After Chris Rock’s remark about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head at the 2022 Oscars, she became the center of attention.
Will Smith, her husband, strode to the stage and slapped the comedian in front of everyone since she has alopecia. But the actress is more than just the subject of debate.
She has been outspoken about the difficulties she has had in life as a result of racism still being pervasive.
Jada Pinkett Smith was candid about her own challenges as well as those of her mother, particularly on her Facebook talk program, Red Table Talk.
She also discussed how racism she encountered changed the way she perceived the world today.
She spoke candidly about having to “navigate” the requirement to be “less black” in her work in a recent interview.
Jada Pinkett Smith discusses a number of subjects that are important to her in the interview with The Guardian, obtained by Glam.
She discussed how, when she first entered “the game,” at a young age, she had to avoid those who were frightened by the hue of her skin.
She said;
“Even something as simple as coming into the game at such a young age, and how I had to navigate the necessity to be ‘less Black’. How do you navigate people being threatened by your Blackness? Having to really not take it personally and understanding: ‘OK, this is the land I’m in right now. How do I navigate this without allowing their discomfort with my Blackness to get on me?’ That’s a hell of a thing to navigate.”
Additionally, she discussed how her upbringing differed significantly from that of her White peers. Even if it wasn’t happening to her, she claimed that her grandmother had taught her how to respect those distinctions.
“Oh, very different. And learning how to respect those differences, even if my difference wasn’t respected – that really is my grandmother’s teaching, right?”
Smith said that, whether or not people understood her, her grandma wanted her to carry herself with pride in any environment and with anyone.
Smith said that, whether or not people understood her, her grandma wanted her to carry herself with pride in any environment and with anyone.
Smith referred to her alopecia struggles as a “great teacher.” She claimed that because hair plays a significant role in her and other Black women’s sense of identity, the entire experience with her hair was quite frightening for her. Her ability to see beauty in a way that goes beyond conventional aesthetics required a lot of fortitude.
“It’s been a hard one, a scary one – because specifically as Black women, we identify so much of ourselves with our hair. And it was scary. I had to really dig deep and see the beauty of myself beyond my aesthetics.”
To read more about the amazing woman and the amazing love she shared with Will Smith, Click here: http://cover.glamsquadmagazine.com