Yesterday, Chris Rock's film Good Hair opened in selected theaters in New York and the rest of America. Finally, I was able to see what everyone had been talking about: a comedy documentary about African hair.
Hilarious YouTube clips had already sparked enough online and offline discussions. But also the very strong reactions Oprah received after Chris was on her show to promote the film had stirred up quite a fuss. One person thought Chris shouldn't have revealed all the "secrets," while another felt like she was now the "joke" of the work because people would consider her hair fake. However, most women thought it was good that this film existed because it opened up the conversation about hair to a wider audience.
Despite all the discussion, I honestly didn't know what to expect because Chris, as he put it, is first and foremost a comedian. His goal isn't to express or impose his opinion, but to make people laugh. Why the subject is close to his heart is clear. One of his daughters once raved a bit too long about a friend's long, straight hair and shortly thereafter came home crying, asking why she didn't have "good" hair. That was his inspiration for the documentary. He set out to find the answer to what Black women's obsession with hair really means.
You don't need to expect the deepest answer, but a glimpse behind the curtain is certainly offered, and enough is shown to at least make Black women think. The film is definitely funny in places, but for me personally, it wasn't anything new under the sun. What was a revelation for me, however, was the response to the film.
Anyone who follows kroeshaar.com or has attended one of my lectures knows that relaxers are the most dangerous beauty products available on the shelves. Since the site's inception, I've also realized how difficult it is to convey this message, especially to those who choose to continue relaxing their hair. Despite the fact that my goal is to inform people and not to indoctrinate, I always get very strong reactions when I try to make it clear that you can choose to relax your hair, but that it's also essential to realize that it's not a friendly product. I've been directly attacked a few times just for trying to state this fact, and it didn't always feel very good.
Of course, I know that a small Black woman with kinky hair who also tries to sell you kinky hair products might not be the right person to convey this message. The fact that I hope to benefit from selling products cannot be denied, but still, the mistrust seems a bit misplaced to me. Why would a vegetarian who sells meat be more reliable than a regular butcher?
Fortunately, Chris doesn't shy away from addressing this issue and making it clear how harmful relaxers are in the humorous documentary. In his typically comedic way, he visits the largest relaxer factory and asks the questions we should all be asking. His grimaces speak volumes as a chemist demonstrates how the basic ingredient of a relaxer burns a hole in a piece of raw meat and then dissolves an aluminum can. Does someone who uses this stuff for a long time risk going bald, Chris then asks the chemist? Yes, is the answer. It also causes respiratory and other health problems for people who work with this stuff for years and inhale it almost every day.
Although I had known all of this for a long time and it therefore had no shocking effect on me, the audience's reaction to it was a revelation for me. Even for my husband it was a shock, although he was aware. Seeing the evidence on the big screen made it truly sink in that I hadn't exaggerated. It turned out he wasn't the only one for whom this part of the film had a shocking effect when we left the cinema. Two young women with relaxed hair were completely shocked and said they would immediately go natural.
Whether they will actually stop, I have yet to see. It seems like an initial reaction after what must be a shock if you truly have no idea how harmful relaxers are. What still amazes me is that so many people genuinely don't know how incredibly dangerous the product is, even though they apply it to their hair almost monthly. Many simply ignore the warning on a relaxer label, but there's no escaping it when it's demonstrated on a big screen.
A few more topics are covered, such as our weave habits, but especially for this part, this film was a success for me. The fact that the film holds a mirror up to us and informs us. I don't think half of America will stop relaxing immediately. I don't think that's the goal either, but the fact that it sparks discussion, stirs deep emotions, and makes us think, hopefully gives us the opportunity to discuss natural hair honestly.
It cannot be that Black women are most affected by hair loss while we are a minority and spend the most money on our hair. There really needs to be a change in how we view our hair and how we deal with natural hair, if not for ourselves, then for our children. Because Chris is very clear about two things, and in my opinion, he is completely right about both: No relaxers for children, and what's in your head is more important than what's on it.