Leave it to Chris Rock to analyze one of the Black Communities biggest debates and do so in a way that makes the topic seem refreshing and new. His upcoming movie aptly titled "Good Hair" seeks to tackle the questions that have befuddled black men for years and what has tortured many black women for decades...what exactly is "good hair".

The following is from the Sundance Film Festival 2009 Website:

"When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head! Director Jeff Stilson’s camera followed the funnyman, and the result is Good Hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African American hair culture.An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.

Recipient of A Special Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary."

http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/good_hair

Since the movie was announced it's been the subject of debate on the Tyra Show, the Oprah Show, Wendy Williams and countless others. The complexities between distinguishing whether or not a woman was blessed with "good hair" or bad hair when dealing with Black Women is enough to give anyone a complex.

To men, it's just a shared joke in the black community when we marvel at young girls with shiny hair. As we brush it back with our fingers and exclaim, "Wow she got good hurrr," everyone laughs, the mom laughs and everyone has a good time right?

Maybe in Kool-Aid commercials.

It's not funny when you see siblings dislike each other from jealousy and envy based on the differences in their hair grade, and it's not nearly as humorous when you hear tales of self-hatred and self-loathing over something that can be cut and can grow back. Women contend with some of the most painful and potentially harmful; chemically induced transitions in order to obtain the all coveted coif of "Good Hair". Between Perms & Relaxers, Hot Combs, Pressing Irons and the like; (the smell of burnt hair and sulfurous boiled eggs is enough to turn the stomach of most people), but it's necessary to some in order to feel good about one's looks and apparently about one's self.






With weaves, wigs and what-not adorning the hair of women everywhere despite nationality, one could imagine why all this fuss would only add to the bewilderment of any culture other than black. I mean, why would Asians, Latinos or Caucasians ever experience wishful thinking for hair that's more European. In a world where straight and shiny = manageable and "easy to style", all the while damaging the natural curls underneath by slicking, cutting or burning back edges to make them straighten up and act right.


As if the internal conflict of being held to the archetype of the Black Barbie with the bone straight hair weren't enough. Or competing with the girls who have wavy non-coarse hair that must have "Indian in their family" (I know you've heard a girl swear they were a Cherokee princess). Good vs. Bad Hair is an issue that has divided our already segmented community that to this day still contends with color-struck individuals. These lines in the sand are even further trenched when differentiating between Women who embrace natural hair and those who prefer to wear synthetic or chemically straightened hair or even born with "naturally" straight hair.

Maybe you remember Spike Lee's movie "School Daze" (one of my favorites) with the infamous "Good or Bad Hair" musical number with "Jigaboo's" and "Wanna Be's" squaring off like Union and Confederate soldiers.



I dont use this analogy to say one side is right over the other, however I do use this to highlight neither side believes they are wrong. Some women are born with naturally fine grades of hair, others are born with thicker hair that coils. Based on all the women I've talked to recently, that's the greatest distinction. But each side comes with it's own set of benefits and problems and thus, coping mechanisms.

Some women with "good hair" hate that it's so thin and fragile (ever ask a black girl to go in the rain without an umbrella? or stay outside where it's humid?) Women with thicker hair just don't like the lack of manageability or style diversity it has.

The difference between growing up with those two thick braids because there was nothing more you could do with it or a part down the middle with long hair swinging past shoulders has made many women grow up resentful of their futilely trained follicles. However all women aren't so jaded. Many of the "Natural" women I encounter today started out with perms then cut it all off to embrace their own "do" as opposed to someone-else's.

The whole debate I'll admit is not one I'm extremely knowledgeable about, I can speak however to this: No woman should want "good hair" because that's what they think men want. (someone told me this and if this is true that's sad)...the hair you have IS good hair.

If the ladies in the club you see getting all the play have long hair and men don't seem to approach you; it's probably because no man want's to approach the chick with the "stink face" mugging the long haired girl across the room. The most we men want from a woman outwardly is the expression of confidence. Do what makes you feel good. Be free. Inside and out.

So if you feel like you're a prisoner to your hair, don't let your mother, grandmother, sisters, cousins or aunties talk you out of starting over. Do what makes YOU feel good. I applaud and fully acknowledge the courage it takes for a woman to go against the grain (no pun intended) and go natural. So to Ebony, Tiffany, Sabre, Saba and so many other women I know who bucked the trend and said bye bye to no lye relaxers, extensions and sew-ins..I salute you.

And to my feminine friends who hit the beauty shop early and often to get your crop dusted and your hair fried, dyed and laid to the side...more power to you.

But as with clothes, shoes, cars, money or anything else in this life that does not contend with your heart and spirit. Your hair does not define you any more than our shade defines us. I sincerely hope black families and bi-racial families especially go and support this movie. Perhaps if enough people can agree that there's more than two grades of hair (good and bad) we can move on from this debate and eradicate the many others that separate the black community like Willie Lynch predicted. As for me? I'm gonna go listen to India Arie's "I Am Not My Hair"...it just feels right about now...