BLACK WOMEN have weighed in on Sunday night’s controversy at the Oscars after Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s appearance, and called for black women and the history of their hair to be protected.

While presenting the award for best documentary, Rock made a quip about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved bald-head, saying he couldn’t wait for  “GI Jane 2.”

The joke was met with gasps and laughter before Smith stormed the stage and slapped the presenter across the face.

Appearing shocked by the incident, Rock responded: “Wow, Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me” and called the moment “the greatest night in the history of television.”

The Oscar-winning actor returned to his seat before shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth” as a warning to Rock. 

Pinkett Smith had previously revealed that she suffers from alopecia – a condition that causes hair loss – and called the decision to shave her head as a “release” after years of dealing with the disease.

Debate on social media quickly erupted on whether Smith was justified in his response to Rock’s joke, or whether his remark went too far with black women echoing calls to end the long-time and often public slander of black women’s appearance.

Social commentator and The Voice columnist, Kelechi Okafor, wrote on Twitter: “We’ve seen so many stories of Black people dealing with health conditions privately and of all the people, Chris chose to run that joke about a Black woman. Will Smith could’ve rocked Chris’ jaw harder in my South London opinion. He’s lucky.”

She added: “I love that for Willard ‘Chat Shit Get Banged’ Smith. I’ve said it for time, people don’t get slapped enough for talking slick about people’s family. On sight. Bless up.”

Many black women also came to Will’s defence, and believed his actions were for a greater cause while protecting his wife of 25-years.

One Twitter user echoed the sentiment: “You can’t scream Protect Black Women then get mad when a Black Husband protects his Black wife.”

“Will Smith defended his wife on national television. Yes he laughed at the joke. But when you look over and see your wife not laughing but tearing up, you realise its not a joke to her and therefore not a joke to you. You defend her at whatever the cost. Defend black women,” another Twitter user wrote.

In the words of civil-rights activist, Malcolm X, another post read: “The most disrespected person in America is a black woman. The most unprotected person in America is a black woman. The most neglected person in America is a black woman. I for one am thankful Will Smith & Cory Booker are issuing lessons and standing up for Black women.”

As scenes of the incident spiralled online, others also criticised how many outside the black community were commenting on a subject they were not informed on and blamed “white feminism” for the backlash.

“Lots of white feminism running rampant tonight fellas. Another situation of people trying to demonise the black man. Will Smith did nothing wrong,” another Tweet read. 

“This question is rhetorical,” another social media user hit back, “why is it that white feminists have labeled will smith’s behavior “toxic masculinity” but not chris rock’s pattern of belittling jada pinkett-smith and black women as a whole?”

Rock’s ill-made joke at the star-studded ceremony saw social media users unearth his 2009 documentary, Good Hair, where he explored the “socio-cultural baggage” around black women’s hair to further weigh into the star.

Elgin Charles, who featured in the doc, said: “HAIR is a VERY sensitive subject for many women of colour; Black women in particular. Chris Rock knows this better than most b/c he produced a documentary called #GoodHair (that I starred in)…

“Will Smith was wrong, but Chris Rock was as well. Jada was visibly upset.”

In agreement, one person wrote: “Here’s what I don’t get: sure Will Smith was wrong, but Chris Rock literally made a documentary about the socio-cultural baggage bound up in black women’s hair, and he STILL makes an alopecia joke? He had to know he was in dangerous waters.”

Okafor, who has been an outspoken activist for black women’s rights, also agreed that the sensitive poltiics around black women’s should not be made the butt of any joke.

She said: “Black women have been berated about their hair for centuries and hair has been made political throughout our interaction with western thought. If you are unaware of this, you unfortunately are not equipped to be throwing opinions about.”

Smith, who went on to win Best Actor for his role in the biopic King Richard, seemed to apologise to the academy and the audience, while not mentioning Rock as he made his emotional acceptance speech to a standing ovation.

Appearing to acknowledge his outburst at the ceremony, Smith remarked, “I hope the academy invites me back” and said that “love makes us do crazy things” as he took to the stage.

Smith’s son – Jaden Smith – seemed to support his father’s actions, simply posting on Twitter: “And That’s How We Do It.”

The actor’s win some believe has been marred by the incident as critics are calling for him to be stripped off his first Oscar win in what some think is rooted in racial bias

Responding to the calls, a Twitter user said: “All you ppl saying will smith’s Oscar should be taken away! Do you know how many Oscars Harvey Weinstein has? 81!!! Leave black women alone! #ProtectBlackWomen.”

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, an activist and The Voice contributor, seconded the uproar for Smith not to return his Oscar, appearing to also refer to the infamous Harvey Weinstein scandal that engulfed Hollywood.

“The Academy Awards has condoned violence for years particularly violence against women rewarding White men who’ve raped/sexual assaulted/domestically abused women,” she said. “Now some of y’all demanding Will Smith, 5th Black man to win #Oscars, to be stripped? Where was this energy before?”

Rock has not yet responded to the controversy, but reports suggest that he will not pursue charges against one of Hollywood’s biggest actors after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed they were aware of an incident of “assault.”

In a statement, the Academy said: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form.

“Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”

The Education Secretary also commented in the controversy when asked how he would explain the incident to children if he was a teacher.

“I would say, don’t do it,” Mr Zahawi told BBC Breakfast. “You could see Will Smith – and my heart was broken when I saw him, that tearful apology, he apologised immediately. “It was hard for him because it was someone who made a joke about his wife and her illness. That’s not easy but he regretted it and he apologised immediately.

“It is heart-breaking when you lose control of your emotions in that way, but I think it is important not to allow yourself to cross that line, and he apologised immediately, which is good to see. “A very talented man, his first Oscar in a fantastic film, King Richard… it is a brilliant film of aspiration for that family, but my heart went out to Will Smith and his family.”