RAB Source Entry 1- Hannael F

RAB

Research Question: How does hair discrimination affect young black girls?

             I’m interested in doing this topic because I have experienced feelings of hatred towards my hair, and I still battle with loving it today. I’m also interested because it’s fascinating that something as insignificant as hair can determine a woman’s self worth. From a young age black girls are molded into thinking their hair is too nappy or too short and that they would be prettier if they had ‘good’ hair. This kind of thinking doesn’t just just come from other races, but it also comes within the black community itself. This rhetoric of thick and tight curls being considered ‘nappy’ causes many black girls to turn to straight hair or wigs with really loose curls because they feel prettier that way. Many black women wear wigs because it allows them to express themselves through hair and frequently have a new ‘do.’ However, a lot of other black women wear wigs to hide their natural hair. I have grown to have a decent relationship with my natural hair, but I’m not completely comfortable with it yet. I don’t want people to lower my value because of the way my hair is styled. I want to find out if society is making an effort to help black girls feel secure in their hair. I would also like to figure out what it takes for a black woman to finally be confident while wearing their hair. All in all, I want to focus on this question because not enough people talk about the permanent damage done to black women when being bullied or belittled because of their hair.

Source Entry 1 

MLA Citation

https://time.com/4909898/black-hair-discrimination-ignorance/

Summary

The Times Magazine opinion piece titled ‘The Hatred of Black Hair Goes Beyond Ignorance,’  by Abreva Martin illustrates the damaging effect of hair discrimination on young black girls. Hair discrimination formed by society and peers can subconsciously cause black women to feel insecure wearing their hair in its natural state, leading them to resort to hair relaxers and wigs. Martin stated, “Like many young black girls who were subjected to the subliminal messaging that taught us we should envy our white peers’ silky straight locks, I grew up having a love-hate relationship with my natural hair.” Martin is demonstrating in these lines the fact that young black girls have the idea that they need to strive to look like their white peers by any means. That means damaging their tight coils with chemicals and high heat to have straight and flowy hair. In addition to that, Martin uses the phrase ‘subliminal messaging’ which gives readers the idea that this is caused by micro-aggressions. This means that society is not directly telling black girls their hair is bad, but by promoting eurocentric features as superior and promoting products to ‘fix’ kinky hair, black girls are eventually going to equate beauty to the white woman. Like Abreva Martin, a plethora of black girls today are battling with the relationship they have with their hair just like she has at a young age.

Reflection

          This article helps me to realize that I am not the only black girl who has gone through feeling like a foreigner in my own hair. This is a struggle that most black women of all ages face today. Straight blonde hair being promoted in T.V shows and commercials as the epitome of beauty causes the moldable minds of young blacks to consider themselves as less than. Feeling insecure in your natural state is a feeling that no one enjoys regardless of race, so why does society subject black girls to that. Black womens natural hair is seen as unprofessional, nappy and undone. This idea is also prominent in the African American community. Martin talked about having to endure her hair being ‘pressed’ by a hot straightening comb, risking her neck or head getting burnt. This is a relatable experience to all girls who grow up with their black family members. I personally have endured through that experience and I know how annoying it can be. Black having instilled in their mind that their hair must be straight for special occasions makes it seem like their natural hair isn’t special enough. There should be more acknowledgement to the topic because why is it that black women get targeted for their hair the most more than anyone else? Black women are at the bottom of the food chain, so their needs and feelings always get thought of last. Everyone should try and do better by encouraging natural hair, incorporating more diversity into shows and commercials. By doing this, the next generations of young black girls won’t have to go through feeling insecure about themselves.              

Rhetorical Analysis          

           The genre of this article is opinion piece with the purpose to inform. The targeted audience is towards the general public. This article was written because of the constant discrimination towards black women’s hair in public and in the media. The author connects with the audience by including her own experience with their hair. She adds countless accounts that highlight moments where black women’s hair was attacked within a workplace or a school. The author, Areva Martin, is an award winning civil rights attorney, a  USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author and entrepreneur. Founded in 1923, Times Magazine is a credible source because it  has been one of the most authoritative and informative guides to what is happening in current affairs.

Notable  Quotables

“In high school, I began using chemical products that guaranteed to relax my roots and give me the flowing, shiny hair that rivaled the white women I saw in glamorous shampoo ads.” (Abreva Martin)

“But the hatred of black hair goes beyond ignorant comments. In fact, embracing natural hair can lead some women and men to lose their jobs or face punishment at school.”(Abreva Martin)

“ Last year, a school in Kentucky attempted to ban dreadlocks, cornrows and twists — but eventually reversed course after many called the policy racist.”            ( Abreva Martin)

“White women aren’t punished or marginalized because of how they wear their hair. Black women and men shouldn’t be penalized either.” (Abreva Martin)

“We shouldn’t feel compelled to conform to a grooming standard that mandates we suppress our cultural roots and identity.” (Abreva Martin)