"Sesame Street" loves black hair

[Number23]

"Sesame Street" loves black hair"

"Sesame Street" might have gotten lots of criticism from parents about singer Katy Perry's display of cleavage, but no one can criticize its latest initiative to get little black girls to love their natural hair.

With all the pressures and pain that black women face on account of their naturally curly and coarsely textured hair, it's an exceptional move for "Sesame Street" to drill self-love into their minds as toddlers. As soon as children of different races begin to notice the differences that exist between them, the curiosity about those differences sets in. Little white girls start asking to play with and touch the hair of little black girls, and while it's all innocent, that little black girl will soon start to feel like the odd one out. "Why doesn't my hair look like that? Why do I have to wear my hair up to school? Why does everyone always want to touch my hair?" In other words, little black girls can start to feel like zoo animals in some sort of science fair -- and then the self-hatred begins." Video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enpFde5rgmw&feature=player_embedded

The use of the phrase "self-hatred" to describe how black women feel about their hair may be more than a bit overstated -- more like "put your hands in your OWN head and keep them the hell out of mine" -- but I think that this idea is the cutest thing to come along in a long time. And I just showed the video to my four year old who gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up! :)

[Number23]

1. Update

Story on the white man with an Ethiopian daughter who created this little puppet with the massive message:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130653300

[firedupdem]

2. oh my!

I love this puppet and the song! What a wonderful story behind the song.

[mzteris]

3. Love it!

I'm FB'ing this one.

[bliss_eternal]

4. unfortunately,

...in some cases, yeah--it is (or can be) self-hatred. not in all(of course) but some....still too manyinstances(imo).

spend some time browsing some discussions between black women regarding hair, especially naturally textured, kinky, coily hair (afro) and it's bound to come out, and it can be quite blatant when it does. see any of the same discussion boards when it comes to zahara jolie-pitt's hair, madonna's african son's hair, thandie newton's daughter's hair...and ALL KINDS of ugly is exposed.

i wish i was making this up. :(

i see it when a woman w/locced hair is damn-near attacked by other (black women) w/"ooooooh chiiiile, when you gonna' get your hair done?!", while simultaneously frowning up their faces, and giving her "the look" (stink face)...as if natural/kinky hairstyles are a contagious disease, and they need everyone around them to do away w/them, or risk catching it, too. :eyes:

hell, one of my health practitioners (black woman) had some rather unpleasant things to say about the obama children when he was campaigning. as if the world was going to end because michelle didn't straighten their hair, some of the time,that summer.

how dare she actually allow them to be children. to NOT be perfectly coifed in the eyes of the world, and allow them to wear braids, cornrows, etc. and to look like, yes--they've been playing. :eyes: the issue is too deep for me--and not something i discuss w/any body. so i gave her the side-eye, and changed the subject.

kudos to sesame street. :thumbsup: they're doing a very good thing, imo.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[bliss_eternal]

5. it's worth mentioning...

...that unfortunately, there's *still* a ridiculous amount of institutional racism that ultimately, (historically) was the source of how many came to feel about their hair. we still see some discriminated against in the professional realm, based on how they choose to wear their hair. that's not ok.

at the same time, where are our people supposed to turn for support, when they want to wear their hair in a natural style if (and when) their own people have issues around natural hair styles?

[Number23]

7. Update 2: Willow Smith vs. Sesame Street

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4AVd8El-QY&feature=player_embedded#!

Willow Smith as in Jada and Will's daughter.

:wtf: Someone will have to explain this to me.