An incident happened at the Oscars Ceremony this past Sunday and it was due to a joke that Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett. Rock compared Jada’s shaved head to the fierce and femme warrior, GI Jane, who sports a shaved head in the original movie starring Demi Moore. The joke was offensive on two different levels. The first reason why it was insensitive is because he chose to compare a woman who struggles with a condition called Alopecia to GI JANE.
Alopecia is a condition where an individual’s immune system attacks the hair follicles and results in hair loss or bald patches. There are various forms of alopecia including traction alopecia, scarring alopecia, Chemo induced alopecia and alopecia areata.
Many individuals were not aware that Jada suffers from Alopecia and it is not her actual desire to wear a shaved head. The second reason the joke was offensive (which no one is really talking about) is that the original 1997 film GI Jane did not do well at the box office and demi actually won a razzie award for worst actress due to her role in it. CHRIS had just said a fairly positive joke about Will Smith prior to telling the one where he says he hopes to see Jada in GI Jane 2. People could say that the joke is correlating jada with bad or unpopular movies and that is insulting to JADA as an actress. It was almost like pitting the star couple against each other. will was up for a best actor award and then chris tells a joke featuring a movie where the main star won a worst actress award. I’m not sure if Chris Rock or the writers realized that double entendre behind the GI Jane joke. Jada was clearly not happy about the joke as she rolled her eyes and whispered a few words to her husband.
Only Will can provide an answer as to the reason he came for Chris in that manner. Behind the spotlight and once the actor mask is taken off—Will is a husband and father. He has front row access to all of his wife's insecurities and concerns and he’s probably been a shoulder for her to cry on during her journey with Alopecia. Jada has made quite a few public statements about losing her hair. During a moment in the shower, she noticed clumps of hair falling out and she said that she was shaken with terror and fear. as a result she began wearing turbans and eventually would begin sporting a bald head. Most believed she was proud of her new look as she once said on her tik tok :
“I don’t give two craps about what people feel about this bald head of mine because guess what—I love it!”
@jadapinkettsmith ✨Crown Act✨ Be proud of your crown❣️ #iamnotmyhair #hairjourney ♬ I Am Not My Hair - India.Arie
She also detailed her struggles being black in Hollywood and encouraged to wear hairstyles that were as Eurocentric as possible when all she wanted to do was wear her hair in a wild, free and curly state.
People should realize how sensitive women are about their hair and when hair loss is an issue, it can really take a toll. That’s because many women see hair as a sort of crowning glory—like a stamp of femininity. For some, their identity can be wrapped up in their hair and when they lose that hair it can put a dent in their confidence. Chris Rock even made a documentary about black women and their hair so he has firsthand knowledge and experience about how black women feel about hair.
The public sees Jada’s head and thinks: “Wow, she’s boldly and proudly sporting a bald head and looks so good doing so!” But looks aren’t always what they seem and Jada is more than likely not 100% comfortable with the style that she’s chosen to wear as she was clearly agitated and annoyed to hear Chris Rock’s joke. It is completely OKAY for her to admit it if she doesn't always like wearing a bald head. It’s okay to have days where you crave hair on your head! You shouldn’t feel forced to rock a bald head if you’re struggling with a condition that results in hair loss. There are many replacement options for individuals who suffer from hair loss with one of the foremost being WIGS!! It’s one of the reasons why Essence Wigs was started which is to provide options for individuals seeking to wear hair that looks like their own. Whether that’s kinky, fro’d up, curly, blown out or wavy —you’re going to have all of those textured options.
Jada and women like her should remember that they are not alone. One third of women worldwide are suffering from some form of hair loss. Research has determined that black and Hispanic women have a greater chance of developing Alopecia Areata than white men and women. These individuals suffering from hair loss should not be made to be the subject of a joke that others will be laughing about. Hair loss is real; it’s not funny and its impact can be devastating. Remember to hug that sister, brother, friend or family member who is experiencing loss of their hair. Gift them a wig if you feel led !
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