| Hair is one element that is a determinant of attractive appearance and is said to be an important factor to all women (Bellinger, 2007; Hopson, 2009; Patton, 2006). The Black hair business is said to be half a billion dollar business with potential be in a trillion dollar business (Neilson Company, 2013). Black females show that hair is important to them by the amount of money which is spent toward hair grooming practices (Robinson, 2011). However, the understanding academia has with regard to the relationship Black females have with both their hair and their sexuality, is seemingly, limited. In the Black community, hair needs to remain well kempt so as not to be associated with the loose morality often associated with Black females with regard to sexuality (Lake, 2003). However, despite this rhetoric, the natural hair movement continues to grow and challenge notions of traditional beauty (Byrd & Tharps, 2014) though notions of Eurocentric ideals that foster "good" and "bad" hair remain prominent with regard to hair typing systems which still favor looser curl patterns. It is important to understand the role that hair plays in the Black community because many African American women spend much of their limited income and time on their hair grooming practices, for the sake of personal and public appearance (Banks, 2000; Lake, 2003; Neilson Company, 2013; Robinson, 2011).;This mixed methods study used snowball sampling to gather participants to complete a survey regarding hair efficacy, self-esteem, and sexual self-schema. Using Black Feminist Thought as the theoretical framework, the purpose of the study was to learn about the role of hair in daily life for Black females across the spectrum of "good" hair and "bad" hair. The survey allowed participants to story their individual experiences with some open-ended questions. The survey showed that many women generally loved their hair and that their sexuality was impacted. Mean scores for hair esteem, self-esteem, and sexual schema were: 32.59, 33.43, 58.10, respectively. |
