Conference

Can I Touch Your Hair? Lyricism as a Space of Resistance Toward Eurocentric Standards of Beauty

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Abstract

A common question asked to African American women—“Can I Touch Your Hair?”—is asked when one’s natural hair attracts attention, curiosity, and fascination—often arousing a wide array of reactions ranging from amusement to outrage. The question is asked to women ranging from childhood to adulthood. As media has become a more pervasive way to spread messages about social issues, African American artists have used lyricism to sing, do spoken word, or rap about empowerment and embracing black beauty. Through the examination of different media forms, we aim to look at how lyricism increasingly has been used as a space of resistance toward Eurocentric standards of beauty. By listening to music and spoken word, as well as analyzing other forms that artists have used to resist Eurocentric standards of beauty, we will critically think about the implications that have been placed in our media. By discussing this topic, we hope to engage the audience in critically thinking about the cultural complexities of the socially constructed standards of beauty in the U.S.