Although many may not know the dark history behind the term 'dreadlocks,' the hairstyle remains widely contentious in America. Here, Gabrielle Kwarteng on why she won't use it.
, this form of racism is finally being addressed. But 43 states across the nation can still legally reject a child from admittance into school or rescind a job offer because of a person’s hairstyle. “People are still scared of locs and see them as some type of threat,” Tharps says. “The only reason that this style would be considered illegal is because of a continuous association with [drug-related] activities or countercultural movements.
But what may have once felt like an uphill battle is slowly turning in favor of the Black community as the natural hair movement undergoes a 21st-century renaissance. I recently had a conversation with my mom—who has permed her hair straight since she lived in Ghana, long before I was born—about her considering going natural, which was an incredibly pivotal moment. Millennials and Gen Z’ers are regaining control of the narrative about our hair.
With increased visibility through fashion and film—including the Academy Award–winning animated film,—and changing laws that apply to the workplace and schools, the natural hair movement is fighting to make the world more just for future generations. As we begin this new decade, I hope that nine-year-old Black girls around the world are no longer internalizing the systematic oppression against their natural hair.
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