“Good Hair” Documentary Looks Promising

aries3_04
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 03:16 pm: [report]

can’t wait to see this. That image of the relaxer seeping through the coke bottle is further incentive for me to transition to natural

Annika Harris
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 03:27 pm: [report]

@aries3_04 Free yourself from the chemicals!

impoddity
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 03:44 pm: [report]

This is so sad, because it’s so true. 

I tried to explain extensions to some of my white friends the other day…  yeah, not too successful.  They also get looks when I talk about their “white people hair”.  It really is a cultural thing. :shrugs:

@arica3_04 Go with dreads. It’s natural and still gives you the pseudo-straight look.  It’s a happy medium.

Lynn
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 04:27 pm: [report]

Cannot, Cannot, wait for this. I am white but I am totally fascinated with black hair culture as of late.

Silver_Stag
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 07:41 pm: [report]

This film looks great and I can’t wait for it!  My white friends are always asking me questions about my hair, and always asking, “can I touch it?” whenever I get it relaxed… though I have to say the huge vat filled with relxer cream made me feel slightly sick.  I think this will be a good film to watch with them, entertaining and educational.

SterlingSilver36
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 07:55 pm: [report]

“so my black hair’s not worth anything”
that line both made me laugh and then made me sad.

I want to see this so badly! I have a relaxer and I do love it. I clearly remember when I was younger that I wanted the relaxer just so it wouldnt take so long to do my hair all the time. I hated sitting through the hot comb process (remember those? ahh, sitting by the stove, watching the fire heat up a metal comb that was about touch your hair. So comforting), braids (my hair, not weave). And I was “tender-headed”. So I wanted the relaxer just so life would be easier, not because I hated my hair.

Or maybe I subconsciously thought something different. Who knows!

*sam*
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 08:28 pm: [report]

Wow, that looks REALLY interesting!! I hope it plays in my local cinema 6!!! seriously, *please* be released in New Bern, NC!!

Sobriquet
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 09:28 pm: [report]

This looks really cool. I was shocked to learn how much stuff my African-American roommate had to go through to keep her hair the way she wanted it to look, this process including regular relaxings/perms, daily applications of weird gunk and oils to her roots, infrequent but regular washings, special shampoos and conditioners (or no conditioner at all), and a nightly ritual of tying up all her hair in a bandana or similar cloth so it wouldn’t “dry out.” I mean, I thought I had difficult hair what with it being super curly and prone to extreme frizziness, but this routine just seemed ridiculous to excess. It seemed a little sad that she couldn’t just accept her hair for what it was naturally, but then again, there was a girl in our dorm with a ‘fro and I admit, it is not really an easy look to pull off.

HereComestheSunQ
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 10:07 pm: [report]

I am dying to see this movie; I hope it knocks some sense into women! I got my first relaxer in fourth grade because my white mother and black father didn’t know how to deal with my mixed hair.  Four years ago I decided to grow out my curls and we love them! Straight hair is so boring. I’m an actress and my hair sets me apart from all the other ethnic girls that walk in with pressed hair. Also, by relaxing your hair you take away your versatility.  I can wear my hair natural a million ways and I can still get it flat ironed straight (it’s too much/thick for me to do it myself, but my hair dresser Anne is ah-mazing! She’s Asian and better than handling my hair than any other stylist I’ve seen).  I’m glad my mom did get my hair relaxed when she did or else I probably wouldn’t appreciate my natural curls as much as I do! Oh, and as a bonus; my hair routine is shampoo, condition, add Big Curly Hair creme and I’m done! 5 minutes, tops!

tigerstripe
wrote on August 4 2009 @ 11:07 pm: [report]

This is fascinating!! I’m white and I was only dimly aware of the options for black people to style their hair until about a month ago, when I read a really good article on CNN as part of the “Black in America” series.

I know it probably doesn’t make much difference, but I like Pam Grier look for natural hair.  A little diversity in hairstyles is definitely a good thing.

Coral
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 12:56 am: [report]

I am white but I have been recently considering relaxing my hair because it is very frizzy, poofy, and wavy, and I’m moving to the south soon where it will be more humid. And this movie looks really good.

Sekgo
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 04:08 am: [report]

Haha, I hope this film is shown beyond the US- I’m southern African, and hair here constitutes a HUGE expression of your identity and style; however, it isn’t typecast in the American way, with there being one notion of “good” hair. I have locks, but used to relax and braid my hair as a kid, and even with locks, hair takes effort and maintenance, were it not for the size of my head, I would be rocking a mini-fro or an amber rose buzz. However, I know that from my cultural background, it is as accepted, and as feminine, to have an afro, locks, braids, extension, cornrows, twists, wet shave (Alek Wek), buzz cut, almost anything flies, and none of those styles define you nor is straight hair considered more or less feminine…

Sekgo
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 04:23 am: [report]

Oh yeah, I just wanted to add, that issues with women and their hair extend way beyond race or culture, I come from a corporate working background, and the pressure on women (of all ethnicities) to have straight hair is ridiculous- why isn’t curly hair considered as professional? Or even super long hair? I really believe a woman herself, personally, should be the one to determine what her hair means to her, whatever style she chooses, whatever colour it is, provided that hair is kept clean, and if you’re black or mixed or whathaveyou, feel free to relax away, or weave, or shave, but let it be an expression of yourself, not due to sexist, racist, ageist prejudice

MissChaotic
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 09:07 am: [report]

I cant wait for it to come out!!!

bogart4017
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 10:26 am: [report]

Coming from a large family of cosmetologist (grandmother, great aunt, uncles, cousins) i’m sure this movie will open up the minds of millions.

wonder_bread
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 12:26 pm: [report]

i cant wait to see it either…im strongly considering going natural.. i’ve had braids for the summer but im not to sure i want to relax my hair anymore…im just tired of not know what do with my hair.. i want a change…

Skwisgiirl
wrote on August 5 2009 @ 03:50 pm: [report]

I can’t wait for this to come out! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to explain my hair rituals to my white* friends, who respond with childlike awe and wonder (*I say “white,” because I’ve found my Latina, Indian, and Asian girlfriends go through many of the same rituals I do!). Just a couple weeks ago, I found myself at a loss for words when a close friend of mine was surprised at the fact that my flat-ironed hair was curly after it got wet. Now, I can just gather my friends and have them watch this movie, lol.

@SterlingSilver36—I’m with you; I didn’t relax my hair until high school, and it was purely a matter of convenience. I love my natural texture, but my relaxed hair is so much easier to take care of. Though I’ll admit that in college, when all the other black girls were “embracing” their natural hair texture, and I kept relaxing mine, that it felt a little odd. I remember explaining to one of my friends that it’s not about a white ideal for me—it’s just that it’s my hair, and I’m wearing it how I feel like wearing it.