How Black Women Have Been Empowered To Wear Their Natural Hair During The Pandemic | Nightline
- Posted on 17 September, 2020
- Hair Knowledge
- By Anonymous
Women of color have long faced prejudices against natural hair in professional and academic settings. Now, a growing online movement is empowering them to embrace their curls, coils and waves.
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From kingston curls to frozen locks braids to bantu knots, black people's choice to wear their natural hair freely is so highly political. In a time where we are exploring the psychological significance of race, we really need to unpack the meaning of hair. People may not be using racial slurs, but actually may be discriminating people based on their appearance. The term natural hair refers to hair of those from african descent that has not been straightened or altered by chemical products. I decided to get cornrows but then um a few days later, a white woman had came to me and she was like. Oh, you scared me and i'm like. Why did i scare you like we work together, we're on the same floor like we already have a rapport but subconsciously? She was not used to seeing me with that style, whether manifesting as microaggressions or explicitly police in school policies. Hair discrimination against black men and women is intricately intertwined with racism. He wasn't my supervisor, he kept saying: hey check it out. You got these bo derek braids and i was like oh derek braids. Even within the natural hair movement, there's another layer of discrimination, a division based on type and texture of hair. That'S been dubbed texturism. The idea that looser straighter curl patterns, sometimes called good hair, are more acceptable than kinkier coils and traditional styles like afros. This can speak to a system of racism where the people who have hair textures, that are the closest approximation to whiteness, actually are favored. Both types of discrimination have real world impacts. According to a national study conducted by dove in the crown coalition, black women are 80 percent, more likely to change their natural hair to meet social norms or expectations and are one and a half times more likely to have reported being sent home because of their hair. It does get exhausting, and sometimes you don't even really realize and recognize that, like oh i'm spending so much extra time trying to like figure out. If my hair is presentable to fight the prejudice against natural hair in professional and academic settings, california became the first state to pass the crown act in 2019, aiming to ban race-based, hair discrimination and six other states followed suit. The crown act is actually an extension of the civil rights act of 1964.. There was a loophole. It did not protect black hairstyles, more and more you're, seeing black women taking advantage of the versatility of their hair, creating a virtual community on social platforms to openly promote acceptance of all different natural hair types. I often tell women there's no such thing as good hair. Bad hair, there's good scalp, good scalp good scalp will definitely help you produce good, so-called good hair veteran celebrity natural hair, stylist felicia leatherwood says that quarantine has given a lot of women the time and space to experiment with their natural hair and she's, encouraging everyone to Keep pinning sniffing and twisting your board meeting is on zoom. So if your hair starts off here and then it shrinks back to here, this is a good time to find out so really be patient. Hi. Everyone george stephanopoulos here thanks for checking out the abc news youtube channel if you'd like to get more videos, show highlights and watch live event coverage click on the right over here to subscribe to our channel and don't forget to download the abc news app for breaking News alerts, thanks for watching
Comments
Jude MelRoses: Regardless of social standards. Be you, Be free to style your hair however and go wherever you want. ✨
LaShun Miller: Yep the Doc is right, I know of women in the office with natural hair-dos told to "fix" their hair according to office policy! It's a trip, hair does not negate a employee's ability to do the job.
Avril Barclay: Go for it ladies do as you want not what society dictates, personally I don’t like straight hair and would love curly hair.
Mo Butter: The Crown Act! Enough said! The mere idea that a law had to be passed to protect what comes naturally out of ones head..che tristezza!
Always Busy: Umm she was scared of you because she didn’t recognize you. Don’t make it something it isn’t. Also, TOTALLY SUPPORT AND LOVE TO SEE THIS MOVEMENT!!!! Google female hair standards in the military, the Army specifically. We had a huge revision of regulatory guidance due to discrimination. The word “nappy” was used in a derogatory manner & made it damn near impossible for black females to wear their hair natural. Mandatory to chemically process hair. Are you kidding me? This wasn’t too long ago either!! This natural hair movement is needed. It’s relevant & its a teeny tiny step in the right direction, removing social stigma.
James H.: Do we know what the word empowered means?
Trish St John: I went to college in Berkeley in the late sixties when most black women my age were wearing their hair in some version of natural. I do longed for hair that would somehow do that. Angela Davis was my style icon in every way. Politics and hair were enmeshed for black and white. I’m happy the pendulum has finally swung back for black women.
mosheree22222: I've been natural for over 15years. Has nothing to do with this pandemic. And this conversation is not new. Just because some people are just now actually 'seeing' black people in general... ugh ♀️
Taylor Williams: I did NOT need a pandemic to embrace any empowerment. I have been ROCKING my NATURAL hair for decades! My empowerment lies in my IDENTITY IN CHRIST! My Bible tells me that EVERYTHING God made is GOOD. My hair is included in that promise. My body temple is way TOO PRECIOUS to poison with unsafe toxic chemicals. I am beautiful because I am made in my Abba Father’s image. God has ALWAYS made a way for me to succeed in any career/employment with my natural hair.
AYOLOVE PHACOLD: I don't get it. What's with people's obsession with our hair? Like, are they threatened by it or what? Why should wearing my hair he way GOD made it constitute a headache for anybody, seriously?
PoppaPineapple: Love this! people should be able to be comfortable being themselves without being discriminated against because of it
Pulsar: Finally cultural appropiation comes to an end
K. Johannsen: I absolutely love African hair. Maybe I'm biased, I dunno, because my wife is black, but I'm happy to see natural hair again!
Candy Brought It Up.: There’s Been a natural hair movement Knock it off.
Ashley Ruby Emerald: Is good to be natural Be you!!!✌
eastside harold: THIS IS A GREAT THING SISTERS NEED TO STOP SPENDING THERE MONEY ON HAIR HATS!!!
AYOLOVE PHACOLD: Hair discrimination against black people is not "intertwined" with racism, it is a form and extension of it.
I got 5 on it: When we evolve as a species topics like these will be irrelevant.
Tu Bailey: Why so many insults from men who are insecure
Eddie Savage: When everybody has interbreeded so much that everyone is the same color, that is when we will finally be HONEST ABOUT RACE AND IQ
oscar ascencio: This is my professor ✊
Genevieve Baldwin: For more than 10 years I've worn my locs in a predominately white state. My God created me and my hair. I absolutely love my locs! I create fun styles.
Jamil Russ: This is still a issue n 2020 it's fucking ridiculous we are having this problem about blk hair
Eddie Savage: When everybody has interbreeded so much that everyone is the same color, that is when we will finally be HONEST ABOUT RACE...
ThePriceTag: I thought it was a Hollywood thing. You know, they finally understand a black style they can all handle so it's become industry standard lol
tremper tremper: So no more hair extensions?
24james: We have reached levels of black fatigue never thought possible
RichSmoove: Does this mean if you’re bald you can’t be racist?
Micro Tasker: This got on national news, people. Stunning and brave? More like vapid and narcissistic.
Johnny Subic: Afros are awesome #BOBMARLEY
Erin McG: You mean no more blonde hair.........Awwwwww
ENO AFIA: The best time to accept your Natural Hair is NOW!
Patrick Hamell: Really is this a real problem really all the crap out there and this is news.. I like their hair natural. Just saying I think most white women have worst hair dos .
Boris D.: How are these medias are still on in USA when I see that the comments are calling them out?
Russell: Youre not race baiting hard enough , race bait harder.
eveningbreeze: You assumed your cornrows scared her LOL
ll: Thanks ABC “news”. I love waking up to my daily propaganda in the morning.
Micro Tasker: Trump: Makes historic Middle East peace deal. ABC: This.
Matthew Walton: ABC - Always Baiting Color
O S: Now I can sleep well tonight - black women are empowered to wear their own hair.
Arnold Childress: Is this a joke I'm having a bad hair day
Elaine Hinton: My hair is purple
GIGAtyWING: Move to Uganda remember the welcome mat is there waiting
Shannon Peacock: Most of this is ridiculous, but that cornrows scaring someone took all kinds of stupid.
Tee Trotter: What hair pmsl
Sara Wilcker: The the fact that you even did a news story on this is just truly pathetic.
jobriath11: Go to YouTube type jeff session swats joe biden hand off little girl Lmao too funny
Luke Burny: Don't like it move!!!!!!!!!by the way it's cultural appropriation straightening your hair like white women
Kevin Gutierrez: What is this ?? But any way a short Story My wife is black and im Mexican.. I told my wife when we got married .. leave your hair natural ... and after 8 years all her friends and family say including me ... she looks beautiful and now her black girlfriends want to try it. !!
Ronald Parker: Go girls we love u queens!
The Vengeance of Diana: Google "stratospheric aerosol injection"
Liteup X: Does anyone really care about this?
Ozzie Dortona: Becky with that bad hair...
1982: Katy Perry agrees.
Aaron Evans: Not sure what I just watched and not sure why I watched it but know this, I have no clue what I just watched and yes, not sure why I watched it.
Martin Super: What a joke. NEWS? Stop pandering.
Saharan Nomad: Facts.
AR 23: More like they saved money
Martine Mikita: Definitely no racism based on hair. I am white... my son is white, he has African American hair... I gave him dreads over the summer... Im Definitely NOT RACIST. EVER.
reviews with pappy: Hooray at last love your self real black Nubian queen
Arghadeep Dutta: You teeth are Resist because that sometime bite your brown lips
Stephyfra 12: is all I can say.
bone Jack: Must be a slow news day
Blood Eagle 762: OMFG, is everything about racism???? My toenails are racist, what a joke...
Andy's Angels: Black people think the world is against them lmao get a clue
YouTubeAddict: Omg whatever.
Arghadeep Dutta: The white portion of your eyes are Resist Black eyeballs matter
Shawn Thompson: Who cares waste of news
RichSmoove: Wtf did I just watch
M A: Why is this the news today.
kult: forgot to ask
Pete C: No one cares. Waste of 3 min.
Pinball: Hair today....gone tomorrow. This rabbit does not care about no stinkin hare.
Gary Rumain: Who gives a crap?
n l: Some black women have beautiful hairstyle.. some have ugly hairstyle. Yes, using the word 'ugly'... free speech.
Caleb se7en: The raid of the Karens in the comments begin...
Trump 2024: Nappy
Cat: ABC you need to turn off your likes and comments like yahoo. These people in the comments are negative and Despairing.