Ladies. Weigh in for me. Are we natural haired women stuck up? Like hair snobs because we have left the creamy crack behind? I actually went to see Chris Rock's Good Hair last night with my mom, on a whim, and I think we were the only two women with natural hair in there. I didn't pay much attention at first but as time went on, I noticed myself laughing at parts (and there was no one else laughing) or crinkling my nose at things that I deemed ridiculous (like spending $1000 for a weave when you don't have lights). Then all of a sudden I got self-conscious. I began to wonder if when the lights came on, the non-natural ladies in the room would look at me with a critical eye, like I thought I was 'above' them for not dealing with the bull crap that can come with relaxers and weaves. I don't know. I just got a weird feeling and wondered if I, on some level, am stuck up about hair.
What do you think? Has this ever happened to you? Do you catch yourself having critical thoughts about women who choose to straighten? Have you even been accused of it? One of the points made by some of the people in the film is that hair is just another way for women, especially Black women, to try and one-up each other. Like breast or butt size, skin tone, and weight. Like we should not 'hate' on other women for the choices they make about their bodies and lifestyles. It's complex and I'm sure you have some very interesting opinions. As always, guys jump right in on this one too!
Got an interesting reader email that I thought I'd share. Take a look...
Hi Leslie
First, just wanted to let you know that I really like your blog. I've been following it for some time now and I enjoy reading your thoughts. Anyway I thought I'd bring to your attention that the makers of the "Good Hair" Doc are being sued, because apparently the idea was stolen from filmmaker Regina Kimball who did a documentary called "My Nappy Roots." I posted the link to the article on my blog http://quirkycurlyfilmchick.blogspot.com/2009/10/uh-oh-for-good-hair-documentary.html where they have all the details. Maybe something you want to take a look at and possible bring to your readers' attention?
Thanks for you time!
I love when people share interesting stuff with us. It seems like this might bring even more attention to Black hair trends. Read the article (it's short) and tell me what you think. When you're done with that, click here to check out My Nappy Roots to compare and contrast. With a topic like this, it seems inevitable that two films would cover similar content. However, if they really are as similar as the article makes them out to be, Chris Rock might have an issue on his hands. Hmmmm...we'll see!
I ended up staying awake way past my bedtime a few nights ago. I turned on the tv and Philadelphia, the 1993film revolving around HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia, was playing, still in the first half. I knew immediately that any plans I had for sleep would be put on hold and I would be glued to the screen for the next hour and a half.
I have seen the film countless times over the years but each time I watch it, something new jumps out at me and I am moved in a different way.
It astonished me how sad the film really is. Obviously, right, there is a man who dies from AIDS and fights against the law firm which fired him for having the disease and being gay. But this time around, it really struck me how horribly people are treated who are not heterosexual in this country.
Much like racism, heterosexism is less blatant as it used to be but continues to permeate our society. Some of the things that were said to Tom Hank's character, in a court of law no less, were astounding. It literally brought tears to my eyes.
In these times, where young boys are hanging themselves in closets because of taunting at school regarding their sexuality, it makes me say STOP! This is crazy! I personally have no issues with homosexuality and I wish we lived in a world where people let other people live. It is one thing to disagree with what someone else does, or not wish to participate in something yourself. But it is entirely another thing to have the audacity to think only certain people deserve civil rights and equal treatment under the law.
Watching Tom Hanks as he portrayed a man dying with AIDS made my heart ache. They way people hurled insults and basically said he deserved what he got for being gay made me sick. There is a woman in the film who also has AIDS but because she is straight and contracted the disease from a blood transfusion, she was to be pitied as opposed to despised. She didn't "deserve" AIDS according to some, as if anybody deserves AIDS, as if AIDS is God's punishment to those some consider to be sexually deviant and perverse.
Denzel Washington's portrayal of a lawyer defending his gay client was also very moving. You saw his own struggle with understanding gender and homosexuality as he tried to defend someone who he knew had been illegally terminated from his job. He disagreed with what he saw to be an alterative lifestyle while also feeling completely adament that the law had been broken and descrimination had occurred. He eventually came to see that his client was not a gay man with AIDS, but just a man like himself who had a love, a career, and a family.
In the end, I hope we continue to evolve as a society in our understanding of people who do not fit the White, male, straight, Christian mold. I hope all people are able to marry under the law and receive equal civil rights as a result. No matter what you believe in, all of us live in this one society and we all deserve to be treated with fairness, justice, and respect. We all have the right to feel safe and protected by the law.
I know this is a touchy subject for some people but I would love to hear what you all think about Gay rights, this movie, or whatever you would like to add. I would only ask that you be respectful in your comments and understand that even if you don't agree with each other, you can still express your opinion in a respectful way.
This is a clip from the film where Tom Hank's character is talking about his love for a particular opera. Instead of prepping for his trial, he takes this moment to explain the story behind the music with his lawyer. This is the same night that he and his partner hosted a gay party and Denzel's character had attended. Here, he's begun to see that Tom Hank's character is a real person with desires, values, feelings, likes, and emotion. It is pretty moving.
The HBO Films documentary "Good Hair," co-written and produced by Chris Rock, will finally arrive in US theaters this year after world rights were picked up by Roadside Attractions and Liddell Entertainment. In case you missed the hoopla about the film earlier this year, here is what you need to know:
This film will be released on October 9, 2009 and runs approximately 95 minutes in length. I am excited to actually go and see how the issues are covered in the film, especially considering most of the celebs mentioned above tend to be weaved or otherwise straight-haired people who work in the media spotlight. It will be interesting I'm sure. What are your thoughts?
I really love action movies that have sci-fi or psychological thriller-like twists. However, new film 2012 (release date 11/13/09) makes me pause and wonder. I don't believe anybody knows when the earth will end but it is definitely interesting that throughout time a common theme surfaced more than once. I know this happens often and it is always easier to take a retrospective look to find patterns and coincidences. Even still, I think some people will be bracing themselves for the 2012 "deadline" much like they did for Y2K. Some people think the world will end that day while other think there will be a shift in consciousness.
Here's a blurb by Jonathan Crow about this Roland Emmerich film: Few people have destroyed the world more than Roland Emmerich. In his mega-hit "Independence Day," aliens laid waste to pretty much every metropolitan center on the planet, and in his eco-thriller "The Day After Tomorrow," much of the northern hemisphere finds itself buried under ice. In his third crack at presenting the apocalypse, this fall's "2012," Emmerich taps into the angst of thousands of astrologers, doomsday enthusiasts, and conspiracy theorists who fear that a massive cataclysm will strike the earth on December 21 of that year. Yet unlike previous dates tied to the Earth's expiration, this one has its roots in various sources throughout history including interpretations of the Mayan calendar, astrology, and the ancient Chinese fortune-telling text the "I-Ching."
Click HERE to read about the Mayan Calendar, Galactic Alignment, Time Wave Zero, and other things related to 2012.
Click here to read an interesting article from USA Today.
Hmmm...so what do you think? Will you see the film?
I just saw a preview of a new movie called Precious.
Precious is based on the book Push by Sapphire and tells the story of a young girl growing up amid terrible domestic abuse in Harlem. It will be released to the public on Nov. 6.
Perry and Oprah Winfrey will support Lionsgate’s distribution of the movie through their respective motion picture companies: Harpo Films and 34th Street Films. It will be the first film affiliated with Perry’s 34th Street banner.
Starring in the film are Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Kimberly Russell and Sherri Shepherd. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe is playing the starring role.
The film won three awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, including the grand jury prize and the audience award in the U.S. dramatic competition.
Verbally and sexually abused by her family, her troubles lead to problems in school. Precious has no friends, no money, two kids (from her father), and she’s illiterate. After being accepted into an alternative school, one of her teachers (Patton) helps her find new direction in life. Along her journey, she comes across a concerned social worker (Carey) and a nurse (Kravitz) who show her incredible kindness.
I remember Monique talking about a film with sexual abuse awhile back on tv and I was wondering when it would come out. So I guess this is the film she was referring to. It sounds tragic and triumphant all at once.
