Love you GI Jane too. Can't wait to see it
alright. The slap followed that
joke rock made about Smith's wife,
Jada Pinkett Smith.
She's been vocal about
her battle with alopecia,
condition that leads to hair loss.
It's not confirmed that rock was
aware of her alopecia or not.
After Smith initially laughed at the joke,
but then he took offense,
so I can't think of anybody better to talk
about this with and Doctor Rosemary Allen.
It is so good to see her face.
Good morning.
Good morning Alex. It's so
good to be here. Thank you.
OK, so let's break this down
since the incident at the Oscars,
it seems like a lot of people are wondering
about Jada Pinkett Smith's condition.
Some people know about alopecia,
others you know, just kind of
hearing about it for the first time.
What exactly is it?
You know alopecia is an umbrella term
that really talks about hair loss, and we
lose our hair for a variety of reasons.
The most common form of alopecia is alopecia
areata and about one in 500 to 1000 women
will experience this type of alopecia.
Now there's a in immune related
alopecia called alopecia areata,
and it almost exclusively impacts
black women as well as traction.
Alopecia that disproportionately
impacts black women because of the
cultural practices around hairstyle.
What we know is that 1/3 of all black women
will experience alopecia in their lifetime.
Now we don't know what type of
alopecia Jada Pinkett Smith has.
OK, it you know the conversations
around this have certainly been
different in certain circles,
and you know when it comes to black women
you don't joke about her hair right?
I mean, this is something culturally
that is important to us that we
celebrate our beauty in that way.
Can you describe?
Probably in a much more
eloquent way than I would,
why this is a sensitive
topic amongst our community.
Alex, you're right, black hair is
not a joking matter for decades.
For centuries, black women have
been marginalized, Meline,
castigated and discriminated
against because of their hair.
They have been targeted and actually even
deemed less less feminine because of the
texture and the length of their hair.
A 2019 study showed that 80% of black women.
Felt that they had to alter their
hair chemically, relaxing it.
Straightening it,
lengthening it through extensions just to be
accepted as professional and their workplace.
But then black women decided to
embrace their natural beauty and
to reject the white standards of
beauty and wear their hair naturally.
And once that happened,
then we saw more and more in
negative consequences,
not only in the workplace
but also at school her.
Black hair is one of the number one reasons
black girls are suspended from school,
so we know that there are negative
consequences associated with black hair.
So much so that 13 states,
including Colorado, is one of them
have enacted through legislation.
The Crown Act to protect natural hair
from discrimination and what's really
exciting is that that last month,
well, this month,
I guess we're still in March.
March 18th, 2022.
In Congress the US,
the US House of Representatives
passed the Crown
Act. The Crown Act is so important for
so many ways, and one final thought.
I just want to say me and my girlfriend
have talked to you about this.
You know it was Chris Rock himself who
had that documentary back in 2009,
one of the first celebrities
to embrace black hair, right?
It was called good hair because he's
talking about his daughters and how he
doesn't want them to not understand, right?
Like the societal conforms of beauty
and then the audacity of him.
Talk about a black woman's hair.
Absolutely, it was just so ironic and
as we said, it's not up for discussion.
You certainly don't joke about
it because for all women,
for most women their hair is their symbol
of beauty is their crowning glory.
And and when you experience hair loss,
we know that there are negative impacts
such as diminished self esteem,
depression, suicidal ideations and more
and more discrimination because black
women and their hair have been targeted.
For so many years
weather, natural weaved up,
bald head Queens.
Wear your crown proudly.
That's my last two since
there so good seeing
this morning. Good to see you too.
Take care. Thank you.