“I Remember My First Relaxer”: Black Women Voicing Psychologically Engrained Practices of Chemical Hair Straightening

Author:

Mbilishaka Afiya M.1ORCID,Hudlin McKalah2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Psychology, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA

2. School of Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Abstract

Chemical hair straightening is a statistical norm for Black girls and women, but due to the toxic combinations of chemicals in these products, many Black girls suffer from hair damage, breakage, and loss during a critical stage of identity development. The existing psychological interpretation of hair straightening centralizes self-hatred without accounting for the complex psycho-social impetus as told through the stories of Black women. Using the Guided Hair Autobiography, researchers elicited and analyzed the narratives of 38 Black women who underwent chemical hair straightening during their youth. Achieving “manageable” hair, community belongingness, and maternal choice were the identified reasons for chemically straightening hair. Both physical harm and psychological conflict were consequences of this beauty practice. These narrative insights offer clinicians a critical context for the role of early memories in body image and family dynamics. This study highlights the role of chemical hair straightening embedded into the identities of Black women, complicates the internalized narratives of racialized embodied aesthetics, and invites deeper examination of toxic beauty practices in Black female relationships and identity development.

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Applied Psychology,Anthropology

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3