Closed Collab | Ode to Curly and Textured Hair
158
Published 2021-06-28
// Important Notes //
[ 1. ] [Content warning: texturism.] Though this project does include curly, poofy, textured, and afro hair of people of all ethnicities, I wanted to make sure that I was not equating the problems white women with curly hair (such as myself) may face (such as teasing, trouble finding hair stylists that know how to do their hair, etc.) to the oppression of Black women with afro hair and other women of color with textured hair, as for women of color not only are all those issues exasperated, but they also face actual instances of oppression (tied to cultural and racial oppression) such as discrimination at school or in the workplace, cultural appropriation of hair styles, and more. I will make this clear by including this note in the description of the final project and providing sources on texturism. However, please feel totally free to let me know if you think that this would not be enough and how I could improve. <3
[ 2. ] To avoid "othering" representation, each person should produce work celebrating their own hair texture (exceptions may be made for art depicting a group of people with various hair textures).
[ 3. ] I feel the need to specify that this means absolutely no hate towards straight-haired or wavy-haired people. All hair is beautiful, this collab focuses on curly/poofy/textured/afro hair because they tend to exist outside of the beauty standards (though there are definitely also beauty standards inside of the curly hair community) and, for Black women with afro hair and women of color with textured hair, come with actual oppression.
[ 4. ] Credits go to the Black women who pioneered the movement for self-love of curly, poofy, textured, and afro hair. I also want to specify that I do not consider this project to be representative of the Natural Hair Movement per se, because, at least according to my understanding (though there are varying opinions on this), the Natural Hair Movement is by and for women of color. This project is just about people coming together to celebrate their hair textures, acknowledge the differences in their experiences, and promote self-love.
[ 5. ] If you believe that this project could, in any way and for whatever reason, do more harm than good, please feel very free to let me know, as I would truly appreciate it. The goal of this project is to spread happiness and self-love, if it were to come off as offensive, it would be pointless. <3
Thank you all! <3