and jiving he's doing at the expense of his sisters.

My SO is reading "Ain't I A Woman" right now, and he keeps raving about how eye-opening/brilliant she is. Jada Pinkett Smith recommended that book a few years ago, and I have to say...it made me more aware and less tolerant of BS.

 

[chiprecious]

I don't know if this is true or not but in part 2, he said he is going to bring up that black women need to get over the long hair thing because it not plausible. It's genetics so get over it. I hope this isn't true.

WHAT?????? YOU LIE!!!!!!! Or at least I hope....
I thought it was supposed to be a positive movie...for his girls. I got go and watch my recorded O cause all this sounds like a bunch of horsecrap!!

 

[MJ]

I don't know why the people from NY are acting like they don't see at least 2-3 weaved heads for every long natural out there. Not to mention the short micro ponies, the phony pony unknowns, the apl but thinned out from brushing against their clothing relaxed heads, the LF divas, the regular ol wig wearing women, the kool aid red mixed with 1b microbraids and whatnot.

I feel like we're not even on the same subway system if you state otherwise.

Yes, even in NYC. and the weaves here that are on point are very, very good. The rest... *shrug*

I see plenty of huge curly fro'd, bantu knotted out, dreads down to there, simple high ponytail, protective styling, wild and free, bumped and set natural/relaxed heads out there too, don't get me wrong. You'd just have blinders on NOT to notice the other heads out there.

I was wondering about that too. Today, I distinctly remember seeing four non-dread naturals (two may be texturized) and a few hundred weaves, wigs (including myself), extensions, braid, phony ponies, and relaxed heads.

I think this Chris' documentary embarasses people.

It puts out, for all the world to see (although they already know it), the fact that black women have deep issues with their natural hair texture. So much so, that the majority of us, which either includes you and/or someone you know, use fake hair and chemicals to "manage" those issues.

 

[jamaraa]

I love bell hooks and I know that after that a good three hours with her, Chris would stop that tap dancing and jiving he's doing at the expense of his sisters.

My SO is reading "Ain't I A Woman" right now, and he keeps raving about how eye-opening/brilliant she is. Jada Pinkett Smith recommended that book a few years ago, and I have to say...it made me more aware and less tolerant of BS.

Yes bell really knows how to lay it down. Shame there are too few like her who get a popular audience. I'm glad your SO is reading her and appreciating where she's coming from. It's time for Black women AND men to RETURN to a more womanist/feminist in their worldview. It's a shame to think that 100 years ago, Black leaders and thinkers...male and female...were far more womanist than almost anything we've seen in our life times. Sad, but very true.

 

[SND411]

Yes bell really knows how to lay it down. Shame there are too few like her who get a popular audience. I'm glad your SO is reading her and appreciating where she's coming from. It's time for Black women AND men to RETURN to a more womanist/feminist in their worldview. It's a shame to think that 100 years ago, Black leaders and thinkers...male and female...were far more womanist than almost anything we've seen in our life times. Sad, but very true.

I agree. I think many times black women ignore their gender issues in order to align and fight against racism only

 

[BlackHairDiva]

Ok, I need to speak for those of us who live in a remote area. I was born and raised in a small white town(canada).My family was the only black/ non white family in town. Other than us, the only reference they had about blacks is whatever that is on tv...keep in mind, the 70s and 80s...there wasent much. So when a movie like this comes out...its embaressing. I can tell you that if that came out when I was a kid...I would have mot gone to shcool for at least a week...just to let it die down. I mean being the only one you already get teased for being different...now to add this to the fire. Come on...y'all need to realise some of us live in remote areas and this type of movie does not make things better but worst. Thank goodness I live in a big city cause If I was in my hometown I would die of embaressment. Just the stares...Urrgh nope...couldn't do it. think of that for the little black girls in remote areas.

 

[jamaraa]

I agree. I think many times black women ignore their gender issues in order to align and fight against racism only

I know and it's killing us. Blacks are people, but guess what women are people too. Maybe more sisters would think more positively about their hair (for our purposes here) if they thought more positively about themselves as women who are also Black. All this drama over Chris Rock, a man not known for his enlightened views about much, send Black women into a tizzy. Almost nobody in all these posts points out that this is not merely a racial issue, but a gender one as well, perhaps more so. Afterall, here this is a man commenting on what he's not personally experienced and doing it from a very conventional PoV. Hia maleness plays NO PART in his take on it.....yeah right!

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

Yes bell really knows how to lay it down. Shame there are too few like her who get a popular audience. I'm glad your SO is reading her and appreciating where she's coming from. It's time for Black women AND men to RETURN to a more womanist/feminist in their worldview. It's a shame to think that 100 years ago, Black leaders and thinkers...male and female...were far more womanist than almost anything we've seen in our life times. Sad, but very true.

Funny you should say that; my SO is from Cameroon and I studied history in university, so we often converse about pre-colonial cultures in African. I didn't realize that the cultures on the continent were overwhelmingly matriarchal. It makes one realize just how Eurocentric we are in our present-day, patriarchal culture, even as African-Americans (as well as our global sisters)...

Anywho, I wonder if our younger sisters will continue to increase thieir awareness in regard to these issues. I have to say, I'm skeptical, but seeing young women on the boards who are in fact aware of hooks and the like gives me hope that we're not all drinking the bamboozled-flavored kool-aid.

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

I know and it's killing us. Blacks are people, but guess what women are people too. Maybe more sisters would think more positively about their hair (for our purposes here) if they thought more positively about themselves as women who are also Black. All this drama over Chris Rock, a man not known for his enlightened views about much, send Black women into a tizzy. Almost nobody in all these posts points out that this is not merely a racial issue, but a gender one as well, perhaps more so. Afterall, here this is a man commenting on what he's not personally experienced and doing it from a very conventional PoV. Hia maleness plays NO PART in his take on it.....yeah right!

The problem is that "feminism" is a fairly taboo amongst people of African descent (including in the US, where it is slowly gaining ground - emphasis on "slowly"). I remember that my friends often thought of womanhood as a "White thing".

We often complain about our stories, as African-Americans, being told by Whites (be it in history books or in television/film). I'd argue most would agree upon the importance of African-Americans telling their own stories (and John Singleton DOES NOT COUNT...thanks). However, as (Black) women, we often fail to see the importance of women telling OUR own stories. It's as if we don't value ourselves enough to believe we deserve better.

Being a Black woman is equally as important as being a Black human being.

 

[robot.]

Pppft. That thing was lame.

I will never be satisfied about any type of program aimed at discussing black hair unless it's done by us. But then everyone else would just think we were crazy.

 

[jamaraa]

The problem is that "feminism" is a fairly taboo amongst people of African descent (including in the US, where it is slowly gaining ground - emphasis on "slowly"). I remember that my friends often thought of womanhood as a "White thing".

We often complain about our stories, as African-Americans, being told by Whites (be it in history books or in television/film). I'd argue most would agree upon the importance of African-Americans telling their own stories (and John Singleton DOES NOT COUNT...thanks). However, as (Black) women, we often fail to see the importance of women telling OUR own stories. It's as if we don't value ourselves enough to believe we deserve better.

Being a Black woman is equally as important as being a Black human being.

Feminism wasn't always taboo. Our earliest thinkers fully believed in women's rights along w/ rights for Blacks. I just wonder what happened, why the regression?

On the bolded....wow, just wow. Femininity belongs ONLY to WW?! So is Black supposed to be masculine by default? How could anyone concede something so important?! I shudder. I don't concede and never will my femininty. It's incredibily precious.

Black women really need to give this some thought...Black men too. These attitudes are holding us back.

 

[SND411]

To be honest, y'all, I'm always a woman first.

 

[SND411]

Funny you should say that; my SO is from Cameroon and I studied history in university, so we often converse about pre-colonial cultures in African. I didn't realize that the cultures on the continent were overwhelmingly matriarchal. It makes one realize just how Eurocentric we are in our present-day, patriarchal culture, even as African-Americans (as well as our global sisters)...

Anywho, I wonder if our younger sisters will continue to increase thieir awareness in regard to these issues. I have to say, I'm skeptical, but seeing young women on the boards who are in fact aware of hooks and the like gives me hope that we're not all drinking the bamboozled-flavored kool-aid.

You should take Anthropology. You will see many native populations from around the world had gender equality...yet people are so quick to call them "primitive"

 

[jamaraa]

Funny you should say that; my SO is from Cameroon and I studied history in university, so we often converse about pre-colonial cultures in African. I didn't realize that the cultures on the continent were overwhelmingly matriarchal. It makes one realize just how Eurocentric we are in our present-day, patriarchal culture, even as African-Americans (as well as our global sisters)...

Anywho, I wonder if our younger sisters will continue to increase thieir awareness in regard to these issues. I have to say, I'm skeptical, but seeing young women on the boards who are in fact aware of hooks and the like gives me hope that we're not all drinking the bamboozled-flavored kool-aid.

That's some sour vile tasting stuff! I think and hope that women, Black women in particular, start re-considering much of the race over gender thinking and start valuing themselves as FULL human beings. Are Black men asked to concede their maleness cuz maleness only belongs to WM? Nada. I guess we don't just have a "one drop rule", but a "one gender" one too .

I think it's funny how Rock made this a solely woman's issue. Tho many Black men aren't putting relaxers/weaves on THEIR heads these days (conks and curls anyone?), how many of them are demanding them of the women in their lives and paying for them? They too are "collaborators", but ones who avoid being put on blast. Typical!

 

[jamaraa]

To be honest, y'all, I'm always a woman first.

Me too sis, me too.

 

[AsianAfricanPrincess]

Feminism wasn't always taboo. Our earliest thinkers fully believed in women's rights along w/ rights for Blacks. I just wonder what happened, why the regression?

On the bolded....wow, just wow. Femininity belongs ONLY to WW?! So is Black supposed to be masculine by default? How could anyone concede something so important?! I shudder. I don't concede and never will my femininty. It's incredibily precious.

Black women really need to give this some thought...Black men too. These attitudes are holding us back.

Those that believe feminism is a "White thing" know nothing of Sojourner Truth or Angela Davis. It's sad and unfortunate.

 

[jamaraa]

Those that believe feminism is a "White thing" know nothing of Sejourner Truth or Angela Davis. It's sad and unfortunate.

OR Frederick Douglass or WEB Du Bois (to be gender balanced).....but yeah, I guess you're right. Ol' Angela is only known for her BAA!

 

[SND411]

That's some sour vile tasting stuff! I think and hope that women, Black women in particular, start re-considering much of the race over gender thinking and start valuing themselves as FULL human beings. Are Black men asked to concede their maleness cuz maleness only belongs to WM? Nada. I guess we don't just have a "one drop rule", but a "one gender" one too .

I think it's funny how Rock made this a solely woman's issue. Tho many Black men aren't putting relaxers/weaves on THEIR heads these days (conks and curls anyone?), how many of them are demanding them of the women in their lives and paying for them? They too are "collaborators", but ones who avoid being put on blast. Typical!

That's because they don't got enough hair to do so. They always cut it super low, put water on it, and brush it 1000 times to get those "waves"