Television: BET to Revisit Jiggaboos vs. Wannabe’s
VIDEO – ‘A Girl Like Me,’ Youth Documentary
Kiri Davis, Director, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, Producer
Get set ya’ll..or not. I guess it depends really on whether or not you care. But for those that do…
BET’s "MEET THE FAITH" is going to attempt to tackles the issues of race, skin color and what it means to be Black in America on Sunday, December 9 at 12:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Issues to be addressed include whether or not there are different levels of blackness (i.e. the Rupaul’s, Condoleeza Rice’s, and Ward Connerly’s of the world). Does the "one-drop" rule still apply (i.e. Jennifer Beals)? Does having light skin guarantee an easier life?
BET will discuss the life of bi-racial author David Matthews, who "passed" as white for 20 years of his life and air comments from Senator Barack Obama on race and being attacked for his level of "blackness."
"Nobody questioned my ‘blackness’ before I announced I was running for President," says the Illinois Senator.
Other guest panelists include Larry Whitmore, writer/producer and creator of "The Bernie Mac Show," Elizabeth Atkins, author of the books White Chocolate and Dark Secret, and Bintell Powell, author of the book Betrayed. They’re going to discuss what it means to be Black and if light-skinned blacks have an easier life. Then, CNN Correspondent Soledad O’Brien sits down with Dr. Ian Smith to discuss growing up multiracial and challenges she has encountered in her career. O’Brien also reveals how her childhood affects the way she raises her children now.
History has shown that Black people with lighter skin were treated better. In the days of slavery, the dark-skinned Blacks worked in the fields while light-skinned Blacks worked in the house, hence the terms “field Negroes” and “house Negroes.” It got so bad, that not only did the slave owners, who were often responsible for the lighter shade of brown his slaves had, give lighter-skinned Blacks more respect, but so did the dark-skinned Blacks.
Remember Spike Lee’s 1988 film “School Daze” and the scene played out in a beauty parlor between the “jiggaboos,” otherwise known as the darker-skinned Blacks with nappy hair, and the “wannabe’s,” the lighter-skinned Blacks with straight often times weaved hair. Or who could forget the film version of Alice Walker’s novel "The Color Purple" in which Mistah asked for Nettie who was “chocolate” colored with long hair but was given Celie, who was dark-skinned with nappy and short coarse hair instead. This was followed by a grown up Celie dealing with the harsh realities of beauty and Mistah’s in-house mistress Shug Avery.
Then you had Black sororities and fraternities who used the “brown paper bag test” to deny entrance to anyone darker than the bag.
So you see, we’ve got issues.
What I will say is that this is one of those issues that have never gone away. The most recent example I can turn to would be the "Light Skin Libra Birthday Bash" which was to take place at a Detroit ’s APT Club and was the brainchild of a self described “dark skinned” African-American Detroit DJ and party promoter. The party was intended to let "light-skinned" Black women into a downtown club free. In his defense, Ulysses "DJ Lish" Barnes, said that he had plans for “Sexy Chocolate” and “Sexy Caramel” parties too. The party was cancelled after protests and threats of lawsuits.
Perhaps in the discussion on Sunday, we’ll finally get to the bottom of what’s behind the need for Black women to lengthen, lighten, and straighten their hair, bleach their skin, and even resort to plastic surgery to change their African features while their white counterparts are busy with botox for thicker lips, breast and butt implants, and tanning salons that darken their skin…just enough for them to still be white. And don’t get me started on white folks in dreds! Now that’s a conversation!
I wrote a while back about how I attended L.A. ’s Taste of Soul Festival on Crenshaw Blvd. and observed for quite some time the activity at a booth selling hair extensions. Black women, young and old, light and dark, crowded the booth to touch and feel the long straight flowing hair extensions that were guaranteed not to shed or to “nap up.” This while nearby booths, offering free diabetes, obesity, and HIV/AIDS tests went virtually unnoticed. I received a little hateration from some sista’s on that one. I don’t know why though. Own your shit. If you like sporting weaves that resemble the texture, color, and feel of Caucasian hair, that is most often times bought from Korean owned beauty stores in the hood, own it. It is what it is.
The fact of the matter is, we aren’t running out to buy hair that’s nappy and resembles the texture of our own hair, no—we’re buying hair that looks like theirs. I am no stranger to straightening, weaving, and coloring my hair, although blonde has never been my thing. But when I learned better, I left it alone. And learning better for me meant having the opportunity to be around sistas and brothas who loved their hair in its natural state and to see that it is possible to go without a press and curl and still be cute. It didn’t happen for me until my 20s, but it happened.
And my American sistas need not feel bad. While in Africa, I witnessed the exact same behavior among our sistas there with their hair.
But before I get hit with a lot of emails accusing me of being a hater, let me say that there’s a difference between getting your hair pressed and flat ironed and buying 24 inches of something that you know ain’t yours. And I don’t buy the excuse that it’s easier to manage your hair when its straight. That may be true, but then why the extensions? It’s a deep psychological thing having to do with how we view ourselves as Black women and how I believe that most of us are still trained to believe that white is better. You may not know it, but this message has been cleverly feed to us from day one. This is something that has been subconsciously passed down from generation to generation. Straight and long hair has always been considered better than short and nappy hair. Like I said before, it is what it is. Where do you think the term “good hair’ came from. And no—“good hair” did not mean nappy hair.
Just like I know that straight hair is often times the preferred looked for Black women when it comes to employment and dreds are not the business for Black men and women in corporate America, that doesn’t mean we aren’t there wearing them in those arenas anyway.
I’m not sure of any of you caught the story about 3-year-old Jayce Brown’s dreadlocks and how they caused him to be expelled from Southern Maryland Christian Academy in August. Let’s really look at this for what it is. For not conforming to their image of how his hair should be it’s clear to see the racism that still exists in America.
A couple of weeks ago while hiking, my friends and I were engrossed in a conversation about hair and how just because you had locs didn’t mean you were conscious ( i.e. Lil’ Wayne) and just because you wore your hair straightened didn’t mean that you were somehow less conscious than those folks that did where locs (i.e. Oprah Winfrey). I’d say I can get down with that. It’s definitely true. I gave the example of how since I went through “the change” and started wearing my hair in locs that it went from “hey baby girl” to “hey sista.”
I know I strayed off topic a little, but like I said, we’ve got issues. Anyway, it’s all connected. Hair, race, skin color, acting Black enough, etc.
At any rate, set your Tivos now.
BETs
“Meet the Faith”
Sunday, December 9th
12 p.m. ET/PT
www.bet.com
Note: This is one of those touchy subjects. Feel free to post your comments, but remember #8 on my F.A.Q.s page when doing so and we won’t have any problems. While you’re at it, just for the hell of it reacquaint yourself with #5 too.
Loading ...
Wow! Part of the reason this issue persists in the black community comes from our own black people continuing to believe in several of the untruthful and heavily biased myths that you listed in your post.
First, ALL black folks caught hell during slavery. No one had it harder or easier! No one got more “respect” than the other. That is a flat-out untruth!!! They were slaves! Respect was not even an issue on the table. You need to read Harriet Jacobs narrative if you think being light-skinned was an advantage during slavery.
Being in the house was not a gift. The majority of slave women working in the house were the FIRST subjected to rape and sexual abuse. Slave women working in the house were subject to horrific abuse and beatings from white mistresses who were frustrated and angry that their white husbands and sons were having sex with slave women. House slaves were subjected to beatings or death if anything came up broken or missing in the house. House slaves were often denied complete access to their children, so they could be free to care and nurse the white children in the household day and night.
You wrongly labeled all black sororites with the paper bag test and only SOME sororities in CERTAIN areas practiced this horrific ideal, not all. More black churchs and social clubs were regularly guilty of using the paperbag or the comb test!
I wear my hair in a ponytail because I got tired of random black women saying “how good” my hair is and touching it like it was an exhibit. To me, black hair has always been a burden whether it is straight or natural. I always had some black woman’s big mouth commenting about what I SHOULD be doing with my hair. How about EVERYONE mind their own business about folk’s hair?
And maybe when black men stop celebrating and dating women with the long, flowing fake weaves or women from other races going on and on about their “purty hair” maybe black women will stop worrying about hair.
In light of this article, I thought you might find this article interesting: “97 black drug offenders imprisoned for each white one” http://www.madison.com/tct/news/260224
Jasmyne, you are one smart cookie! So don’t be upset with the other cookies who aren’t as smart as you. Most black woman have no idea how beautiful their natural hair is. At the first sign of kink in the hair our mothers rushed us to the salon like we had the plague or something. Black women today have not the faintest clue of how to take care of their natural hair nor do they know how wonderful it is to be black and proud of their god given protection for the brain. Our hair is strong! Our hair is beautiful! If you know how to care for it.
Rule #1
Stay away from products with alcohol! White folks products people…our hair wasnt made for that, although we try to make our hair like theirs, wake up…its not!
I have been natural for over 5 years now and just 6 months ago, I started locking. Its not a fashion statement for me, its a spiritual journey. My old behind went back to college and i figured I’d lock the knowledge learned into my brain and lock my hair as the symbol of my mission. They are still baby locks but I love them because I gave birth to them myself!
I went back to a relaxer one time after going natural (because my weave wearing friends convinced me I was prettier with white girl hair) and I HATED IT! I missed my beautiful natural curls. Tight curls! but curls nonetheless. There is nothing like the texture between your fingers, especially when washing my hair in the shower; it feels so good. I felt like a race trader with that straight crap on my head. Yeah it was long and flowing the first couple of days, but it wasnt long before it was a fried, broken mess. I couldn’t wait to cut that “Say it loud! I wanna be white, I’m not proud (of being black)stuff off of my head!
And please don’t get me started on hair weaves. Remember the powdery white wigs men used to wear in colonial times? Looks ridiculous now doesn’t it? That was the stuff way back then! Well hopefully one day soon, black women will see just how ridiculous they look and weave (especially, straight, flowing, know good and well you ain’t white weave) will be a distant embarrasment from our past.
My hair is thiccckkkkk and coarse and grows like a weed. No its not easy to manage, but it wasn’t no walk in the park when i had a perm either. The only difference between me and a sister who “takes the easy way out” is my love for what’s naturally mine and my desire to represent realness at all times.
Jasmyne, if you keep representing, and I keep representing, won’t be long before sista’s start looking up to us and not Malibu Barbie.
Love always,
your sista, N.D.
P.S.
You are right about the respect from the brothers too.
I have walked into a room with some weaved friends and the men cat call them. Me they give much respect too (while still hitting on me of course but greater respect nonetheless). One man even said “You look like an intellectual, most sista’s who wear their hair natural are. I think that’s sexy. It makes you stand out from the hoochies.”
tracey i take it ur one them sportin’ a weave, lol. no need to get a bent out of shape.
No Keisha,
Since you can’t read very well. My hair is my own and natural. And if some sista wants a weave its not your business or mine!
I am surprised hair is such an issue, I am a Brit of Nigerian descent and at no time has having straight hair been idealised in Nigeria. You can do whatever you want with your hair and in Nigeria, there are a myriad of styles. Nigerians actually take delight in how thick your hair is as your hair is your natural crowning glory and no one wants a bald wife, daughter, sister etc. I braid my hair in all sorts of styles and work in England where you can do what you like on your head as long as you look professional. I find it a bit odd that a lot of 2nd/3rd generation Black Brits have the hair issue as well, there is an obsession with straight hair. I find a lot of people (in Britain we are equal opportunity lovers) flirt with me when I wear my hair in single braids than when I have my hair cornrowed which my boyfriend loves because I look regal.
I think when it comes to hair, do what makes you happy, however I find it strange that anyone wants to chemically straighten their hair with the weather we have in Europe, I have seen so many people’s hair break off or recede.
I have always loved darker skin, there is a uniformity to the texture of the skin. However i am lighter skinned than my sister and I am seen as the better looking one which is quite odd, but I suppose being thinner might be the reason as opposed to the skin colour.
Though I will admit that lighter skin is idealised in Nigeria, straight hair is not.
I do find I am more militant in my campaigning for racial equality unlike my sister who is more intellectual about it. I suppose I am overcompensating for having a lighter hue.
That is just as shocking today as it was when it first came out, however, it should be pointed out that not only do blacks fall for this “white” is better thing, Asians, Latin Americans, Asian Indians all prefer “whiter” features and look with disdain at anyone darker. Which to me is as silly as all out, since “white” folks are the minorty on the planet and will disapper with the low birthrates in the future.
Jaysmine you are the bomb!! Your articles are always on point. The one about the hair . . . what can I say? Keep up the good work. I guess our people will have to find themselves back in chains on a plantation, before they get it.
Each time I hear blacks criticize other black women for wearing weave it disturbs me. Why? Because, that’s our problem we are focused on small issues such as how we wear our hair which distracts us from REAL issues. Yeah, some would argue that if you have permed hair with extensions you believe Caucasian hair is better, hence setting black people back years. I’ve had long, short, permed, and natural hair. However, I personally like the versatility perm hair gives me with different styles and lengths. Wearing straight hair does not make me less black or authentic. When I hear blacks with natural hair discuss this topic they always come off as self-righteous. It’s self-righteous black women that set black people back, not women that wear weave. Regardless of how we wear our hair, black women should be uniting. In the end, no body gives a crap about how your hair is done, but what our you doing for your people.
Oh but courtnie they do care. When was the last time you heard a brotha say yo i’m checkin for the sista with the nappy afro. please jas is right on about the hair. weaves are an attempt to look white because most of believe thats more acceptable. spare me the manageable bs.
I occasionally wear weave/extensions for the following reasons:
1)I’m trying to grow out a haircut and can’t deal with that awkward in-between stage.
2)I don’t feel like dealing with my hair.
3)I’m bored with my hair and want a different look.
4)I’m going out of town and don’t want to spend too much time dealing with my hair or worrying about it getting messed up.
My reasons for wearing extensions stem from me being easily bored/lazy/impatient, and not from me trying to be white.
Not everyone who wears weaves/extensions suffers from anglophilia. I’ve seen women with weaves that look like natural black hair as opposed to straight caucasian hair. I agree with Courtnie about blacks with natural hair having that air of self-righteousness. I’m not saying that all of them are like that, but I’ve encountered a good number who were. I also agree with Jasmyne about black folks being brainwashed into thinking white is right. Just look at Lil’ Kim (worst case of anglophilia I’ve seen since Michael Jackson) or watch BET for an hour and you’ll see more than one example.
I dislike weaves too! although i’m only partially black, i WISH i could make my hair go back to afro! my hair is straight now because it’s easier to manage but i think that afro looks so much better! i find straight so boring and played out, afro has more character, more personality! for all you black women blessed with your good hair, you should APPRECIATE having thick, black, curly hair. because it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! weaves are not! appreciate your natural beauty because you ARE queens! as long as you love yourself, your roots, and your natural hair!