Research Article Open Access Double-Blind Peer Review

CHALLENGING EUROCENTRIC BEAUTY STANDARDS: THE STRUGGLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

Sandra Johnson·Anthony Smith
Published 31 January 2025
Vol. 12, No. 1 (2024)
pp. 22-34
CC BY 4.0
  1. 1
    Sandra Johnson
    Assistant Professor, Psychology & Counseling/ Alabama A&M University, USA
    US
  2. 2
    Anthony Smith
    Division of Student Success & Psychological Sciences/Oakwood University, USA
    US

Media representations of beauty and hair have long influenced women's perceptions of themselves and others. This impact is especially pronounced for African American (AA) women within a predominantly white culture, where hair texture has often been a source of shame and discomfort. The Eurocentric standard of beauty has led to the internalization of an ideal that rejects natural, tightly coiled black hair as "unacceptable." Despite messages like "Black is beautiful" from the Civil Rights movement, beauty products aimed at straightening coily hair continue to be marketed, further perpetuating the notion that natural hair is unsightly and must be altered for acceptance. This study explores the psychological effects of such beauty products on AA women, shedding light on how these advertisements send a message that their natural hair is not beautiful. While not all AA women straighten their hair to look white, many cite "manageability" as the reason. However, this notion is rooted in cultural oppression. The study also delves into how hair straightening can be a choice driven by versatility, fashion, and style.

JournalApplied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal
ISSN2998-8411
Volume / IssueVol. 12, No. 1 (2024)
Pages22-34
Published31 January 2025
DOI10.5281/zenodo.14777566
Access Open Access
LicenseCC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution
PublisherKeith Publications
Johnson , S., Smith, A. (2025). CHALLENGING EUROCENTRIC BEAUTY STANDARDS: THE STRUGGLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. Applied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 22-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14777566

 Submit Your Research to Applied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal

We invite original research articles, review papers, and case studies. Benefit from rigorous double-blind peer review, rapid decision within 4–8 weeks, DOI for every article, and worldwide open-access distribution.