By ALYSSA BLUNDO
MAHWAH- When an African American father steps into the role of the mother and goes on a hair journey with his daughter, the story becomes a heartwarming tale of a ‘girldad’ moment.
Oscar winning animated short film, Hair Love, which was directed by Matthew Cherry and produced by Karen Rupert Toliver, tackled the issue by showing an African American father trying to do his daughter’s hair for the first time.
“I think the fact that there is a father and daughter story shows that this film is not only about African American empowerment, but also counters hegemonic gender roles,” said Jack Slocum, a Ramapo junior, 20. “This film shows that it is ok for a father to do his daughter’s hair, despite it not being particularly ‘normal’ in today’s society.”
In today’s society, fathers and daughters don’t always bond, like the little girl and her father in Hair Love. However, after the death of legendary basketball player, Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, the hashtag ‘girldad’ took shape and helped spread the message that fathers can bond with their and daughters.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Vital Statistics, there’s a 70 percent rate of African American fathers who teach their children how to use the toilet, while there’s a 60 percent rate of White fathers who do. Also, there is a 41 percent rate of Black fathers who help their children with school assignments while 28 percent of White fathers who do. These may seem like the things that mothers would do, but times are changing.
“Black men can do hair just as women,” said Teaneck, N. J. resident Jasmine Jones. “It has a voice and African American films are getting the recognition it deserves.”
Something Different
However, finding that voice and recognition in film and in life can be a struggle for children who don’t have fathers in their lives. According to fathers.com, there is about 33 percent of children who are fatherless. Also, there is a 39 percent rate of students in First through 12th grade who live in homes without a father. About 57.6 percent of Black children live without a their father.
However, for the Black children who do live with a Black father, but not with a Black mother is because sometimes a Black mother would be the one to take care of the children and do their hair, but the film wanted something different.
The film won the award for Best Animated Short Film at the 2020 Oscars because the director, Cherry and producer, Toliver, wanted to show diversity and a father and daughter bonding experience.
“I like that because Black men weren’t taught from a young age how to braid, not taught how to straighten their young girls’ hair, but he knew how to do it because he learned and loved his daughter enough so that he could do all those hairstyles,” said Stephanie Stiener-Otoo, a Ramapo junior.
It can be a challenge to learn, love and embrace hair However, it doesn’t have be when you got your father right by your side.
I really liked the statistics you used (especially the ones from the CDC) and how you were able to tie in Kobe and Gianna Bryant because you were able to touch on many different topics while still keeping the article about one general subject. I think it would be helpful to somewhere in the article hyperlink the actual short film because I think it is available on YouTube. That way the reader would become interested in the short film by reading your article and then have the opportunity to watch it themselves.