Oprah with Solange Knoweles and Chris Rock

[Gullah*Gotham*Glitter]

Did anyonoe watch today? I only caught the last part of it. It was a really good episode. Let's discuss
http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow-20090916-chris-rock-...

I really look forward to seeing Chris Rock's movie. The thing that I loved that he said is that for one, when it comes to hair to do what makes you feel beautiful be beautiful for you and not for a man or for a job or for Anglo standards. Secondly one of the greatest things he said was that the kiddy perms have to go!!! I have no problems with a grown ass woman or a teenager who have a perm. They are able to make that decision but for little 3 and 4 year olds, that is torture. Perms are painful and very uneccesary for young girls. I'll never understand why some mothers perm their daughters hair and then braid it. Why didn't braids work in their natural hair?

I have a lot of respect for Oprah when she said that the girls in her schools in South Africa all have braided hair. She doesn't want them fussing and complaining about their hair when they should be focused on school. Sadly many girls do that.

As far as Solange Knowles, I agree before she was just another beauty but now you can really notice her individual features which makes her a more unique beauty. I am also glad that she said that this may be just a phase for her and she is not trying to start some type of revolution. I've never really listen to Solange's music but who knows with this new found respect for her maybe I'll give it a shot and become a fan.

[Caribbeanchic]

I agree. Straightening is difficult to take as an adult and shouldn't be forced onto kids because parents think their hair would be easier to manage, or feel that it's some rite of passage.

If i do have a daughter, I'm going to leave it up to her to make an informed decision on whether she wants to straighten her hair or not.

[The L. is good for you]

It's good to see Solange embracing her natural beauty. She's leagues more attractive this way imho. I was disturbed by Chris' statement that his daughters would 'have to' go through the weaves and relaxers thing as teenagers? Who says? Maybe someone will reach them and help them see the original beauty in natural styles? Maybe they'll loc, or twist their tresses? Maybe they'll go for a straight natural fro that they can flip like Shingai and Janelle do on the regular. I mean damn, he makes this movie which should be a healing influence, and then adds to the stigma.

Didn't like how he said 'That's an amazing head of hair. Most Black women don't have hair like this' to Harpo either.

???

Um, it's a blowout. With Oprah's money nearly anyone could achieve that, and more to the point, that was insulting as hell to sisters everywhere. The blowout is not the highest form of Black beauty.

Another cup of conditioning anyone?
Chris is buying.

[That Subliminal Kid]

Haven't watched the episode. But kiddie perms honestly disturb me. Not only are people putting incredibly harsh chemicals on their daughters' heads, they're also teaching their daughters that they are not pretty without chemical alteration. People make such a fuss about nappiness and new-growth that these girls grow up disgusted with what is growing out of their bodies. Furthermore, the girls grow up not knowing how to care for their natural hair, so it's hard for them to go natural even if they want to.

[PURPLE PILL BABIES]

Did not see it(I dont watch t.v close to ever last yr and so), heard all about it many times over. I agree w/ everything you said!!!! Especially about blow outs, I never put heat in my hair bc even if I do that I'm trying to alter the texture. I try to thug it out w/ my tru texture. Unless I use gel if Im going to a party and want my pony tail controlled. By the way ppl Solange does have good music. I'm not a fan or anything just credit where its do! Peace and knowledge lovely sistas: )

Lavande said:

It's good to see Solange embracing her natural beauty. She's leagues more attractive this way imho. I was disturbed by Chris' statement that his daughters would 'have to' go through the weaves and relaxers thing as teenagers? Who says? Maybe someone will reach them and help them see the original beauty in natural styles? Maybe they'll loc, or twist their tresses? Maybe they'll go for a straight natural fro that they can flip like Shingai and Janelle do on the regular. I mean damn, he makes this movie which should be a healing influence, and then adds to the stigma.

Didn't like how he said 'That's an amazing head of hair. Most Black women don't have hair like this' to Harpo either.

???

Um, it's a blowout. With Oprah's money nearly anyone could achieve that, and more to the point, that was insulting as hell to sisters everywhere. The blowout is not the highest form of Black beauty.

Another cup of conditioning anyone?
Chris is buying.

[Death is Drunk]

I watched it and disagreed with Chris when he said black men didn't care what black women do their hair. That's lie a lot of black men freak out if their girlfriend or wife chopped off her hair or went natural.

[Gullah*Gotham*Glitter]

I think what he was referring to is how many young girls go through a stage when they want to dye their hair and do all sorts of crazy stuff or try the newest trend. Most females do that in high school. I highly doubt that any of us have the same hair that we did when we were kids. High/Middle school is round about the age that a lot of us jack up our hair but it seems to be a common theme for all young girls across the races.

Lavande said:

It's good to see Solange embracing her natural beauty. She's leagues more attractive this way imho. I was disturbed by Chris' statement that his daughters would 'have to' go through the weaves and relaxers thing as teenagers? Who says? Maybe someone will reach them and help them see the original beauty in natural styles? Maybe they'll loc, or twist their tresses? Maybe they'll go for a straight natural fro that they can flip like Shingai and Janelle do on the regular. I mean damn, he makes this movie which should be a healing influence, and then adds to the stigma.

Didn't like how he said 'That's an amazing head of hair. Most Black women don't have hair like this' to Harpo either.

???

Um, it's a blowout. With Oprah's money nearly anyone could achieve that, and more to the point, that was insulting as hell to sisters everywhere. The blowout is not the highest form of Black beauty.

Another cup of conditioning anyone?
Chris is buying.

[Gullah*Gotham*Glitter]

Not necessarily true. Not as many men as you would think. I'm not gonna front like there aren't dudes out there who have problems with natural hair but through my experience it hasn't been a majority. Besides I think some men (regardless of race) freak out when their spouse or lover chop off their hair because of the traditional view that young girls to young women have long hair and middle aged to older women have short hair.

Death is Drunk said:

I watched it and disagreed with Chris when he said black men didn't care what black women do their hair. That's lie a lot of black men freak out if their girlfriend or wife chopped off her hair or went natural.

[Stephanie Selassie]

I think that chris rock himself is brianwashed and hes calling black women out on the fact that their hair has developed into an obsession.He has no room to talk,especially if he wants to stand on the soap box and talk about the self-loathing that a lot of blacks feel towards themselves.Have you seen any of this stand up comedy?he talks down on blacks so much and hes not even trying to be funny half the time.Half the time you know hes dead serious.
Also, mind you,Did you see the picture of him with his wife and children?His wife looks like she has a perm too! i bet you all the money in the world that he would shit in his clothes if she decided to do a BC and go natural.

I know that black people already know that the whole idea behind "good hair" .Few actually know that it originated from the times of slavery though. When the slaves with less textured,striaghter,lighter hair worked less hard and stayed in the house near his master. while the ones who has a darker complexion and had coarser hair worked on the fields and ate the masters scrapes.

But whites will also see this documentary. i dont feel they will all see it as a basis to understanding us more but as a way to shame us and look down on us when their ansectors were the ones who changed our perception of what beauty means from the get-go and taught us that our hair and skin color wasent beautiful and something we should be ashamed of.
People are still going to the drastic measures they were going through then,chemically frying their tresses and bleaching their skin.
where else would we get those ideas from?white people shouldnt be suprised...

[Bim(baller)]

I wrote this about Chris Rock's TV Appearances last week:

http://www.racewire.org/archives/2009/10/greasy_like_chicken_chris_...

Thoughts?

[Daoud]

Oh my goodness! Solange looks freaking GORGEOUS and looks better than Beyonce, yeah I said it. She was always cute and had a more grounded cultural edge to music and image and she's fully representing now, whoa...

Pardon me ladies, edging in with a man's perspective: the power is YOURS, bottom line.

I know my preferences and we all have them. But what it comes down to is that if all Black women (starting in America) decided to chuck the hot combs and 'creamy crack' acidic toxins, we'd deal with it. I thin I can speak for the majority of Black men that we wouldn't suddenly leave all sister and run to the blonde beckys, hahahaa.

Two of the most respected musical artisits in the business today embraced their natural hair, Erykah Badu & India Arie. When these sisters came on the scene, the first thing white folks and everybody else did was stare in stunned amazement and then bow down in respect. Because when you wear your crown with pride folks will recognize. And if you wear a clown disguise being other than yourself because you're ashamed of who you are, people will recognize that too.

As messed up as brothers can act sometimes, we follow what ever leads y'all set and so does the rest of the world. The power and the choice is yours solely.