Tyra Banks show on "good hair" (african american hair and afro)

[frogs]

Just wanted to share this with you all. I am not african american/ i dont have afro (i know that not only african americans have afro but that is the subject of the video.)
I thought it would be fun to share and hear your opinions on what they discuss on this show! :)

the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeXUm8OOUA8&feature=related

Edit: I know that people have different opinions on whether too relax or not, and i think it is up to everyone to decide for themselves how they want their hair to look. I personally think that natural afro looks absolutely beautiful and it is a shame that some people feel the need to relax just to "fit in." But as i said, if you want your hair relaxed and think it looks beautiful that way, it is your decision and its your hair!! :)

[RavenBaby]

Ooh I totally watched that before on youtube :D SO interesting.

I agree with you on the whole natural African hair looking fabulous, sometimes I wish I had hair like that to be honest :)

[Iaine]

I remember this episode. A lot of the family members on the African American side of my family have always lauded my hair as being "good" and that always made me so uncomfortable. I felt like they looked at me as something "other" just because I didn't look stereotypically african american.

On another note, I remember being massively resistant when my mother decided to relax my hair, because I had hip length hair at the time and I'd seen those women whose hair had broken terribly from relaxers. I definitely didn't want that for me.

[frogs]

I remember this episode. A lot of the family members on the African American side of my family have always lauded my hair as being "good" and that always made me so uncomfortable. I felt like they looked at me as something "other" just because I didn't look stereotypically african american.

On another note, I remember being massively resistant when my mother decided to relax my hair, because I had hip length hair at the time and I'd seen those women whose hair had broken terribly from relaxers. I definitely didn't want that for me.

That about your family members and the way what they said made you feel bad is so sad! Everyone's hair is different and it should be celebrated! I am sure your hair is/was beautiful and no body should have to feel bad about something like that. Even though they probably said it as a compliment and just meant to be nice i understand how that can make one feel different and uncomfortable!

The main problem i have with this show is the mother who relaxes her daughters hair at three years old. I am not african american and i dont have children which results in me not knowing all the "problems" (as she stated it) with children that have extremely curly hair, but i still think putting harsh chemicals on children that young is probably not healthy. It is probably not a confidence booster either because it makes a statement that there is "something wrong" about your hair that needs to be fixed.

[MaryMarx]

Ooh, interesting! I'll watch it right away.

[Iaine]

That about your family members and the way what they said made you feel bad is so sad! Everyone's hair is different and it should be celebrated! I am sure your hair is/was beautiful and no body should have to feel bad about something like that. Even though they probably said it as a compliment and just meant to be nice i understand how that can make one feel different and uncomfortable!

The main problem i have with this show is the mother who relaxes her daughters hair at three years old. I am not african american and i dont have children which results in me not knowing all the "problems" (as she stated it) with children that have extremely curly hair, but i still think putting harsh chemicals on children that young is probably not healthy. It is probably not a confidence booster either because it makes a statement that there is "something wrong" about your hair that needs to be fixed.

I think she felt sort of desperate and I wish there was someone who could have taught her how to style her daughter's hair. I know there are other ways to make a child's hair more manageable for her parents. The problem is often that women are constantly bombarded with this idea that their natural hair texture is ugly and meant to be "fixed" when that simply isn't true! I've seen many a natural type 4 woman who awoke in me a sort of hair envy I never knew could happen. :D

I mean who else has hair that can defy gravity in such beautiful ways? I find myself wishing I could pull of styles like this: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGy-d6Rz6K4/T-2vi3lcPuI/AAAAAAAAY3I/5CYXGrV5BVQ/s1600/photo55.jpg
and this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFwZWXLhWDM/T-sIgUHFqII/AAAAAAAAYxk/Q9rvU3fE8z4/s1600/Lisakinktwistloopstyle13G.jpg

[jacqueline101]

I found it interesting.

[SwordWomanRiona]

Thanks for sharing!

I also believe that everyone is entitled to do what they want to their hair, they shouldn't be forced to straighten/curl it, but they shouldn't be forced to keep it natural either.
But it's so sad that so many black people be forced to straighten their hair in order to conform to "white Western society". I find it so sad and unfair that they be forced to hate their own natural hair. There are different types of hair, no one is better than others! The "white girl swing" comment saddened me. Personally I love the hair black people have, I love how curly and thick and full it is. No white person should have the sufficiency of stating that their hair is better, and it's worse to hear that from black people themselves.
To straighten it as a change, or because you really like it better like that (not brainwashed by society or afraid not to conform) is fine, but it's not fine to be forced to do it for fear of being perceived as uglier/worse. It's so unfair that so many black people be forced to change themselves in order to be perceived as 'more professional/beautiful/Western/...". Very unfair.

[frogs]

Thanks for sharing!

I also believe that everyone is entitled to do what they want to their hair, they shouldn't be forced to straighten/curl it, but they shouldn't be forced to keep it natural either.
But it's so sad that so many black people be forced to straighten their hair in order to conform to "white Western society". I find it so sad and unfair that they be forced to hate their own natural hair. There are different types of hair, no one is better than others! The "white girl swing" comment saddened me. Personally I love the hair black people have, I love how curly and thick and full it is. No white person should have the sufficiency of stating that their hair is better, and it's worse to hear that from black people themselves.
To straighten it as a change, or because you really like it better like that (not brainwashed by society or afraid not to conform) is fine, but it's not fine to be forced to do it for fear of being perceived as uglier/worse. It's so unfair that so many black people be forced to change themselves in order to be perceived as 'more professional/beautiful/Western/...". Very unfair.

Everything you said is so true!! I also got sad as she said that about the "white girl swing". That statement probably just feeds the idea that only some hairtypes are beautiful and accepted. I feel so sorry for all young girls (and boys) who grow up to believe that there is something wrong with their hair that needs to be fixed!! I am glad to be a part of LHC where all kinds of hairtypes are being celebrated and looked upon as beautiful.

[itdontmatter48]

I agree, telling your children there is something wrong is never a confidence booster! No matter what the subject matter is.

[SwordWomanRiona]

Everything you said is so true!! I also got sad as she said that about the "white girl swing". That statement probably just feeds the idea that only some hairtypes are beautiful and accepted. I feel so sorry for all young girls (and boys) who grow up to believe that there is something wrong with their hair that needs to be fixed!! I am glad to be a part of LHC where all kinds of hairtypes are being celebrated and looked upon as beautiful.

Yes, it's so very sad :(. I watched all five parts, and those little girls, I was so sad for them, and so angry with society, and with their mothers, who teach them to hate their hair.

So much that I chose to comment, and to try to get some fair views and common sense into some narrow-minded minds...my mistake, because I hardly feel that arguing in YouTube leads to any good :rolleyes:, but ah well, sometimes when you see and read unjust things, you cannot help yourself, right?

[ravenreed]

It was hard to watch for several reasons, especially Part 2 with the moms and the little girls. I am also one of those who believes that one should have the option to embrace one's natural texture or not as one pleases. However, the cultural pressure to conform to some ideal must be awful fierce to cause a mom to relax the hair of her (just-barely-out-of-diapers) little girl! I can't imagine giving in to that, but then again, I am not hearing those messages, am I?

I also wish the mom of the daughter with really long hair would listen to her and let her cut it if she wishes. That seems cruel. As a parent of a child who was bullied terribly, I feel like why give the bullies more ammo? In a perfect world, the little girl should be able to rise above the teasing, but kids get so vicious. I feel it is setting her up to hate school rather than enjoy it. I am sort of appalled at the mom who put weaves in her daughter's hair. At least she admits that it is about her and not about the little girl wants. I hope someone tells her about traction alopecia and what she may be inflicting on her daughter.

[Tisiloves]

That about your family members and the way what they said made you feel bad is so sad! Everyone's hair is different and it should be celebrated! I am sure your hair is/was beautiful and no body should have to feel bad about something like that. Even though they probably said it as a compliment and just meant to be nice i understand how that can make one feel different and uncomfortable!

The main problem i have with this show is the mother who relaxes her daughters hair at three years old. I am not african american and i dont have children which results in me not knowing all the "problems" (as she stated it) with children that have extremely curly hair, but i still think putting harsh chemicals on children that young is probably not healthy. It is probably not a confidence booster either because it makes a statement that there is "something wrong" about your hair that needs to be fixed.


I felt like shouting at her and the white lady "For goodness sake get out the coconut oil and learn to do braids". Seriously, if wearing them wearing their hair out is too much trouble just braid it and you only have to deal with it every 4-6 weeks. Hell, even better why not just learn how to deal with it out as well.

All of us have our hair pros and cons. I personally don't know why you would give up gravity defying hair that sticks to itself, it's clearly made of magic.

[Oksana]

That was a very interesting watch, thank you for sharing.

[MrsGuther]

Hah. I don't know why there is this misconception that all white women have silky straight hair. :( I'm white, and I have course, wavy hair (some of the hairs that grow out of my head are kinky like carpet fuzz...). I was almost slightly offended by the video... Lol

[CurlyCap]

Watch this video (and the entire channel) for info and images that will repair the WTF? feeling left by the Tyra episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u_Dn0Qa_ao

I would love to be able to braid like this someday!

[Tisiloves]

Watch this video (and the entire channel) for info and images that will repair the WTF? feeling left by the Tyra episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u_Dn0Qa_ao

I would love to be able to braid like this someday!

All the little girls 'round my way wear their hair in the afro puff or cornrow pigtails and it's super cute.:D

[Ambystoma]

I mean who else has hair that can defy gravity in such beautiful ways? I find myself wishing I could pull of styles like this: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGy-d6Rz6K4/T-2vi3lcPuI/AAAAAAAAY3I/5CYXGrV5BVQ/s1600/photo55.jpg
and this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFwZWXLhWDM/T-sIgUHFqII/AAAAAAAAYxk/Q9rvU3fE8z4/s1600/Lisakinktwistloopstyle13G.jpg

Wow - those are some gorgeous styles! I wonder if a type 2 with some coconut oil/aloe vera gel and very strong arms could replicate this, it's loads of tiny rope braids as best as I can tell...hmmm.

edit: I just tried it on a small extension piece that is a similar texture to my own hair and they stay really nicely without having to use elastics at the bottom - awesome!

[KittyBird]

I found it very interesting. I have already watched Chris Rock's "Good Hair" movie, and prior to that I had no idea that people use chemicals to relax their hair.
If an adult wants to relax his/her hair, then go for it, but please keep the kids out of it. I don't like the idea of using those harsh, damaging chemicals on small children, it's not good for their mental and physical health. Teach them to love their hair instead, and figure out how to properly care for it. In my mind, all hair is good, and I think african hair is very beautiful. :blossom:

[MinderMutsig]

I personally don't know why you would give up gravity defying hair that sticks to itself, it's clearly made of magic.This quote is perfection. :D:D:D

[Tisiloves]

This quote is perfection. :D:D:D

Thank you :bow:

[LoveAngelBeauty]

I personally don't know why you would give up gravity defying hair that sticks to itself, it's clearly made of magic.

Because it can be a pain in the but. Natural hair is a lot of work. My hair is a lot of work and it's still very short. I mean, I'm definitely not out for the "white girl swing." I'm just looking for something that I can jump in the shower with, wash and go without horrific tangling and dryness.

[owlathena]

Thanks for posting! I just watched the whole show. Its really interesting and I've been thinking abut watching the Chris Rock documentary for a couple years now but never got around to it. I think that people should do what they want, to either let their hair be natural or whatever makes them feel good. But I do hope that people make the decision for themselves, and not because of how they think society will react. The mothers who changed their daughters hair and told their daughters that their natural hair wasn't beautiful...? YUCK! I also had a problem with the mother who wouldn't cut her daughters hair even though the daughter really wanted it cut. It seemed like she was jealous of her daughters "good hair" and kept it long for selfish reasons.

I personally ADORE big poofy black hair! If people want to change it, that can be beautiful too, I just want the decision to come from the heart and not the media.

[Aliped]

I have a question. Do you thinks Serena Williams' hair is natural in this picture http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2207998/Serena-Williams-shopping-spree-French-tennis-coach-turned-boyfriend-Milan.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
I think her hair is absolutely stunning in that picture, but maybe that's not natural, I don't know...

[lacefrost]

Because it can be a pain in the but. Natural hair is a lot of work. My hair is a lot of work and it's still very short. I mean, I'm definitely not out for the "white girl swing." I'm just looking for something that I can jump in the shower with, wash and go without horrific tangling and dryness.

I promise you, it gets easier with length. When people comment that my hair must be a lot of work, I shrug and say, "not particularly." I mean, you will always have to dedicate 1-2 hours a week on washday. But for the rest of the week, a couple seconds is enough. I find that my hair is only a pain in the butt when I haven't been listening to it. (I.e. gone more than a week without washing it; wearing it loose for more than 3 days; etc)