Forget What You Learned in That Hair Documentary, Black Women Are Not Terrified of Water
However, this most recent hair question confused me since I'd already been in the pool for 20 minutes doing laps with a kickboard and my hair was already wet. I'd forgotten a rubber band to put it up in a pony tail so it was not only wet, I had water spiraling down every single tight corkscrew curl on my head. My confusion must've shown on my face because she floated closer to me and hissed, "You're going to get your hair wet here in the pool!"
Okaaay, lady.
I figured she must have some sort of mental health issues so I backed away slightly and smiled as I replied, "Don't worry. I know it's getting wet. It's alright if it does."
"But I thought you black girls are afraid of water because it wrecks your hairdos," she said. And then she added "At least, that's what I saw in that documentary."
"Which documentary?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
"That one on hair," she replied.
"Oh, well...don't believe everything you see in documentaries," I said as I pushed off the edge of the pool for another lap.
In June a guy in Trader Joe's asked me if I am afraid of water because of my hair. He also told me, "I learned that about black women in a documentary."
I told him that I am not afraid of water. "In fact, I shower ever day," I said. He subsequently stated that the documentary he'd seen had explained how "difficult" and hard to take care of black women's hair is. He asked if it takes me hours and hours on it every day to do mine. He couldn't believe that I only spend a few minutes on it.
I shared that interaction on Twitter and my friend Noble Honore tweeted back "umm, more like he saw a chris rock doc and thought all blk women are afraid of water and wear weaves."
I refused to see "Good Hair" when it came out in 2009 because every trailer seemed to be mocking black women's hair care practices and how much some of us spend on straightening products and weaves. Also, during an appearance on Oprah to promote the film, Oprah showed Rock a childhood picture of herself with natural hair. He had the nerve to say, "You look like a slave." It's been almost THREE years and I'm still hot over that.
Of course, these two interactions aren't proof that all white people in America walked away from Rock's documentary thinking black women must be afraid of water because it'll jack up our hair, or our hair is difficult and tough to manage. But these two probably aren't alone in thinking this way. One thing is for sure, Rock's "OMG those crazy black ladies love weaves" mockery is getting another serious side-eye from me.
Photo via Flickr Alex_Ford
Comments
And not all black women have weaves, are unable to grow their own hair or even put that much emphasis on their hair. That dayum documentary has put forth even more stereotypes and don't we as black women have enough stereotypes to deal with as it is...
Great post!
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Id just say Im not like most of the women in that documentary...I have natural hair and can do just about anything I choose to!
As for our hair; unfortunately we live in a world where any Black person that speaks about something that has to do with Black people is seen by many White people as being an expert on Blackness. And Chris Rock in not an expert on Blackness.
As we were leaving the pool we passed a dad who was standing in the parking lot next to his car trying to comb the tangles out of his daughter's super long hair. She was complaining SO loudly in Spanish...it made everybody walking by laugh a little because dad did NOT know what he was doing. I mean, I don't know anybody who won't say a boy's short hair is easier than a girl's long hair, no matter what racial or ethnic background you come from.
That said, I know what you mean and I got comments about hair when I was pregnant, too. I was told by a few women that I should hope the "good" hair gene got to my future child since it so obviously skipped me. Of course that's just a manifestation of the self hate black Americans have been indoctrinated in. There's also the reality that if I just spent half my Saturday getting my hair done at the beauty shop, I'm NOT going swimming no matter what background I come from!
Carolyn,
That's what I thought about Rock, too. Like, c'mon son, are you serious? I have heard that there is not much on natural hair in the doc and he focuses WAY too much on weaves. Come to think of it, I have had an increase of random folks asking me how I take care of my weave.
Stesha,
OKAY? If I'm flying anywhere it's not for something hair related! Hugs back to you, too.
Lola,
If she slapped him then she'd be an angry black woman and we can't have that, can we? The thing is, even when I relaxed my hair, I still worked out and did all kinds of stuff. I think it's a matter of whether you know how to take care of your own hair or not that makes the difference in whether you're going to be active. But I definitely don't run from rain anymore. ;)
Val,
I would've LOVED if she'd not laughed at all and just sat there and given him THE LOOK.
I love that you pointed out that Rock isn't an expert on blackness. Sad how he's now regarded by some as the end-all-be-all on black women's hair.
Take that gender and racial stereotypes!
The thing is, and I have told them, if I ever have a girl, I will keep her hair natural. The internet can be a great place and I have already found penty of information about natural hair care in addition to having friends who have natural hair.
Matt, love your comment.