The truth about Meghan Markle's hair (and other African Americans)
Many of them resort to wigs and extensions to be able to show off a Caucasian mane
Women's hair matters a lot, since it only expresses our identity to us, but also says a lot about whether or not we fit within some beauty canons that, although less and less, are almost always exclusive, leaving certain prototypes of women outside.
The hair of black women in the United States - as well as in many other countries in the world - is one more brand as is the color of the skin, which distances them not only from aesthetic models, but also from many other possibilities. For this reason, many of them resort to wigs and extensions that make it possible to wear a Caucasian hair more in line with the "prevailing" model in society.
Black women's hair is very curly
It seems obvious, but it is not. Its curl grows upwards as a result of its own undulation, for this reason it seems that it does not grow when it is curled. "African hair is difficult to straighten and requires specific knowledge to understand its characteristics and the care they need, different from manes in the rest of the world. To smooth it you have to resort to very aggressive products that do manage to stretch it, but it remains without flexibility, rigid. For this reason, to achieve the desired finish, wigs or extensions are used, ”says Rafael Bueno, a hairdresser from Malaga.
Non-inclusive beauty fees
Not fitting in with some stereotypes of beauty is much more than an aesthetic issue, it is also political. And in these cases in which the reasons are ethnic, they can affect personal identity, self-acceptance, although to that it is added that they can be an impediment to social advancement.
“Most black women in America hide their natural hair so they don't feel discriminated against at work. Taking it natural can mean in a job interview not being selected, also being fired, in some states there are laws in this regard, because African hair is attributed values such as that it is difficult and unprofessional. That is why Michelle Obama wore it smooth during the eight years of her husband's presidential term and she began to wear it naturally when she left the White House. Discrimination reaches all spheres, even in women of reference ”, explains M.ª José Llata from Santa Cruz de Bezana (Cantabria).
The African American Hair Business
The option that manages to emulate the hair of white or European women are extensions, specific for African hair due to their characteristics, although it is also the most expensive possibility. One more element of discrimination that enriches a cosmetic industry that moves millions of dollars.
“The extensions that black women wear, and here we include all of them, whatever their origin, they are very expensive, first of all, because they are natural black straight hair, mostly from Indian women. To apply them, the hair itself is braided and covered with a net. From here the extensions begin to be sewn, a task that takes a lot of time. This service has an approximate cost of 1000 dollars a month that many women assume in order not to lose their jobs, not to feel discriminated against, as well as to feel beautiful, ”says Raquel Saiz from Torrelavega (Cantabria).
The importance of claiming what one is
Beauty models are cultural constructions that at the moment are exclusive and cause pain and must be modified. However, sometimes discrimination is so ingrained that it is found in the one who looks as in the one who is looked at.
“Women like Kamala Harris or Meghan Markle have great social relevance, as well as power of influence, but they don't use it with their hair, they hide their afro hair behind extensions or wigs, thus demonstrating their need to fit into the image they have of who is in power. And deep down they lose the opportunity to claim true beauty, that of being and not that of pretending. Playing with the image seems very healthy to me, but here we are talking about hiding your origins ”, says M.ª José Llata.
