She Wears It How? Perceived Racism and Colorism Relate to Hair Texture Dissatisfaction in Black Women
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Black women in America are affected by racism and colorism—social influences which can impact their unique body-image features such as hair texture dissatisfaction and their use of hazardous chemical hair relaxants. A Qualtrics survey of Black women who had used hair relaxants (N = 316), conducted via Prolific, explored the relationship between perceived racism and colorism and hair texture dissatisfaction, assessed using the Hair Texture Dissatisfaction Scale (HTDSS) and a newly developed Hair Texture Ideal and Discrepancy (HTD) scale. Racism was associated with both measures of hair dissatisfaction (HTD: r = .12, p = .03; HTDSS: r = .13, p = .04), but not hair relaxant use (r = .03). Similarly, colorism was also associated with both measures of hair dissatisfaction (HTD: r = .14, p = .02; HTDSS: r = .19, p = .01), but not hair relaxant use (r = .09). A straighter ideal hair texture was most related to hair dissatisfaction (HTDSS: r = –.49) and frequency of hazardous hair relaxant use (r = –.19, p < .001). Social identity theory (SIT) helps to explain how the prejudicial social forces of racism and colorism can be internalized for Black women and expressed in body image dissatisfaction vis-à-vis White beauty ideals. These findings suggest that hair texture dissatisfaction warrants further research as hair texture dissatisfaction relates to Black women’s body image.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412982617