I remember a time when calling somebody black was an insult, even to black people (especially to black people). If you really wanted to tell a good Yo Mama joke, you would start it, “Yo mama so black…” or “Yo mama hair so nappy…” Many have searched to figure out the origin of these expressions of self hate. Slavery? The media? Racism? Low self esteem? A combination of everything? The black inner battle over skin color and hair texture has been the topic of many a research paper, some of them mine.
The upcoming Chris Rock movie, Good Hair and some new positive media images have given me a glimmer of hope that all this study and discussion have not been in vain. Black people are beginning to really come to grips with some self hate issues. We are discussing and dealing with them openly and among ourselves. Because we are beginning to love ourselves, we are creating positive media portrayals of ourselves.
Good Hair opens nationwide tomorrow. It is a documentary dealing with black women’s seemingly endless struggle with hair. Rock says he was driven to make this movie when his daughter asked why she didn’t have good hair. Many of us have had this moment and cringed saying, “Oh Lord, not my baby too.” Women in the movie share their tales about perms and weaves. Rock makes us think. What is good hair? Is the hair God gave me bad? I’m excited to see it.
As we are dealing with the issues with Chris Rock, our media images are reflecting our progress. I’m sure most everyone has heard about the new Disney Princess Tiana. I must say I was thrilled when the news came out that Disney is producing a new movie featuring a black princess. The Princess and the Frog opens December 11. The voice of Tiana will be Anika Noni Rose from Dream Girls. Disney has received criticism in the past for racist images. Hopefully, this new princess represents a new day. She is a budding entrepreneur who hopes to own her own restaurant and meet her prince. Talk about girl power! (Little girls will be able to meet Tiana at the Disney Theme Parks beginning October 26). Only a few people have actually seen the film, including Oprah, but I still hope my excitement is not premature. I hope Princess Tiana will make little black girls everywhere proud, including my little princess.
Not only will little black girls have Princess Tiana to look up to, Barbie has a new line of black dolls. Not the black Barbies I grew up with (which were just white dolls painted brown). The So In Style (S.I.S.) dolls will have different shades of brown, full lips and some will have curly hair. The creator of these dolls, Stacey McBride-Irby says she created them to answer a need in her community for positive black female images. The S.I.S. line features Grace, Kara and Trichelle who are interested in art, journalism, music and math.
We’re working to get to the root of the problem. With truth and love we are working together to heal ourselves from the inside out.
The upcoming Chris Rock movie, Good Hair and some new positive media images have given me a glimmer of hope that all this study and discussion have not been in vain. Black people are beginning to really come to grips with some self hate issues. We are discussing and dealing with them openly and among ourselves. Because we are beginning to love ourselves, we are creating positive media portrayals of ourselves.
Good Hair opens nationwide tomorrow. It is a documentary dealing with black women’s seemingly endless struggle with hair. Rock says he was driven to make this movie when his daughter asked why she didn’t have good hair. Many of us have had this moment and cringed saying, “Oh Lord, not my baby too.” Women in the movie share their tales about perms and weaves. Rock makes us think. What is good hair? Is the hair God gave me bad? I’m excited to see it.
As we are dealing with the issues with Chris Rock, our media images are reflecting our progress. I’m sure most everyone has heard about the new Disney Princess Tiana. I must say I was thrilled when the news came out that Disney is producing a new movie featuring a black princess. The Princess and the Frog opens December 11. The voice of Tiana will be Anika Noni Rose from Dream Girls. Disney has received criticism in the past for racist images. Hopefully, this new princess represents a new day. She is a budding entrepreneur who hopes to own her own restaurant and meet her prince. Talk about girl power! (Little girls will be able to meet Tiana at the Disney Theme Parks beginning October 26). Only a few people have actually seen the film, including Oprah, but I still hope my excitement is not premature. I hope Princess Tiana will make little black girls everywhere proud, including my little princess.
Not only will little black girls have Princess Tiana to look up to, Barbie has a new line of black dolls. Not the black Barbies I grew up with (which were just white dolls painted brown). The So In Style (S.I.S.) dolls will have different shades of brown, full lips and some will have curly hair. The creator of these dolls, Stacey McBride-Irby says she created them to answer a need in her community for positive black female images. The S.I.S. line features Grace, Kara and Trichelle who are interested in art, journalism, music and math.
We’re working to get to the root of the problem. With truth and love we are working together to heal ourselves from the inside out.
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