Marginalization within the natural hair community

The natural hair community are black or bi-racial men and women whom decided to refrain from relaxers and chemical hair treatments, in order to keep their natural afro-textured hair. This community arose because of discrimination torwards natural hair that caused an uprising that ultimately became the natural hair movement.  Unfortunately, marginalization on certain hair, textures, styles and lengths is now present within the community itself.

A short history of the natural hair discrimination

Discrimination towards the black community regarding their natural hair and hairstyles dates back to the 1800’s and 1900’s, at the time colonialism was still globally accepted and had rapidly augmented throughout the world. 

Black hair discrimination mostly came from the beauty standards of white people, whilst black hairstyles were associated with being unfitting and messy. The texture of black people’s hair is commonly very diversified. However, hair that is thick and has tight coils is stereotypically linked to black people (Nimocks, 2015). According to Mercer (1987) the word”nigger hair” is a clear depiction of how racism, degraded black people's hair making their hair the second most visible stigma of being black. The division of ‘black’ and ‘white’ during the 17th and 18th century was a consequence of colonization and slavery. Individuals were valued by the colour of their skin and being black represented inferiority, lower class or no class at all. While being white on the other hand symbolizes superiority, power and upper class. 

Even ads that are meant for black people are most of the time about relaxers and/or products for relaxed hair

During that time the tone of the skin also represented an individual's aesthetic value. Nowadays those beliefs and attributes are not 100% the same anymore, however racism is still present in today’s world with for instance stereotypical comments made about one’s hair. Where generally “good hair” is related to white people’s hair and/or black people’s hair that is not too kinky nor too curly. Media has repeatedly depict people with straight hair as the beauty standard and this counts for not only white women but also black women. 

A lot of times black women are presented with straight hair and/or have white traits. Even ads that are meant for black people are most of the time about relaxers and/or products for relaxed hair (Thompson, 2009). This is a clear representation of a cultural hegemony in the black community which is an occurrence were a dominant group (in this case western society) determined what was acceptable, by oppressing a group of people (black people) who at the end accepted and embraced these norms even though it caused them harm.

Thompson (2009) further adds that in today’s society the hairstyle that a black woman chooses to wear, often, is used to establish what type of occupation she can have or if she can keep the job. It is common that in the western society, straight hair is presumed to be more presentable and professional than natural hair, meaning natural afro-textured hair that is not chemically altered. For the longest time, it was presumed to be not normal in the western society for black people to wear their natural hair. In other words, looking different  what was presumed to be normal (mainstream), could have affected one’s career success unfavorably. 

Even though there has been some degree of oppression towards black people through the years regarding their natural hair (especially in styles such as Afros, Braids, Cornrows and dreadlocks), there was a time when afro symbolized black pride and the beauty that being black meant to people with African descent (Reidy & Kanigiri, 2016). 

According to White (2005) the majority of women who choose to wear their natural hair, are going through a process of change in the sense of self acknowledgement, self- discovery and how they see themselves. Which leads to them feeling more proud and strong. Yet, wearing your natural hair not necessarily portrays a political statement. There are women out there that do not feel differently about themselves when wearing their hair natural. Some women choose to wear their natural hair because of their personal preference or an expression of their creativity. 

Natural hair community as crusaders

All the above mentioned depicts how black people’s natural hair has been stigmatized for generations by the western society and presumed to be less beautiful than straight hair. This has led to the uprising of the natural hair community. A recent movement that has started to trend, becoming the opposite of the generally accepted beauty standard. This can be compared to what Becker (1963) mentioned regarding crusaders, since the black people also were unsatisfied with the situation they were in and decided to do something about for the benefit of tthe whole black community.

Recently a lot of beauty brands promotes natural hair products and black women in their natural hair state, e.g. L'oreal putting viola Davis as their international spokesperson in 2019, Estée Lauder assigned Anok Yai as their Global spokesperson in 2018, Clinique using a black model with natural hair in a commercial. Endorsing and accepting women, regardless of the color of their skin or hair style (Ellis-Hervey et al., 2016). 

According to Rowe (2015) the purpose of the natural hair community is to positively portray natural hair and 'authentic' beauty, through notions such as wellness, self-love & self-discovery and most importantly self-acceptance. It initiated with the efforts of black women going against what was mainstream and putting an end to the use of relaxers or changing their natural hair textures not only because of the chemicals  toxins but also to be content with their own natural hair (Rowe, 2015). The transformation from relaxed hair to natural hair is often very powerful and emotional to black women, due to the cultural stigmatization and scrutinization of hair that black people had to endure. 

The natural hair community not only teaches women the need to be informed and educated on their hair and hair products, but also provides a virtual and physical space for women to feel comfortable talking about their health outside the context of skin and hair products. This shows that the natural hair community not only focuses on hair care but in addition also informes women about making healthy and better choices. The natural hair community for instance motivates black women to exercise, drink more water, and eat more healthy for that matter.

Just like most sub-groups the natural hair community also has its own slang. This is a certain way of talking between the members of this community  that identifies this specific group. A few of these slang terms are: 

• Bantu knots: A particular hairstyle, worn by people with natural hair
• Big chop (BC): Cutting off relaxed hair in order to start the natural hair journey
• Nappyversary: The day on which an individual decided to go natural
• Pineappleing/high puff: A particular hairstyle, positioned on the top of one's head
• Shrinkage: When one’s hair reduces in visual length when it dries up
• TWA: Teeny weeny afro
• Fluff: Using your fingers or a pick to add volume to your hair
• Transitioning: when an individual is in the process between having relaxed hair and going natural

Where are they active?

The natural hair community has expanded massively over the past 20 years since the movement started in the United tates. Since the movement also became a trend, the community grew even bigger and this can be noticed by their active presence in the online and offline world. Many women that went natural started posting about their journey’s online in order to help and show others the different hair routines they can apply, what hair products they could use, the different hairstyles they can wear, how to maintain their hair healthy and various other tips.

Youtube

Nowadays, this sub-group can be found on almost all social media platforms such as: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tumblr, Pintrest and more.

Natural hair pages on social media Chimananda Ngozi Adichie

Besides having an active presence online, the natural hair community also lets its presence be known offline. Throughout the year, several natural hair events are organized  globally, where you can get education and advice on natural hair, meet other individuals with natural hair (support), receive free products and samples and much more.

What are the beauty standards within the natural hair community? 

Even though the natural hair community increased in size and positively affect how black people view themselves and their hair, it appears to shift towards a more commercialized movement. At the same time, we see that certain individuals within the community are starting to marginalize certain hair, textures, styles and lengths (Rowe, 2015). Amongst the natural hair community 'hair type' has become an essential term used and looked upon. This is a categorization of hair textures that  a combination of numbers and letters.  

The reason for this categorization is because some hair types need more care and maintenance than others. There are many videos on youtube that explains the different hair types of having natural hair. 

Hair types on YouTube Beyoncé, Flawless. Youtube

In the last years, the concept of hair types has more and more become a superiority chart. The higher you are in the chart the better your natural hair. The last hair type on the hair type chart is 4b/4c. This hair type is more coily than the other hair types on the chart and is commonly associated with african people While 3b/3c is associated to mixed-race women. This goes back to “good hair” being defined by the tone of your skin. The media often show women with this type of hair opposed to 4c/4b. This shows a clear representation of how even in the new movement of natural hair, there exists a degree of idealism, a norm that includes and excludes.

This also dates back to when white people even divided black people based on how coily their hair was during the days of black enslavement in the United States. The slaves with a less coily hair texture, which was closer to those of white people, these slaves were send to work inside. While the slaves with more coily hair had to work on the fields. Those that worked inside had better living circumstances than the ones that worked outside on the fields. 

Today there is still division in the natural hair textures of black people, although it is in the community itself. Members of the community look down upon other members that have 4C type hair. Many natural hair ouubers have made videos voicing their experience about backlash from other black people. Greaves (2019) also talks about the experiences of various influential youtubers and instagrammers that receive hate comments from other members of the natural hair and black community.  Harrell (2015) conducted a research that illustrated how posts of women with 3B/3C was more praised, received more postive comments and likes compared to women with 4C coily hair.

Hair type C on youtube Beyoncé, Flawless. Youtube

 there is also another discrimination present in the natural hair community which is aimed at bi-racial people. Since they are half white and therefore tend to have looser curls, their blackness and spot in the natural hair community is sometimes questioned.  Blommaert & Varis (2015) explain this phenomenon to be 'enoughness' . Which according to them is "judgements of specific doses of features" and in the case of bi-racial people they are seen to be not black enough to be a member of the natural hair community.

Marginalization

Looking back at all that black people had to endure regarding their skin color and hair texture in the past, it is dissapointing to see how there is discrimination within the natural hair community itself.  community that was formed to uplift black people who want to wear their hair naturally. Now even inside this community that is suppose to stand for acceptance, members are being made feel less about their hair by other members. Discrimination in a community that stands against discrimination. 

References

Becker, H. (1963). Outsiders Studies in the sociology of deviance . The free press .

Blommaert, Jan & Varis, Piia. (2015). Culture as accent: The cultural logic of Hijabista. Semiotica. 203. 153-177. 10.1515/sem-2014-0067. 

Ellis-Hervey, N., Doss, A., Davis, D., Nicks, R., & Araiza, P. (2016). African American Personal presentation: Phychology of Hair and sSelf-Perception. Journal of Black Studies Vol. 47(8), 869-882.

Greaves, K. (2019, March 4). 4C Hair Influencers Share How Texture Discrimination Within The Black Community Affects Them On Social Media. Opgehaald van Bustle: https://www.bustle.com/p/4c-hair-influencers-share-how-texture-discrimi…

Harrell, Y. (2015, May 9). The Development of Microaggressions in the Online Natural Hair Community: A Thematic Analysis.

Mercer, K. (1987). Black Hair/Style Politics . New Formations 3, 33-54.Nimocks, J. M. (2015). The Natural Hair Movement As A Platform For Environmental Education. California : Pomona College .

Reidy, S., & Kanigiri, M. (2016). How are Ethnic Hairstyles Really Viewed in the workplace? Cornel University ILR School.

Rowe, K. D. (2015). I love this cotton hair: Black women, natural hair, and (re)constructions of beauty.

Thompson, C. (2009). Black women and identity: what's haor got to do with it? Michigan Feminist Studies 22 (1).

White, S. (2005). Releasing the pursuit of bouncin' and behavin' hair: natural hair as an afrocentric feminist aestheti for beauty. International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics 1(3), 295-308.