Title:
You can't touch my hair : and other things I still have to explain
Author:
Publication Date:
2016
Publication Information:
New York, New York : Plume Book, [2016]
Physical Description:
285 pages ; 21 cm
ISBN:
9780143129202
Abstract:
A hilarious and affecting essay collection about race, gender, and pop culture from celebrated stand-up comedian and WNYC podcaster Phoebe Robinson.
Being a Black woman in American means contending with old prejudices and fresh absurdities. Robinson uses her trademark wit to explore examine our cultural climate and skewer our biases with humor and heart.
"Being a black woman in America means contending with old prejudices and fresh absurdities every day. Comedian Phoebe Robinson has experienced her fair share over the years: she's been unceremoniously relegated to the role of "the black friend," as if she is somehow the authority on all things racial; she's been questioned about her love of U2 and Billy Joel ("isn't that... white people music?"); she's been called "uppity" for having an opinion in the workplace; she's been followed around stores by security guards; and yes, people do ask her whether they can touch her hair all. the. time. Now, she's ready to take these topics to the page--and she's going to make you laugh as she's doing it. Using her trademark wit alongside pop-culture references galore, Robinson explores everything from why Lisa Bonet is "Queen. Bae. Jesus," to breaking down the terrible nature of casting calls, to giving her less-than-traditional advice to the future female president, and demanding that the NFL clean up its act, all told in the same conversational voice that launched her podcast, 2 Dope Queens, to the top spot on iTunes. As personal as it is political, You Can't Touch My Hair examines our cultural climate and skewers our biases with humor and heart, announcing Robinson as a writer on the rise." -- Publisher's description
Contents:
From Little Rock Nine to nappy hair, don't care in eighteen & half-ish years -- A brief history of black hair in film, TV, music, & media -- My nine favorite not-so-guilty pleasures -- Welcome to being black -- Dear future female president: my list of demands -- How to avoid being the black friend -- Uppity -- Casting calls for people of color that were not written by people of color -- The angry black woman myth -- People, places, & things that need to do better -- Letters to Olivia.
Language:
English