African American Women Wear Hair Essay

The perception of normal in America has become a hindrance for African American women to express their unique beauty in today’s society. The ideal image that has been pushed through media is the Eurocentric beauty, causing Native American, Hispanics and African Americans to conform to look more American. African Americans have been working hard to mold themselves to what they feel is most acceptable in society for years now. Since post emancipation, the African American culture has two methods to “fix” their blackness in order to blend in (Hargro). One being to straighten their hair to make it more pleasing to the eye as the European hair textures which is the ultimate goal of “good hair”. Once again to comply with the likings of society and to feel like they belong African American women turned to either chemically or thermally straightening their …show more content…
I will agree that yes, sometimes natural hair can look too loud and may need to be toned down during certain settings like Tamera said “why not put it in a ponytail or a bun” if your workplace or school believes its “unruly”. To tell a woman that something she was born with is not acceptable is not only discriminatory but it also has the possibility of breaking down self-esteem. Throughout the past few years it seems as if African American women are coming to terms with the hair that they were rightfully given and not caring about the opinions of others. The natural hair movement has somehow expanded to become a re-modernized way of living and a highlighted focal point of the mainstream beauty industry, giving more women more self-esteem (Boston Globe). With this movement it seems like more black women are trying to get others to join and trying to spread the knowledge of how to embrace your natural locs an also to care for