Afro-textured hair is Good hair : The Influence of Societal Norms and Colonial Legacies on Black Women's and Women of Colour’s Hair Choices with Case Studies in Brazil, Colombia, Ghana and Jamaica

This thesis explores Afro-textured hair among Black women through the lens of cultural heritage, history, media representation and intersectionality. By answering the research question: Why do many Black women in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa may choose not to wear their natural hair? The study investigates how Eurocentric beauty standards continue to shape perceptions of beauty, self-worth and cultural identity with case studies in Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, and Ghana. It is crucial to state that participants from the selected countries are not representatives of their country. They are offering their perspectives and lived experiences as an individual with Afro-textured hair. Applying a qualitative research approach, the study begins with a historical overview then combines critical discourse analyses on hair care advertisements and brand content with semi-structured interviews conducted with ten participants, two from each country, with the exception of Brazil. The research critically analyses how mainstream media often privileges straight and loosely curled textures, reinforcing colonial aesthetics and excluding the full diversity of Afro-textured hair. Using an intersectional framework, the thesis highlights how Black women’s hair choices are not only influenced by race and gender, but also by accessibility, religion and national identity. While some Black women embrace natural hair as a political act of resistance, and part of their identity and connects them to their roots, others continue to relax or alter their hair due to internal expectations (e.g. natural hair is a hazard at a construction site), internalised beauty norms, or product availability. The findings illustrate that Black hair is an ongoing negotiation of Black womanhood in post-colonial societies. This thesis contributes to broader discussions in cultural studies, Black feminist theory, and media anthropology.