Good Hair Vs Bad Hair Summary

Madame C.J. Walker rejected the idea of Black is Beautiful, and in her opinion the pressing comb and chemical relaxers are oppressive since they symbolize the shame associated with black hair in its natural state. Straightening of the hair also became representational of the self-hatred theory in the Black Panther movement, since wearing natural hair was deemed as a decision to challenge mainstream descriptions of beauty.
The second point that I will review is how each book evaluates what society defines as “Good Hair” and “Bad Hair”. Rooks specifies how the advertisements during the Progressive era was mainly comprised of products that guaranteed straight hair and bleaching creams to lighten dark skin. The language used in the description

One of the benefits of an ethnography is the fact that there are no assumptions being made. It allows the researcher to assess and record the authentic and individualistic opinions of the individuals pertaining to the research topic. In Banks case, it provided the reader with an uncensored opinion on natural hair. Hence, most of the women reiterated the theories of the “Good Hair” and “Bad Hair” debate. In chapter 1, during a conversation with a Woman named Sheila and Raine they both have constructed their own distinctions between the two variances. Sheila describes “Good Hair” as a marker of privilege in the eyes of those who have it as well as those who

Even though, both authors articulate their thoughts in dissimilar ways both of their theories agree on the main theme that hair is a badge of cultural pride that reflects notions about perceptions, identity, and self-esteem. Although both authors had great claims, Banks research entirely verified my reasoning on how the stigma surrounding hair is based on preconceived notions of westernized laws of beauty. To understand the shame on natural hair we must recognize the historic connection between Hair and the Black Women’s Social Identity. Once you assess society’s definitions of “Good Hair” and “Bad Hair” only then will one perceive the reasoning on society’s pressure for Black Women to alter their natural hair and adapt to dominant ideologies of beauty.
Banks and Rooks research on Black women’s beauty occurred in the 1990’s. As time has progressed, so has the politics surrounding Black women’s hair. Both Authors create an opportunity for discussion, and provides a foundational framework for modern scholars to investigate the current laws of hair for Black women in America. Since much has changed, while certain ideologies have remained stagnant. Despite the controversy on natural hair, going natural was the best hair decision that I’ve made thus far. I have never felt more beautiful, or freer from society’s limitations and stipulations on