CHALLENGES FACED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AGAINST WESTERN BEAUTY IDEALS

Abstract

Media representations of beauty and hair have long influenced women's perceptions of themselves and others. This impact is especially pronounced for African American (AA) women within a predominantly white culture, where hair texture has often been a source of shame and discomfort. The Eurocentric standard of beauty has led to the internalization of an ideal that rejects natural, tightly coiled black hair as "unacceptable." Despite messages like "Black is beautiful" from the Civil Rights movement, beauty products aimed at straightening coily hair continue to be marketed, further perpetuating the notion that natural hair is unsightly and must be altered for acceptance. This study explores the psychological effects of such beauty products on AA women, shedding light on how these advertisements send a message that their natural hair is not beautiful. While not all AA women straighten their hair to look white, many cite "manageability" as the reason. However, this notion is rooted in cultural oppression. The study also delves into how hair straightening can be a choice driven by versatility, fashion, and style