I have focused mainly of nutrition, health and weight loss in the past few weeks here on Talulazoeapple.com. Then I happened upon this video of Sheryl Underwood, co-host on The Talk, making some very disparaging remarks about natural, afro hair.

Being someone with natural hair, I was near tears watching her spew such hurtful, self-hating comments while the audience laughed. Melissa Gilbert tries to save her but Sheryl is unrelenting in her comments.

Please watch the video. It is less that 1 minute long.

 

 

 

Is this okay?

It is so ironic that I get so many nice compliments about my hair now but now EVERYONE is natural. When I began about six years ago, it was less common to see a young black woman with her natural hair. I got so many UGLY comments from my family – the people who love me the most. I got the most kind comments from people of other nationalities or complete strangers.I have grown to adore my hair. I can think back as a child getting my hair braided and feeling so bad because of h0w 'difficult' my hair was to those attempting to do it. They were very vocal about it. Then there was the task of straightening my hair. I could not help cringing everytime that hot straightening comb came near to my scalp and ears.  Little by little those words – nappy, bad, coarse – seeped  into my little soul and I wished that my hair was like Marcia Brady's. She would brush her long locks exactly 100 times. Anyone remember that episode of the Brady Bunch? lol

BUT I was a child. As I grew up and learned about myself as a woman, I saw that my hair was just as beautiful as Marcia's. I learned to love my coils, curls, afro. When I see someone as mature as Sheryl Underwood hating their hair in such a way as this video suggests, I want to cry just like that little girl terrified of that fire-hot straightening comb.

I understand that the root of self-hate is deeper than an 1-minute video by a comedian. Sheryl Underwood is more than just a comedian. She is an African American woman with a very public, national forum holding up authentic, natural blackness for public ridicule.

Does anyone remember Don Imus?

I would hope that Sheryl Underwood would reflect on why she thought it was okay to ridicule black children in this manner. Upon that reflection, I would hope that she will make a public, national apology.

What do you think? Am I being to sensitive?