Good Hair Ft. Chris Rock

Firstly this subject is close to my heart as I have never considered myself as having ‘Good Hair’ so therefore I was advised by a friend to watch this. I found this documentary both funny and sad. It didn’t really change my idea of good hair, but it highlights how most people with natural afro hair share the same idea, that untreated ‘nappy’ hair is just not good hair.

The sad part was that children as young as 3 were having their hair treated, as they were being told by the media that the hair as it naturally grows out of their head was not good enough and when asked, the school children felt that if they left their hair natural, then they would get ahead or even pass the interview stage.. ..this made me wonder what would I tell my children, when asked do I have good hair?!

They showed us what we are doing to our hair with the perming solution and the horror stories of the chemical burns, which I have experienced first-hand and I nodded knowingly with the mention of leaving the perming solution on until it burns so the hairs is Asian straight. What they didn’t mention was that the burning is the indication that the solution has stopped relaxing your curls and is now just burning your head, calling it creamy crack which I again I can identify with; once you’re on it, it’s hard to give up.

Some have said that in straightening our curls, we are trying to appear ‘less black’ I find this ridiculous as often naturally curly hair does not grow and when we relax it, it becomes more manageable and the straight long hair ideal that is attained by weaves is no longer just a black issue. Young girls of every race want this, the media show us images every day of the perfect women with the perfect bodies and we want that image, including the long flowing hair.

Others say we should be happy with what we have, which is easy to say. We all want what we don’t have; people with straight hair want curls and vice versa.

I smiled when famous actresses admitted they rarely got their hair wet and didn’t like people touching their hair as they wear weaves and the average black man admitted their wives and girlfriends didn’t allow them to touch their hair.

Men and women are working hard to afford weaves, costing thousands, hair that is coming from India from sacrifice. They have the right idea about hair and regularly have it shaved off, tonsuring their hair asking for favours like good marriages and wealth for the exchange of their hair, so ladies are gladly giving up what is considered beautiful in this ancient tradition and ladies in affluent regions of the globe are stitching it into their heads.

This documentary is great at opening the debate and has definitely made me think; if I knew what I know now would I have chemically treated my hair?!

Honest answer: Yes. All Powerful Jeanie is addicted to the Creamy Crack!