Beauty Standards - argumentative essay PDF

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Fynn 1 Esi Fynn Professor Kean ENG 121-05F 22 April 2021 The effects of Eurocentric Beauty Standards on Black Women's Hair Beauty standards represent the ideal image of what is considered attractive; it often applies to women and is subject to change through different time periods. Beauty standards apply to many areas, such as body type, makeup, and even skin color. Looking back at past decades, beauty trends change dramatically, from fashion to hairstyles. In discussing the matters surrounding beauty standards, it is important to note which beauty standards are most prevalent and the effect that they have on those who do not fit them. The promotion of Eurocentric features in the media has laid the foundation for beauty standards, making it difficult to dismantle. Western beauty norms have largely impacted several cultures, mainly of African descent, causing changes that have started to erase their heritage. The origin of Black people having to conform to Western beauty standards started in 1767 when Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miró passed the Tignon Law. The law prohibited Black women from "dressing excessively," referring to their adorned hairstyles, and stated that they should cover their hair with a headdress. This was motivated by white women's jealousy that white men found Creole women's hair attractive as it was styled in decorative ways. The headdresses that Black women wore were also intricate and is a style that continues to this day. In the early 1900s, African American women started straightening their hair as a form of assimilation in a "violently racist society" (Edwards). Hair products such as relaxers were made to straighten hair for a more pleasing look. Black women often used it to improve the chances of getting ahead in society because kinky hair was seen as bad hair. Discrimination on hair type dates back to the days when slavery was still active. Those with 3c hair would work indoors “since their hair texture — and sometimes skin color

Fynn 2 — was closer to those of white people”, while those with kinkier hair and darker skin would work in the fields (Greaves). This prejudice has fostered marginalization of the type 4 hair type within the natural hair community, creating a “hair hierarchy” (Greaves). Once these stereotypes are let go of, and the media embraces all types of Black hair, then discrimination against Black hair will decrease. In the 1960s, the Black is Beautiful movement started, and afros became more common and acceptable throughout the Black community, but Eurocentric beauty standards still applied outside of it. Some workplaces and schools deemed afros and box braids as unacceptable and Black women resorted to relaxers, silk presses, and wigs. Because of the association of straight hair with beauty and professionalism, it has become a hairstyle used for important events, while their natural hair is more of an “at home” hairstyle. In recent years, wigs have become popular, and though there are wigs of various hair textures, straight wigs remain the most popular. Although it is common for a woman to take care of her hair, some Black women will “spend hundreds of dollars on getting their hair done” (Awad. et al.). The hair beauty industry has focused on long straight hair and ridiculed short kinky hair, as seen on clowns. Another reason the beauty standard against Black women remains is because of cultural appropriation. Women of other cultures will copy Black women's hairstyles and disrespect the culture around them. The hairstyle then becomes popular amongst other cultures, and though that can be seen as a good thing, it is not because Black women are ridiculed for having that same hairstyle even though it is theirs. The trauma runs deep, and even as people are starting to embrace their natural hair, straight hair is still put on a pedestal. This problem can be dealt with by introducing more representation to the mainstream media. Black hair products or content are often categorized as "Black hair," whereas straight hair is found under "hair." This puts different hair textures in a box and others them. The

Fynn 3 Black hair representation seen in the media is also subject to one type, usually the looser curls rather than the tightly coiled ones. Society is progressing towards accepting curly hair, but the standards are still rooted in how close to whiteness the texture is. There is a range of hair textures, starting from type one to type four. Each type has categories from a to c – 1a being the straightest and 4c being the kinkiest. The hair texture that is mainly shown in the media is 3c because it portrays the volume and characteristics of Black hair and is also the most manageable. Because the traits of 3c hair exist, 4c hair is still seen as ugly and hard to manage. Hair Love, an animated short film released in 2019, was born out of wanting to see more representation in animation but also wanting to normalize black hair,” said Matthew Cherry, the director of the film. It depicts a father helping his daughter style her hair, it seemed like a daunting task at first, but with patience and care he was able to do it. The film breaks stereotypes of African American hair being difficult to manage, as well as the stereotype of Black fathers being “unproductive in their children’s lives” (Hall). As white people primarily dominate American industries, it is difficult for other races, especially Black people, to plant themselves in mainstream media. The origins of beauty standards against African Americans run deep in American culture and are not something that can change the way fashion trends do. With more accurate representations of Black women and their hairstyles, America can move towards being more inclusive regarding beauty standards and perhaps abolish them together.

Fynn 4

Works Cited

Awad, Germine H. "Beauty and Body Image Concerns Among African American College Women ." The Journal of Black Psychology, vol. 41.6, 12 Nov. 2014, pp. 540–564., doi:10.1177/0095798414550864. Accessed 15 Apr. 2021. Edwards, Ashley Alese, and Faith Cummings. "Who Decided Black Hair Is So Offensive Anyway?" Glamour, 10 Sept. 2020, www.glamour.com/story/black-hair-offensivetimeline. Accessed 15 Apr. 2021.

Greaves, Kayla. “4C Hair Influencers Share How Texture Discrimination Within The Black Community Affects Them On Social Media.” Bustle, Bustle, 4 Mar. 2019, www.bustle.com/style/4c-hair-influencers-share-how-texture-discrimination-within-the-black-community-affects-them-on-social-media-16243800. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021

Hall, Gabrielle. “‘Hair Love’ Shows Positive Representation of Black Hair And Black Fatherhood.” Journey, Journey Magazine, 17 Feb. 2020, jmagonline.com/articles/hair-loveshows-positive-representation-of-black-hair-and-black-fatherhood/. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021

Fynn 5 Dear Editor,

In discussing the matters surrounding beauty standards, it is important to note which beauty standards are most prevalent and the effect that they have on those who don’t fit them. Western beauty norms have largely impacted several cultures, mainly of African descent, causing changes that have started to erase their heritage. As a member of the Black race, I have had to adhere to beauty standards that didn’t align with my own. So, from personal experience, I know the weight that it carries and the cultural erasure that it brings. For example, since the 1800’s Black women had to straighten their hair because western beauty standards didn’t deem African kinky hair attractive. Through the years, different hair styles have become a part of fashion, but one cannot deny that hair relaxers and wigs of a different hair texture have deep roots in anti-blackness. In order for beauty standards to be more inclusive, the media needs to showcase different kinds of beauty from around the world, rather than limiting it to one kind of face, skin color, or body type.

Sincerely, Esi Fynn...