So I saw Good Hair on Friday... Unfortunately I was late to the meetup. It was raining in Chicago Friday and you KNOW what that means for traffic!!! I slipped into the theater as the beginning credits were rolling and asked a few women if they were "from BGLH". They looked at my like I was crazy, so at the end of the movie I just stood conspicuously in the theater lobby, hoping that someone would recognize me and walk up. No one did. But for those of you who came, I was the girl in the brown coat standing beside a curly-headed girl (my friend Niccole), looking hella obvious....
IN ANY CASE, for those of you who saw the movie this weekend, what were your reactions to the film???!
I didn't agree with all the conclusions Chris Rock came to, but I thought that his research was impeccable. I would have liked some clearer sourcing for the statistics he cited. But overall I really feel that it is a ground breaking film.
I'm going to turn it over to you? Did you see the film? What did you think? (For those of you who haven't seen it, I'm sorry for the spoilers that are sure to come. You should go out to see it regardless!!)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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I was a the meet-up in L.A. on Friday night. The movie "Good Hair" was pretty entertaining, very funny and dealt with some very thought provoking issues that will resonate with me for a while such as:
1) How is it even possible/LEGAL to put a sodium hydroxide chemical relaxer in a baby's hair - 1 1/2 years old...I couldn't believe that...or even 6 years old for that matter. That is just perpetuating and reinforcing the notion that what's naturally growing out of our heads is somehow not good enough. I do believe that a woman has every right to relax her hair...when it's her choice and it's not forced upon her by someone else because society/culture dictates that her hair should be straight in order to be considered "acceptable".
2) One of the actresses interviewed in the movie (Tracie Thoms from the T.V. show Cold Case) asked a question that I've been wondering about since I decided to "go natural" - Why is it considered REVOLUTIONARY that I choose to wear the hair that's growing out of my head in its natural state???
didn't like how the film kind of revolved around the foolishness that was the atlanta hair show. other than that, it was great and informative!!
I thought it was interesting and entertaining for what it was. I think there were some generalizations that I didn't agree with, like EVERY black women wearing a weave or not being able to grow hair whether permed or natural. There are numerous women who grow long healthy thick hair and have perms, just as there are so many women with long healthy natural hair. I appreciate the documentary holding a mirror to our culture and starting the ball rolling for the masses to start questioning themselves and their behavior with our hair. But I do wish it included more women like those on all these inspiring natural blogs that couldve given some proper education and background on how to properly take care and grow our hair naturally, as well as showing how amazingly beautiful and versatile our hair is when it's natural.
I saw it and liked it. The only things I took issue with were:
1. No mention of the burgeoning black female entrepreneurs who are making money selling products in the natural market i.e. Lisa Price of Carols Daughter.
2. No mention of the current backlash to relaxers and the entire web-based communities that have formed around it. There are a billion natural hair care websites and youtube videos. This not a coincidence.
3. He didn't ask the black men in the barber shop who complained about paying for weave and not being able to run there hands through weaved hair if they would prefer a woman with nappy hair? I'm sure the room would've fell silent.
I actually liked the atlanta hair show story line. The whole thing is ridiculous but it's so creative and so unique to us.
I liked the Atlanta hair show bit and I was cheering for the white guy. The guy from the Real Housewives skirted the rules and won-not cool.
Maybe it's my naps but the only one of those actresses and celebrities who didn't make my skin crawl was Tracie Thoms. Selected quotes: "I wouldn't know what I would do if I couldn't pay for my weave". "I would have my own weave line if I found a direct connect to India" (For some reason that reminded of yayo and Scarface.) "You have to know your weaver." "I love my hair, I'm just working with what I have."
The part with the Indian women setting on the floor combing through that was unsettling to me. Just as uncomfortable as watching children in a sweat shop.
I hope that when mothers see this, they would be less inclined to put "kiddie perms" or "texturizers" on their children.
I can't even comment because "Good Hair" is not showing anywhere in Memphis! I cannot believe this! Talk about censorship!
what is and has been missing is the education on how to care for natural hair. as a community, we can come up with some ways to teach the young/old/professional alike so women can make the best informed decision.
everyone isn't exposed to the online community, so we must take this into consideration as well.
any ideas?
so far what i've done is email my friends and family once a month with updates on my hair, products, techniques and links to sites online that provide a wide range of ideas/options. after a lady asked me about natural hair out in public, i decided to type up some links to hair blogs and YouTubers and leave it in my car so i'll be better prepared next time. individually we are walking resources, but it can't stop there. how do we reach the masses?
*looking for the solution*
I saw it Saturday night in NYC with my sister. We sat there basically scared by all those ridiculous "celebrity" comments and the crazy people who really believe in relaxers and weaves.
Nonetheless, a lot of good information was presented, but a lot of it seemed common sense, especially when it came to the relaxer product. Come on, who didn't think relaxers were HARSH, UNSAFE, and UNHEALTHY? If it can scar you/bald you, etc it's clearly bad.
Hopefully, a lot of the relaxed (yes I said it) viewers, which there were many of, can walk away with some food for thought.
I forgot to add that "Good Hair" isn't opening Philadelphia until 10/16. I had truck it up to New Brunswick, NJ where it's playing at the Regal.
I'll be seeing in on the 16th. It wasn't playing Knoxville. But I can't wait!!!
I saw it just this afternoon and thought it was funny ala Chris Rock. I was kind of dreading the whole thing when I found out it was a comedy but was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't fuming by the end. I expected the ridiculous celebrity comments. (Sidebar: when did Video Vixen become profession?) Couldn't believe my eyes and ears listening to Al Sharpton get on his soapbox about what's on our heads and how it reflects our lifestlyes, ourselves while looking like he needed a trim and a touchup from the 1950s... Oh HELL No.
The whole thing was really thought provoking, but the most interesting part of the movie... the reactions of the audience. The mostly black, relaxed or weaved audience members were equally as shocked by the details of the industry, the science of relaxers, the way that sweet little 4 y/o said Chris's daughter should get a relaxer because everybody does, and how the young ladies entering the workforce felt about the one natural girl who had a beautiful, styling, sexy fro. Dang!
When those ladies said, "sorry, your fro is cute but, I don't see you in the board room..." my audience was audibly shocked and disheartened, as was I. Hello Man (woman) in the Mirror.
I agree that it was pretty groundbreaking. I, of course, could have stood to see much more about natural hair but it was pretty clear that they had a bunch of tape to work from and I bet what's on the cutting room floor could make another movie.
@ mysskay
can you please share with the group? do you need my e-mail address. it is harder for my older generation of family members b/c the effects are showing but yet I think options for them would still be nice to know.
does anyone have a cure for bald spots and balding?
In MD, it comes out October 23rd. I could've just went to D.C. but I just decided to wait, I didn't have money anyways.
"Get up and comb your opression every morning." - That's the line that stuck with me.
I saw Good Hair today and I have very mixed emotions about the film. I do recommend that as many people as possible go see it because I think it's important to see these kinds of films. That being said, I was somewhat dissappointed and felt the documentary didn't delve deeply enough. Maybe, he'll do a part tow. This is how I sum up my feelings on Good Hair:
1. Where were the natural women to counteract all the bull the other women were spouting? There was Tracie Thoms (one of my favorite actresses) and a young girl whose response we didn't hear after her classmates went on and on about what was wrong with her fro (which was fabulous).
2. Where were the black men who love and adore natural hair on black women? If I didn't know better, I would have left the theatre thinking black men only dated naturals because we cost less.
3. Who the hell perms a 1 /1/2 year old's hair? That stuck with me? Why aren't kiddie perms illegal? We'd be arrested if we gave poison to a child, yet we're allowed to put caustic chemicals on a young child's head? Which congressman/senator/representative do we need to lobby to get some legislation introduced to ban kiddie perms?
4. If you choose to perm or wear a weave, has this documentary inspired you to make some hairstyle changes? How?
5. What will Chris Rock tell his daughters after seeing this movie. I didn't get the feeling he felt natural was beautiful or desirable, so what will he tell his daughters?
I seen it about 3 weeks ago when at the film festival. Here's my review: http://www.afrotoronto.com/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2477&Itemid=36.
For those of you who live in London, England, bfm are premiering the film on 6th november. Get in touch with them for information.
Monica you spoiled a little bit of the "suspense" for those who haven't had a chance to see the movie yet by telling who won the dang hair show.
Myss kay you are so right! Part of the reason the kiddie perm is chosen is because people think they will be better able to comb through their children's hair.
If only people knew about conditioner combing and wide tooth or finger combing. They may learn just how easy it is to take care of natural hair.
Anyway, no good hair screenings this side of the pond, I'll wait and see if it makes it to the screens but even if it doesn't I'm pretty certain I'll get it on DVD.
i thought the movie was good. i literally cringed @ some parts of the movie where the most ignorant comments were made.
its incredibly sad a 3 year knows to get a perm only because she's "supposed to".
or the shop owners who wouldnt buy the "black hair" and the black woman who workded there and supported the notions as to why.
and i'm uncomfortable wearing or buying hair that was obtained because someone sacrificed it for a higher power, yet the people who convinced them to do so only have profit in mind.
overall, im glad i went to see it and think everyone should also.
I really, REALLY wanted to see it. My family was going to take me as an early birthday present (Oct. 11th), but it wasn't showing anywhere in Florida, as far as I could tell. Surely, it wasn't playing in Orlando.
I guess I'll eventually go when I can.
@must love movies
what did you want me to share? you can email me at mysskay@gmail.com
@iman i love the miss piggy profile - i didn't notice that earlier - too cute
@livinggolden "Get up and comb your oppression every morning." - wow. i would like to see this on a tshirt:
"I woke up and combed the oppression out."
it is 'shocking' to hear the comments from the little girls. and since ive decided to rock my natural hair out, ive tried to revisit the thoughts i had about natural hair as a little girl and adult. i used to always stop getting perms when i had braids or i would stop and just have a press and curl. but it never dawned on me that wearing my natural hair was really an option, without it being straight. i just never thought about it. and when i saw women who did sport their natural hair i just used to think it was because they were poor, had that 'good hair', didnt care about keeping up with trends or were unknowledgeable about how to do hair (because if they were knowledgeable certainly they wouldn't wear it like that). whenever i saw my classmates who had long hair, i attributed it to the fact that their MOTHER didn't perm their hair (either at all or very late in life). i said all that to say that education is very important. so as i share my experience with friends and family, some of them wont 'cross back' and some may later in life and will know where to turn. some of them have little girls, and ive noticed they have taken up a sincere interest in making sure they have a healthy head of natural hair. but i was just thinking this weekend, since so many of us are permed as a young child. you inevitably face either a big chop or a transition period later when you decide to keep your hair natural. and all the de-socialization that comes with that. that struck me as i think about the black community and how ritualistic hair has become. in some cultures you can't even cut your hair until a certain age, and here we're sort of doing the reverse (damaging the hair early and then returning to our 'roots' later).
*thinking out loud*
i really enjoyed it! derek j is actually one of my hairstlyists, so i enjoyed seeing him in all his glory on screen :) while i definitely think it could've gone in deeper detail, i commend chris for scratching the surface. i cringed watching the effects of the chemicals on the soda can...i don't miss the days of chemical burns on my scalp AT ALL! it was also interesting to see the behind the scenes info on the indian hair...this is the hair i mainly wear for my sew-ins and while i know alot about the religious practices etc, i'm glad that now more people will know where it comes from. Also to note...another poster commented (i'm paraphrasing) that the people are donating their hair out of coercion of some sort. This is a religious practice that has gone on for many years...it is within the last 15 years or so that it has become a huge revenue stream for the temples due to hair extensions. And it is men and women donating hair...and the "black market" practice that was touched on in the film--while it does happen is by no means widespread at all.
Haven't seen Good Hair yet, but wasnt there a clip with a black woman with balding/thin edges and they were braiding/relaxing her hair? Lol, I remember cringing when I saw that clip on Oprah. BTW, not showing in Nashville,TN.
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@ mysskay: It's scary reading what you wrote! In a GOOD way *hugs*! Lol, I've felt the way you've been feeling from the very beginning of my natural hair experience.
LMAO...this may sound really silly (slightly embarrassing to say out loud), but I was riding in the car with my cousin who wants to go to cosmetology school. She loves to style hair (mainly relaxed hair). I asked her about the school's syllabus and what she will learn. Lol, then I randomly told her that I hope in the near future natural hair care would be included in her school's syllabus. I'm not talking about what they call "natural hair" care (learning cornrow extensions, braids, or hair styles geared specifically toward men). I mean proper care and guidance geared at natural women. Surprisingly, my cousin said she hoped so too. She told me she always thought flat twists were cute and wanted to learn how to do them specifically on natural hair.
Lol, see the two of us (me natural and her relax) could agree on something. While I support natural hair-only hair salons and will continue to in the future, I really think we can all work together. In the past, I believe the natural hair community was force to create photo albums, blogs, and forums because a lot of black salons were neither "hearing it" nor "having it" from us. Lol, you don't know how many times my mother would go to her to her hair stylist with not thinning but BALDING edges and he would ask her what SHE was doing to cause the problem. Mind you, she'd pay $120 for a relaxer, color, and style every 8 wks and visit him every 2 wks for wash and set ($60). When she questioned him, he told her her balding was due to STRESS. I'm sure there are many here that got the same answers from their stylists. The blame is always on stress,lol! Yet, 2.5 yrs laters my mom's balding edges have naturally grown! As a result, I believe some of us were forced into this "separate but equal" hair mentality bc stylists wouldn't listen to us and we had to find other ways/means to reach out to "those" who subconsciously thought relaxers were the problem for their hair.
Nevertheless, I still think it wouldn't hurt if we are the bigger women and make the effort to reach out. Whether we all believe it or not, we've already opened the door. I truly believe natural hair is here to stay and eventually mindsets will change due to us leading by example.
Like you, I'm wondering how do we educate not only ppl but these "hair schools" without coming off as "offensive"? Yes, blogs have helped us take care of our own hair, but every once in awhile, who wouldn't want to go to a hair salon to get their hair done? I would love to free my hands some Saturdays, but we all don't live in NYC where there are LOTS of natural hair salons. The "us" vs "them" mentality is really coming from the fact that a lot of stylists live by what they're taught in school. The curriculum in the schools have to change with the ppl IMO. But how do we change it?
hey, polibohoglam!!! i also live in orlando!!!
I agree with the majority on this. I think "Good Hair" was a pretty good start at opening dialogue on the topic, but my friends and I also felt there were some holes left unaddressed in the film.
I didn't feel any of the stories related to me. I don't have a relaxer, I don't wear a weave, and it came across that any black woman that has hair past her ears probably has a weave.
The whole thing about how they get the Indian hair was VERY eye-opening, though. I have never been a fan of weave, and just seeing the lengths that the hair weave industry goes to get the hair was RIDICULOUS to me. These women and girls are offering their hair as a sacred religious sacrifice, not knowing their hair is being sold for billions of dollars. Other girls are randomly getting scalped in their sleep and while they're at the movies?! All so that women in America can have a good weave?
Hot mess.
I'm glad he shed light on that. Fake hair should never be worth that much... and I hope people took note on that. [/end rant]
Overall, I'd give it a B
I apologize for the spoiler. Since those scenes (and the competition) weren't germane to the main thesis of the documentary, I just let it fly.
Also, I've never been the type of person who cares about the ending, I've always found the journey more interesting. I forget sometimes have different preferences.
My bad.
I hate that I missed the meet up here in Chicago! I've been so busy that I haven't been able to read as often :( thus, I missed the invite. I totally would have been in the theatre with an "I'm from BGLH" sign! Lol.
Glad you enjoyed the film. Guess I'm gonna have to drag my boyfriend to go see it with me... :)
I'm sure by now we've all heard Mr. Rock is being sued for "stealing" the idea...there is another documentary out there along the same lines. I watched the trailer for "My Nappy Roots" and it seems really good! I don't know if Christ stole the idea or not...whatever the case, I'm just glad the story is being told!! But check out the site:
http://www.mynappyrootsthemovement.com/
thanks @Nola.Divine I did check out the trailer for My Nappy Roots seems like a really good documentary.
I did see the movie Good Hair. I actually heard members in the audience gasp when they saw the damage the chemical did to that soda can.
I had mixed feelings over hearing the women talk about their addiction to the creamy crack AND some women's addiction to hair weave.
I think it may let some women see their denial for what it really is-part of an addiction. There should be a 12 step program. LOL! Hearing some of the celebrities talk about the damages of relaxers while sporting a relaxed head with a weave should open the eyes of some. I think the movie was entertainingly informative but missing a very important group.
I know Chris Rock was trying to entertain but at what expense? It is still a documentary about black women's hair. Natural hair is black hair so it should have been included but...on the positive side it was thought provoking.
hUMMM... Can't wait to watch the movie... but I have no idea when or if this will b in theaters down here in Brasil... I saw Chris at Oprah's n somethings he said really got me thinking... I've been relaxing my hair for so long that I have no idea of how does it looks natural... hehehe... N yes, we truly r slavered by it... its sad...
Luv the blog... u go girl!!
BjoOoO
Incase you guys havent heard Chris Rock is being sued for Good Hair by a woman named Regina Kimbell who claim he stole her idea. Here a link:
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/celebrities/chris-rock-being-sued-for-good-hair
This is Regina's website: http://www.mynappyrootsthemovement.com/
and a link to extended youtube trailer of nappyroots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eXmy341CMs
this is a link of an interview so you can get to know the creator of my nappy roots and what inspired her:
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:DtfrK4SQhkgJ:www.yidio.com/my-nappy-roots-journey-through-black-hair-itage---dir.-r/id/978579584+watch+my+nappy+roots+online&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Lets ask ourselves, did Chris Rock's Good Hair movie get major exposure over Regina's documentary because he is a celebrity? How did the Good Hair make you feel afterward, did it leave you with feeling similar the emotions you felt if you saw Tyra's Good Hair segment, angry or like you weren't fully informed?, Was Chris Rock intention to exploit us or to help us?
I saw the film goodhair. I saw it in the comfort of my own home with an all black female/ famiy audience. The only problem I had with the film is the fact that he uses all these black women and yet never addresses his wife and the "Good hair" discussion. She adds no input to the film and as much as he criticized and taunted black women it would have been nice to see his wifes point aof view. Has she ever worn a weave or wig and how did he like or dislike it? did he even know she was swearing one?
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