NATURAL
Black Media Outlets'
Contribution to The
Natural Hair Movement
JAN. 2021
Black media outlets have a big influence on Black and brown millennials and those part of Generation Z. A bigger influence than what we think. The youth who support and are part of the natural hair movement that's occurring throughout the United States have a lot to say when it comes to Black media outlets and the fight against hair discrimination.
Woman with afro poses with hair pick in her hair
Photograph: by Rasheeda Campbell
By Rasheeda A. Campbell MSc Digital Journalism
Looking at a magazine cover, then looking at yourself in the mirror, and seeing similar if not the same features as the person you saw on the cover of the magazine is a feeling that can make you feel beautiful, empowered, respected, and rightfully represented. Seeing a person of color wearing their natural hair in the media used to be scarce years ago.
However, more and more Black media outlets are now spotlighting natural hairstyles and textures by using models and celebrities showing off their natural hair in magazines, online publications, and during special events. This encourages the youth who follows these media outlets to embrace their natural hair and see the beauty and professionalism in it as well.
Black media outlets such as Essence Magazine, Shondaland, and CRWN Magazine are normalizing and praising natural hairstyles and textures. Doing so contributes to the fight against hair discrimination.
Many young people of color who follow Black media outlets and read the work they produce are proud of those outlets for helping to change society's standard of beauty. Hair beauty standards are one of the biggest concerns addressed. Engineer from Maryland, Kayla Williams (23) expresses her viewpoints on Black media outlets that showcase people of color wearing natural hairstyles in their publications:
"The fact that they're even attacking
this issue makes the biggest difference to me."
Using photographs and videos of models and celebrities wearing their natural hair is effective in influencing the public and discouraging natural hair discrimination. However, highlighting everyday people is just as important to youth like Williams. CRWN Magazine is an example of a Black media outlet that presents everyday people embracing their natural hair and portraying it as beautiful and professional.
CRWN Magazine, like a few other Black/predominately Black media outlets, highlights natural hair in any state as being professional and beautiful by using in many ways such as including pictures of models with natural hairstyles like afros in professional settings.
The way that Black media outlets present beauty and professionalism in natural hairstyles and textures in their publications can help people no longer feel insecure about their natural hair.
It's not only non-people of color who can have negative biases against natural hair, but people of color can also believe that natural hair is truly unprofessional and unattractive from constant sources and personal experiences expressing that it is.
Queens College student from New York, Justin Xavier Gardner (21) discusses why it's important for media companies that cater to Black American communities to emphasize natural hair and the affect it has had on him:
"I would always hear, 'Why isn't your hair done?' "
Natural hairstyles and textures continue to be discriminated against in certain professional settings. This being so, many movements such as Dove's CROWN Coalition are working toward making hair discrimination illegal across the U.S.
Those type of statistics and the countless examples of people being denied opportunities just because of their hairstyle and or texture led to the CROWN Coalition sponsoring the CROWN ACT in California in 2019.
According to the CROWN ACT, 80 percent of Black women are more likely than white women to agree that in order to fit in at their job, they have to change their natural hair state. This is why media companies showcasing natural hair; especially in professional settings in a positive light is just as important and effective as it is to pass anti-discrimination acts.
Black media outlets that praise natural hair are factors in the contribution to decreasing the negative viewpoints of natural hair and lack of opportunities given to people of color because of their hair.
What two young professionals
have to say about natural hair in the professional world:
Kayla:
Justin:
Representation matters and the more that we see someone who looks like ourselves in different professional enviornments, the more we become secure with who we are and how we look. Black media outlets showcasing natural hairstyles as beautiful and professional encourages self-love.
Hairstylists especially are taking notice of the change. Part-time in-home hairstylist Tania Beauvais believes that Black media outlets are having a big affect on the way people style their hair. As a hairstylist, she is receiving clients who show her more pictures of celebrities wearing natural hairstyles in predominately Black magazines for her to recreate the looks.
There is a lot more that can be done in the media to contribute in the effort to change hair beauty standards. However, Black media outlets that do can be praised and admired for the representation of natural hair they present in their publications.
The more that natural hair is showcased and promoted through these specific media outlets, the more that it influences other media outlets to do the same.
According to Newsweek, Outlets like Essence and Ebony Magazine have long broken that mold, featuring women and men of all shades and hair types. And in recent years, the more mainstream Vogue, Glamour and People have begun to dot their pages with celebrities—like Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross—who celebrate the diversity of Black hair."
"Historically, narrow European-centric beauty standards have deemed black women’s natural features as unattractive and unprofessional, especially their textured, curly to kinky hair."
"We don't trade on celebrity. We don't cast models. We work with real women from the neighborhood."
-CRWN Magazine
"If I went to an interview
with my hair like this, I'd feel more like myself."
"Now a new study confirms that many people — including black ones — have a bias against the types and styles of natural hair worn by black people."
-NPR
"Your hair has nothing
to do with your work."
A sign that is pro ntural hair is photographed next to a hair pick
Photograph: by Rasheeda Campbell
For more information about the Crown Act and natural hair movement visit thecrownact.com. To help fight against hair discrimination in professional environments, you can sign the petiton here.