Beyond the Kinky strands: The transition from oppression to liberation.

Gender inequality is still prevalent in society. This situation is mainly because gender essentially is a social construct which we learn through our experiences and that we could, therefore, unlearn (Courses.lumenlearning.com, 2018). Sexism, racism, religious prejudice, and patriarchy play a massive role in enabling inequality to seep into social institutions, consequently becoming structured discrimination. Based on this information, it is possible that dismantling a social construct takes the same approach it was established in the first place. This essay shall explore how African hair was a source of intersectional prejudice resulting in gender inequality and the transition of Afros to a symbol of beauty, freedom, and empowerment through socialization.

One of the earliest forms of intersectional oppression that greatly affected women is seen through the tignon law otherwise referred to as the  wrapping of african women’s hair. The motivating factor that fuelled colonization and slave trade is white supremacy- the foundation of racism and other forms of biases against Africans (mtshali, 2018). White supremacy and diminishing of African dignity are the primary sources of bias against African women’s hair in history. The Negro act which preceded the infamous Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miró of Louisiana’s act “Edict of Good Government,” started the concept of differentiating black people through a strict dress code (mtshali, 2018). The later Act was the first to specify that African women keep their hair covered. Keeping their hair covered communicated the message that their hair and therefore they were unacceptable to society. This Act began the cycle of shame that was put upon African women’s hair and consequently, their identity. This same act found its way into African colonies. In South Africa, black women were expected to cover-up to prevent the western colonizers from pursuing them (Johnson, 2017). This action was brought about by concerns over the increased number of biracial people popularly referred to as Mulattos at that time. The existence of Mulattos had become prominent due to the hypersexualization and fetishizing of African women. Often the colonizers and slave owners would take advantage of their subject, leading to an increase in the population of biracial people (Johnson, 2017). The presence of biracial children posed a threat to white supremacy by blurring racial lines. In order to make African women less appealing to their slave masters and colonizers. Unknowingly the implementation of this Act began a culture of structural discrimination towards women of African descent. 

Inevitably, the disapproval of African hair was deeply embedded in social institutions. During the post-slavery and post-colonial era, Africans started moving into the professional: world getting jobs and formal education. Unfortunately, many schools and workplaces had afros and kinky hair which put African women in a tight spot. This bias coerced many women and young girls to use heat or chemically straighten their hair in order to look presentable to the world. This type of discrimination brought about new forms of racism often addressed to women. White people were comfortable letting biracial people work in offices and schools while their counterparts did not have access to such opportunities. Due to this privilege, biracial people were able to get white-collar jobs and had more social capital while Africans were further separated from society. Regrettably, there are still traces of ‘afro discrimination in the world today. In Kenya, a majority of public high schools require girls to straighten their hair, keep it tied up or cut it extremely short (Achieng’, 2019)to ‘tame’ African hair. This is a racist tradition that is slowly crippling the self-esteem for many teenage girls. As a result, African grow up with a fragile sense of worth which then places them in a vulnerable position when it comes to other forms of discrimination and abuse. 

Juxtaposed to the oppression, African women’s natural hair played and continues to play  an enormous role in the emancipation of black people as well as African feminism popularly referred to as  ‘Afro feminism’. Firstly, during the Atlantic slave trade era the Afro played a huge role in the escape of African slaves from their captors. While most slaves were forced to cut their hair for sanitary reasons some of them kept their hair in Afros (BOAKYE, 2018). This Confrows would later present a once in a lifetime chance of freedom through innovation. King Benkos Bioho introduced this initiative to use hair as a means of communication. African slaves braided their hair with cornrows that communicated secret messages to each other (BOAKYE, 2018). The rationale of this tactic was that writing down maps or drawings were risky and it would be safer to communicate through an inconspicuous format. The success of this initiative was demonstrated by 29 black people who were able to get free of their slave masters (Shanghie, 2019). At the same time, through secret communication, King Bioho had an advantage for his guerrilla troops against the Spanish. The efforts of his innovation were seen through the allocation the first free black community in the Americas known as San Basilio de Palenque (Shanghie, 2019). This demonstrated the type of domino effect that is brought about by African hair. 

Secondly, the generation that followed the initial slaves during the Atlantic slave trade reclaimed head wraps and tignons. Before slavery and colonization, head wraps were a symbol of power and grace. Great women leaders of ancient kingdoms in Africa such as Egyptian pharaohs and Nubian queens wore head wraps (Griebel, n.d.). The action taken by African women to reclaim this tradition was not only a symbol of black of pride but also a rebellion against the invasion of Africa by Europeans (Griebel, n.d.). The symbolic head wraps were and still are wrapped in delicate, beautiful designs. One such famous head wrap is the Gele from Nigeria which is a symbol of wealth, grace and power. Through head wraps black women found confidence not only domestically but also professionally. Similar to the case of cornrows, Africans were able to challenge the status quo and unlearn perceptions which resulted in their pursuit and achievement of freedom. 

Thirdly,  the Afro is a huge identifier of women taking up space in politics. Previously black women faced exclusion from politics based on their class, race, and  gender. In America, the Black Panther Movement owes its success to the powerful women who run and supported its initiative. While these women did not get as much recognition as their male counterparts the movement would not be a success without their input. By late 1960, the BPM had a majority of women in the ranks managing and running the daily interactions of the movements(Alameen-Shavers, 2016). While the movement was presented as a masculine group in reality it was women who run the organisation to fight against police brutality and other state-inflicted violence. Despite this, a significant identifier of the BPM was women wearing their Afros ‘loud and proud’. The women such as: Joyce Lee, Delores Henderson, Paula Hill, Mary Ann Carlton had their big Afros and this communicated a strong message of unity and solidarity to the black community (Pirkle Jones Foundation, 2011) . Similarly, Angela Davis, a powerful figure for the rights of women and black people used her Afro in a symbolic way to communicate her agenda. After being wrongly fired, arrested and imprisoned on false allegations Angela Yvonne Davis dedicated her life to  fight for social justice in the black community. Currently she is still actively pursuing social justice and she continues to wear her natural Afro. To date, the Afro is a symbol of power and political emancipation from black women all over the world. Angela davis Black Panther Movement GIF 

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Today African women’s hair is a symbol of Afro-feminism and personal liberation. African pride is consistently tabled in relevant conversations and there is proof of progress for African women’s equality. While women still face some level of discrimination at work due to their natural hair, there is hope for a change in the laws and structures set up to protect them. In 2019 the governor of California signed a bill in support of the C.R.O.W.N. Act to protect women from discrimination at work based on their hair (C.R.O.W.N. Act Natural Hair Grooming Protections in the Workplace, 2019). This same bill was soon passed in New York, and currently, more states are passing it or putting it up for consideration. It is important to note that through such laws, African women wearing their hair naturally is normalized. This allowed the Afro to go mainstream. An example of this is Lupita, nyongó a Kenyan-Mexican actress who wears her natural hair while on and off set. Festivals such as Afropunk have also put emphasis on black hair pride globally by making it possible for African women to see their hair as art and a source of pride and liberation. The  presence of Afro in pop culture is a bold step that puts African Women in a position to curate content that represents the lived realities of African women on the continent and in the diaspora. 

In conclusion, after exploring the journey of African hair; African hair has demonstrated the power of socialization. Whether it is through unique cuts or a variety of protective hairstyles such as braids or different hair colour, one fact is clear- having an afro is no longer shameful but rather an empowering moment of self-acceptance for African women globally. African hair represents personal journeys and stories which fuel and motivate women to fight for their rights and change people’s perceptions on different issues. As human beings, we learn through the different experiences we face. The presence of Afros in pop culture presents an opportunity for change as “Life imitates art.” Oscar Wilde.It is, therefore, possible to use socialization to unlearn harmful norms and learn to be socially understanding that social issues require social solutions is a sure way to get positive results. This framework can be applied while coming up with gender-responsive strategies. The idea that human beings have the capacity to change their perception and perspectives over time is constantly being validated through facts such as the Afro history. This is a clear green light that bold action to curb inequalities such as gender inequality can be taken and with time people will be socialized to a world where gender parity is the norm. At the same time, the crucial role of women in socialization is very distinct based on the black woman’s hair journey through history. Women shape the present and future of any community despite constantly being neglected and excluded.     

References:

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