Sherri Sherpard's comment on the View today

[Aspire]

Umm - I hate to say it, but before this board I would have agreed with Sherri. The irony of that? Most of the women in my family on my mom's side have ALWAYS had very long hair - APL to MBL and a few WL. It was always attributed to mixed heritage. I was under the impression my hair would not get past SL because of my father's less-than-mixed heritage.

I never questioned the theory. Why would I when most of the women I saw/met SEEMED to verify the theory? Prior to my the start of my hair journey in 11/08 it never occurred to me to think differently and I still did not believe that my hair could grow but so long. Since finding LHCF in late March, I now BELIEVE differently. Truthfully though? I still don't KNOW. I have not been at this long enough to see the APL length yet even though I have achieved great strides in hair health, but I now believe it is achievable, so half of my journey is complete.

So even though I do not agree with Sherri's statement today, 1 year ago I would have.

In the scheme of things, LHCF and similar boards are babies. They have decades, if not centuries, of myths to debunk. It is very difficult to overcome a thought process that pre-dated your gt-gt-grandmother with less than 25 years of progress. Hopefully with the global impact of the internet, our daughters and grand-daughters will know differently.

 

[Desarae]

She wasn't lying. She didn't say AA women CAN'T have waist length hair.

Hopefully in about 10 years or so it'll be a lie.

 

[bludaydreamr]

ITA. I wish more solutions or info is put out as a resolution instead of just bring the issue to the light.

 

[Miss*Tress]

I agree. I'm starting to get sick and tired of hearing about Black folks all over the darned TV all the time, like we are a new species. Why is everyone trying to analyze us and our habits now?

In two words: President Obama

 

[Supergirl]

We should consider doing our own movie. We'll call it Great Hair.

 

[Hairsofab]

There is nothing to complain about. Most Black women do not have WL hair. Even on here.

Most of us do not have WL hair on LHCF. Try as we may......

I agree. But no one is allowed to say that. lol

 

[CTBhair]

Well everyone put there 2 cents in so now I am going too as well. Although we are used to seeing other ethinicities with longer hair, best believe most people (not just African-Americans) do not have waist length hair. Also, "long" hair is relative. I have had my twist-n-curls and buns going for a while. Today, I actually had it straight and the oohhhs and the ahhhs came about....I never knew your hair was so long. Now we know some of our sisters do not wear there hair at its complete length because we like to style and do things up. Most stylish people in general do not just have their hair hanging down to their butt. However, that is the style on a barbie doll, but I know that I rarely see that walking around on anyone these days. AA women should not be singled out. Black, White, Indian, Mexican, etc. all have women with short, mid length, long, etc hair.

Just a side note: what about a barbie doll with something besides that long straight straw like mess? I few curls never hurt anybody, LOL!

 

[yodie]

White women really need to stop acting like only black women wear weaves. We wear weaves and they add extensions. Also, our hair can't take lots of chemicals, heat and everything else.

Good point, OP. This is why I removed my weave. No more weave for me. I'm growing my naturally.

 

[MizAvalon]

I didn't get a chance to watch it. Did she say most Black women don't have long hair, or most Black women don't have waist length hair?

Paraphrasing here, but they were talking about the hair on the dolls and how long and straight it was. She said something like, "well since she's black, I would assume that it's a weave." Each doll also came with a younger doll attached to it(daughter or kid sister?) and she commented about how the younger dolls had long, straight hair down to their butts.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

I was watching this too..and honestly, before I found this board years ago..i thought THE SAME THING TOO...

but..this board was an eye opener

Exactly! I mean technically, what Sherri said is true, most AA women do not have hair that long.

You guys sometimes forget, we are in a bubble when we are on this site. The majority of AA women in this country do not have long hair. You know this and it's not becoming more common. If it was, then Sherri or other people wouldn't had made that statement.

Remember, LHCF is the EXCEPTION, not the rule

 

[MochaEyeCandy]

I can't believe this issue is so deeply rooted, people are actually questioning the authenticity of a black doll's hair and length. Seriously?

 

[AvaSpeaks]

However, when we see a White, Hispanic, or an Indian doll with that length we don't question it because it seems more plausible. Somehow, we need to educate AA women on growing long hair. What can we do?

Get some people from LHCF and do videos on YouTube!

Maybe somebody can do a weekly TV show for LHCF. We need to get our name out there. Maybe somebody can go on Tyra's show? Or write to Tyra, Sherri or Ebony or Essence about our blog? We and our posters need exposure

 

[janeemat]

I agree LaurenD! Although I hate when women assume a sista's hair is a weave when it's a certain length, there is some validity to what Sherri is saying. MOST black women don't have hair that long and much of it is because we don't know we can grow it that long. We don't even realize it's an option. I think it would be awesome for some LHCF members to kick down the door and change folks minds about this and let US see that it's possible thus completely changing that "it's long oh it's a weave" mentality FOREVER!!!!

I too agree with Sherri because it is absolutely the truth. You summed it up quite well. I agree with your view.

 

[clever]

There is nothing to complain about. Most Black women do not have WL hair. Even on here.

Most of us do not have WL hair on LHCF. Try as we may......

BINGO!I don't see any reason to complain.

 

[clever]

I'm tempted to say invite her to the board, too but there's a drawback. I actually mentioned in the Oprah/Chris Rock thread that I wish Oprah could do a feature on LHCF or the healthy black hair community. A poster brought up a very good point - TV is sensational and they would find something (i.e. Monistat on hair) to scrutinize and the board might not be presented in the best light. Now if that's the case with Oprah, can you imagine the possibilities if Sherri's dumb-a** was exposed to the some of the "eyebrow-raising" techniques on here?

I wish she would just keep her mouth shut sometimes, Whoopi too. The pair of them need to stop acting like they're the democratically-elected negrepresentatives of black folk.

I agree.The board would end up being laughed at and made into "look at what black women will do to get hair" vs. a good thing...

 

[HeavenlySkies]

MOST black women DON'T have hair that long...

 

[kasey]

The fact that most pre-puberty AA girls, and AA women with locs have very long, thick and even waist-length hair should help folks, including Ms. Shepard, realize shorter hair among AA women is not a genetic or cultural curse as may be interpreted in her comments, but rather a problem that rises from the "creamy crack" rite of passage many AA teens and women have, in years past, felt was necessary.

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

I think it is time for us to stop caring about what people say about our hair.

 

[fletches]

I don't like the comment simply b/c it gives other ppl license to ask "is that a weave" everytime they see a black woman with long hair.

True most black women don't have that length of hair, but the comment makes it seem like BW can't grow that length of hair, so it must automaticaly be a weave or she must be mixed with something.

 

[jennboo]

like another poster commented...it's not like sherri is lying, LOL! What is the big deal?

 

[darlingdiva]

It should be interesting to see what Chris has to say about Tyra's real hair on her show today.

Once Tyra asked Chris what he thought of it rolleyes:), he told her that it looked great.

 

[nathansgirl1908]

Whether it is true or not, as I have learned, "our people" really shouldn't say that kind of thing in such settings. First, whites tend to jump on it as absolute truth because a black person said it. That black person immediately becomes the authority and representative for the whole race. Second, what she said had a negative connotation to it. It gives the impression that we can't grow hair that long when actually, we can. The sad thing is that having black women in those settings (talk shows and such) is a great opportunity to dispel myths about blacks in general, but for some reason, most of the black women in these settings cater to the myths generated by whites and other races.

 

[Nayna]

I can't believe this issue is so deeply rooted, people are actually questioning the authenticity of a black doll's hair and length. Seriously?

That's what I was thinking. Is this like some new phenomenon with dolls wearing weaves? I don't get how that can even come up. When did barbies come with weaves? I'm confused.

Anywho I agree with another poster, we should do an indie project. Or maybe try and reach out to ole girl that's suing Chris Rock and see what she's doing with her movie. Since they are putting us on front street it seems the least they can do is present every side to the topic. I feel it's so one-sided at this point.

 

[snillohsss]

I am glad I missed this mornings show. They had an episode on earlier this week where they showed Sherri without her wigs, and her hair was a thin, no hairline, fragile looking mess.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

MOST black women DON'T have hair that long...

Most white women don't have waistlength hair. So should their doll's hair be weave too?

 

[SmartyPants]

The fact that most pre-puberty AA girls, and AA women with locs have very long, thick and even waist-length hair should help folks, including Ms. Shepard, realize shorter hair among AA women is not a genetic or cultural curse as may be interpreted in her comments, but rather a problem that rises from the "creamy crack" rite of passage many AA teens and women have, in years past, felt was necessary.

And YOU'LL notice from being on this board that having a relaxer does not stop one from having waist length hair. Really, comments like this demonstrate that you are just as ignorant in your thinking as that twit Sherri!

 

[justicefighter1913]

Is it just me, but why is everyone soooo obsessed with black women and their hair? I mean yes, we have a Black "First Family", but that does not give mainstream society the license to talk about us like we're an oddity. I mean half the time that these subjects are even being discussed, there aren't any "everyday" women who are part of the conversation. When did Black celebraties become the official representatives of the black community?

Have mercy...me and my hair are just tired of being the world's latest circus trick

 

[Neith]

I'm a member of longhaircommunity ("white" hairboard) I visit there now and then, they have some good information.

Some of the ladies there use monistat They probably use other growth aides too.

It's definitely not a color thing.

 

[Junebug D]

Is it just me, but why is everyone soooo obsessed with black women and their hair? I mean yes, we have a Black "First Family", but that does not give mainstream society the license to talk about us like we're an oddity. I mean half the time that these subjects are even being discussed, there aren't any "everyday" women who are part of the conversation. When did Black celebraties become the official representatives of the black community?

Have mercy...me and my hair are just tired of being the world's latest circus trick

But these are Black people who are initiating this conversation, not white people. Chris Rock, Tyra, Oprah... These are black people starting the conversation. So the question is.. do we just have a problem with this being discussed at all, period? Because we all know it's not gonna happen on an exclusive blacks-invited-only BET summit. erplexed

 

[ACRawlins]

Eh...most BW don't have waist length hair. Most women of ANY race don't have hair that long for that matter. Most BW don't have BSL hair. Shoot, most black women don't even have thick, lush, healthy shoulder length hair. Think about the people you see on a daily basis (in real life). How many of them have long flowing heads of hair? I have a GANG of girlfriends, who can afford the best in haircare and still only about 4 of us have hair longer than APL (by choice or not). Man, even take it a step further and think about how many women on this forum have waist length hair. They're in a minority, even in a place like this where all we do is try to grow long healthy hair. Sherri didn't say "no" BW have waist length hair or "no" BW can grow waist length hair. I just think we're being too sensitive. She didn't lie. She stated a fact. I'm not offended by the truth.