A trend I have frequently observed over the years is that, every once in a while a story about a black student being forced to cut their Afro hair or facing discrimination due to their hair, goes viral on social media. Whenever this does happen, people online would typically lament these incidents of hair discrimination; questioning how black people can still face this kind of prejudice even in the modern day.
Unfortunately, this sort of hair discrimination is still all very much prevalent. Black people still face this type of prejudice in many areas around the world; in western societies, in Caribbean nations, and even in Africa.
In many cases, African societies themselves tend to be the biggest perpetrators of this sort of discrimination. One would think that African countries of all places would not participate in this sort of discriminatory behaviour against black hair however, it is still prevalent among many communities.
The usual tropes that Afro hair is “messy,” “untidy,” or “unkept” are often used to describe our own natural hair. It is not uncommon for schools to have very strict rules in place restricting hairstyles for both male and female students.
Personal experience
I can attest from my personal experiences, as I have always enjoyed my hair and kept it long. Even though I am a man, I have always liked having longer hair and I feel it is a part of my identity.
I was lucky enough to go to a high school that didn’t force any kind of hairstyles down our throats. Even though I was allowed to grow out my Afro hair, I still would at times receive comments from some teacher that my hair was too messy or untidy for the school environment.
However, in the different primary schools I had attended, hairstyles had been heavily policed. I can recall, at the schools I attended in Tanzania, hearing numerous stories of male students being forced to return home for having hair that was considered too long.
In some cases there had even been rumours of students being physically punished due to their hair being too long or in extreme cases, even having their hair being cut by the principal in his office. Though I can’t be certain about the validity of these rumours.
This is nothing wrong with Afro hair
This idea that Afro hair is something to be ashamed of has its history in racist depictions of Afro hair. In Africa much of this anti-Afro sentiment stems from the colonial era in the continent.
The historical portrayal of Afro hair had been deeply intertwined with racist ideologies, perpetuating the notion that it is something to be ashamed of or inferior to other hair types. Throughout that era Afro hair had often been stigmatized and marginalised. Often derogatory caricatures of Afros have been used in media and discriminatory policies within workplaces against Afro-textured hair had been put in place.
Yet even in the modern day these derogatory sentiments around Afro hair are still expressed, often by Africans themselves, which I find to be incredibly disappointing.
Afro hair is a beautiful and integral part of diverse cultures and identities. Rather than tearing each other down we should aim to embracing and celebrating our natural hair textures.
Positive steps
The news, thankfully, isn’t all bad. The types of reactions one often sees online, indicates the greater amount of scorn many black people have against norms or regulations aimed at discriminating against Afro-textured hair.
Moreover, some nations around the world are fighting against this discrimination in schools. According to the Guardian, in April 2022, Anguilla became the first Caribbean island to introduce a national policy against hair discrimination. A new hair code, was implemented which allows braids, locs and twists in all Anguillan schools.
This is a hopefull step in the right direction more of such regulations should be put inplace aimed at tackling hair discrimination. It serves as an example of how we can work to change these negative perceptions and diiscriminatory practices in our societies.