n “Africans Consuming Hair, Africans Consumed by Hair” (2014), Francis Nyamnjoh and Divine Fuh argue that hair is a powerful symbol of identity for many – especially women of African descent whose complex relationships with hair challenge stereotypes and dichotomies inherited from the colonial past.
What is a dichotomy? What specific dichotomy do the authors analyse in the latter half of the article (57-65)? And why from the authors’ standpoint is this dichotomy problematic? (3) and 3 examples of the article
A dichotomy is a division or contrast between two things that are represented as being entirely different or opposite.
In the latter half of the article, Nyamnjoh and Fuh analyze the dichotomy between "natural hair" and "processed hair." They argue that this dichotomy is problematic because it reinforces Eurocentric beauty standards and perpetuates the idea that natural African hair is inferior to processed hair. This perpetuates the idea that African women need to conform to Western beauty ideals in order to be considered attractive or successful.
Examples from the article include discussions of how African women may face discrimination in the workplace or in social settings if they choose to wear their hair in its natural state rather than straightening or chemically processing it. The authors also highlight the prevalence of hair products and treatments that exist solely to help African women conform to Western beauty standards, further perpetuating the dichotomy between natural and processed hair. Additionally, Nyamnjoh and Fuh discuss how African women may face societal pressures to conform to these beauty standards, leading to internalized racism and a lack of self-acceptance.