The Stranger

Chris Rock claims he made this documentary for his daughters, who are black. He wanted to explain to them why straight hair (European hair) is called good and kinky hair (African hair) is called bad. But is Good Hair for adult blacks? No. Why? Because blacks are well aware of the insights and facts the film provides. We all know that weaves are bloody expensive; we all know how much time black women spend on their hair. We know that straightening your hair hurts a lot and requires toxic chemicals. We have seen the smoking hot-combs on the stove; we have seen the row of hair products in the bathroom cabinet. We also know that black women prefer straight hair because white hair is straight, and white hair is desirable because it is a symbol of power and prestige. Black hair is not a status symbol. It has revolutionary power, roots power, "for real" power--but those things do not make you look beautiful. Black, as it turns out, is genuine but not beautiful. By Charles Mudede

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