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The Politicization of Black Natural Hair, Racism and a Sense of Belonging

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The Politicization of Black Natural Hair, Racism and a Sense of Belonging AFROS, ACTIVISM, AND AFFINITY: THE POLITICIZATION OF NATURAL BLACK HAIR, RACISM, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THE MULTICULTURAL GREATER TORONTO AREA by Jasmine Homer, BA, University of Toronto, 2016 A Major Research Paper presented to Ryerson University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Program of Immigration and Settlement Studies Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2018 © Jasmine Homer 2018 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A MAJOR RESEARCH PAPER (MRP) I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this Major Research Paper. This is a true copy of the MRP, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this MRP to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this MRP by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my MRP may be made electronically available to the public. Jasmine Homer ii AFROS, ACTIVISM, AND AFFINITY: THE POLITICIZATION OF BLACK NATURAL HAIR, RACISM, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THE MULTICULTURAL GREATER TORONTO AREA Jasmine Homer Master of Arts 2018 Immigration and Settlement Studies Ryerson University ABSTRACT This research study explores the natural hair textures of six Black/mixed-race women as a symbol of activism in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where natural Black hair continues to be discriminated against in public and private spheres. While all six women experienced racism in the GTA, intergenerational knowledge from family played a larger role in shaping their negative perceptions of their own hair, and how members of the dominant group may perceive their hair. Their experiences were assessed alongside their opinions on Canada’s well-known Multiculturalism Act (1982, c.24) which seeks to preserve and enhance multiculturalism. While all six women believe that cultural celebrations (e.g. Caribana, Taste of the Danforth, etc.) are a demonstration of The Act in play, they all find that The Act is ineffective in bridging the gap between ideology and practice, and therefore does not facilitate social inclusion between members of the dominant group and racialized ‘Others’. Key Words: Racism in Toronto; Natural Hair; Activism; Multiculturalism Act; Social Inclusion iii Table of Contents Author’s Declaration Page……………………………………………………………….. ii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………. iii List of Appendices………………………………………………………………………… v Chapter 1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………… 1 Chapter 2 Literature Review………………………………………………………………………….. 4 History of Hair Alteration………………………………………………………………………………. 4 The Politics of Black Hair………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Anti-Black Racism in the Toronto GTA…………………………………………………………………. 16 Intersectionality & Critical Race Theory……………………………………………………………….. 21 Chapter 3 Methodology………………………………………………………………………………... 25 Chapter 4 Results……………………………………………………………………………………… 33 Explosive………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33 Freeing…………………………………………………………………………………………………... 39 Defiant…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 45 A Mind of its Own……………………………………………………………………………………….. 52 Strength and a Mystery………………………………………………………………………………….. 58 Intricate………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 64 Chapter 5 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………….. 71 Natural Hair……………………………………………………………………………………………... 71 Racism in the GTA………………………………………………………………………………………. 80 Social Inclusion………………………………………………………………………………………….. 86 Chapter 6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….. 93 Appendices………………………………………………………………………………… 96 References………………………………………………………………………………... 109 iv List of Appendices Appendix A: Recruitment Letter…………………………………………………..... 96 Appendix B: Consent Agreement………………………………………………….... 97 Appendix C: Demographic Questionnaire………………………………………….. 104 Appendix D: Interview Guide……………………………………………………….. 106 v Chapter 1 – Introduction When people are asked to unpack what it means to be Canadian, the term ‘multicultural’ is often used. Compared to their neighbours to the South, Canadians are considered to be more tolerant to racial and cultural differences and therefore offer a more welcoming attitude towards immigrants whose appearance and norms differ from the Anglo-Saxon dominant group (Paris, Apr. 27, 2018). While it may be true that racialized people may face less blatant racism in Canada compared to the US, believing that racism is not a notable issue in Canada is wildly inaccurate. As Melissa Gismondi (Aug. 18, 2017) says, “Canadians have a tendency not to be less racist than Americans, but less loud about it.” Racism in Canada tends to be more subtle and insidious, often disguised as ignorant or insensitive comments. Considering Canadians continue to praise their culture of tolerance that has been enacted into federal legislation in the form of the Multiculturalism Act (1985), it may seem hypocritical that racialized people are routinely discriminated against for displaying and wearing cultural symbols in the most multicultural cities like Toronto and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area (GTA). One indicator of cultural/racial difference that continues to be the target of racism in the Toronto GTA is the natural hair textures of Black women. As insignificant as hair may seem to some, Black women who wear their hair in its natural state (i.e. free from chemical straightening agents) regularly experience racism and/or prejudice against their hair. Based on centuries of racism and oppression, the natural hair of Black women is still largely considered to be less professional, less attractive, and generally less appealing than Eurocentric styles and textures. Essentially, Black women with kinky hair are less appealing than Black women with straight and smooth hair in a Eurocentric society, such as Canada, that continues to value Whiteness over 1 Blackness. This preference goes beyond aesthetics and has real consequences on the economic and psychological well-being of Black women who have decided to embrace their natural hair. The decision to “go natural” is usually not an easy one. Foregoing the chemical perm and facing the societal consequences challenges these deeply embedded beliefs within Western societies that are perpetuated by Black and non-Black people alike. “Going natural” is arguably an act of resistance against a history of colonialism and a reclamation of Blackness as beautiful while Blackness continues to be denounced in contemporary Canadian society. In recent years, we have seen a major influx in the number of Black women embracing their natural hair which has given rise to a Natural Hair community and a Natural Hair Movement that seek to create a positive image of natural hair and beauty within the Black community (Ellis-Hervey et al., 2016). The issue of systemic racism and unprovoked or unjustified violence being unleashed onto Black people in North America has also led to the establishment of Black Lives Matter, a sociopolitical movement founded by three queer Black women in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012 (BlackLivesMatter.com, n.d.). Both movements challenge and undermine racism towards Black bodies and encourage Black people to own the space and the skin they are in – to be “unapologetically Black.” While wearing their hair in its natural state is not a necessary component of being “unapologetically Black,” refusing to wear it in unnatural, often harmful Eurocentric styles is, in itself, an important form of activism that challenges stereotypes about Afrocentric hairstyles and can increase tolerance for Blackness in the Toronto GTA. This Major Research Paper will explore instances of racism faced by six Black/mixed-race Black women who live in the Toronto GTA and wear their hair in its natural state. Their opinions towards their hair as a form of activism and how they believe natural Black hair is perceived in the GTA will be analyzed alongside their opinions on Canada’s Multiculturalism Act and whether it 2 has a positive effect on the day-to-day lives of racial minorities. The major themes that will be explored in this MRP are: natural hair, racism in the GTA, and social inclusion. Because this study is an exploration of individual experiences and perceptions of the subject matter, I have no proposed hypotheses. My primary research question is: do racist events experienced by Black women with natural hair influence their opinions on the legitimacy of the Multiculturalism Act in Canada, and is their sense of belonging to the GTA affected? The individualistic nature of this research makes this a phenomenological study but given the fact that each participant will have different opinions on racism, their hair as a form of activism, and their sense of belonging to the GTA, more than one conclusion must be considered. 3 Chapter 2 – Literature Review The political significance of Black natural hair as a tool for revolution has been well documented since Angela Davis sported her infamous afro in solidarity with the Black Power movement in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s (Gillespie, 2013; Johnson & Bankhead, 2013; Johnson, 2016). Black natural hair became heavily politicized as Black people in the U.S. increasingly abandoned the use of thermal and chemical straightening products or wearing wigs/weaves, and embraced their natural hair, thereby embodying a resistance to colonial, Eurocentric
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