WINTER WINTER 2021-2022 2021-2022
for me to realize that it was ingrained in me growing
throughout American history even today.
up.
Media Representation: Kinky, Curly, Light & Dark
From the Inside of the Party
When I think about all the famous Black wom-
It’s not all love on the inside of the party. Textur-
en in mainstream media, the first thing I notice is
ism is still an issue because it is so deeply rooted in
hair. When you see these celebrities reaching a cer-
our culture that we unfortunately can’t stop it in a
tain status, you begin to see more straight hair, wigs,
day. Growing up, comments about my hair would
and weaves; everything but their natural kink and
differ depending on how it was styled. I never wore
curls, and the ones that do embrace natural hair get
my natural hair until I reached around the seventh
criticized. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, a dark-
grade; so prior to that, I always got compliments on
skinned woman, is the first person that comes to my
my hair because it was straight. “Are you mixed with
mind. Even thinking back to when I was little, watch-
anything?” “Do you have Indian in you?” “Your hair
ing her get scrutinized made me look at my hair dif-
is so long and silky, mine is so nappy!” “Your hair is
ferently. When Douglas was competing in 2012, jour-
beautiful.” “Your kids are going to have some pret-
nalists — and even fellow Black women and men on
ty hair.” It was never-ending, from friends, family,
the internet — commented on how her hair was tied
teachers and even strangers. At some points, I only
up, or on how the kinks would form around the edges
saw myself as beautiful when my hair was straight
of her hair and the nape of her neck. Her texture of
and done, because that was the only time I would get
hair? 4c. They focused so much on that instead of her
compliments. When I finally did go natural, the back-
talent that when I look at her Instagram or any cam-
handed compliments and bad experiences I’ve had
paigns she’s in now — all I see is straight hair.
because of my 4b-4c hair became too many to count.
Celebrities praised for wearing their natural hair
It’s sad to say, but it often comes from women who
tend to be lighter, bringing back the house slave, field
are supposed to be my allies. I’ve had to stop going to
slave mentality. Celebrities like Yara Shahidi, Tracee
hair salons because I can’t seem to find someone to
Ellis-Ross, Alicia Keys and Zendaya have all received
handle my texture anymore, which has led to bad sa-
praise for embracing their natural hair and the beauty
lon experiences that left me traumatized, and a hair
of their texture, all while being lighter-skinned and
job that I ended up hating anyways.
having 3a or 3b hair types. Companies like SheaMoisture, Carol’s Daughter and others have been crit-
Where do we go from here?
icized for only praising women with light skin and
Unfortunately, even within Black spaces, we still
loose curls, while excluding women with darker skin
must constantly fight to be included. Representa-
and kinkier textures. Do we all have the same hair? Of
tion, education about Black hair, self-reflection and
course not, but women with darker skin tones typi-
correction are the first steps to flip the ongoing nar-
cally have type 4 hair, and they make up too much of
rative. Women like Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union, Lupi-
the natural hair movement and hair care industry to
ta Nyong’o and Taraji P. Henson are dark-skinned,
go unrepresented in everyday media and advertise-
Black women in mainstream media who push back,
ments.
wear their natural hair and embrace the beauty in
Even when I look back on my life, I’ve always
their tighter textures, despite what the media might
straightened my hair in those big life moments like
say. We need more of it, but for that to happen, the
graduations, picture days or interviews where the
spaces must exist where there can be more than five
managers might have not been Black. It took me
famous darker skinned women with tighter curls.
years to even notice that I kept trying to conform to
Sometimes, taking a look at what ideals have been
this ideal of having “good hair,” but it also took time
passed down to you during your childhood will give
“
Hair types typically found in Black people are type 3 and 4; Type 3 is Curly-
“
tween straighter hair, success and mobility echoes
Kinky, and Type 4 is
Kinky-Coily.
you insight on why you might feel a certain way about your hair, and where to start changing your mindset.
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