Hair Beauty

And forget not that the earth
delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds
​long to play with your hair.
​Khalil Gibran
Goal:
Think about  the ways we categorize people based on hairstyles, length, color. Explore the idea of hair discrimination and the ways it might manifest. 
The assignments that have activities are in red.
5. Lookism: Hair
Writing Prompts and/or Discussion:
Personal Relationship with & Perception of Your Hair
  • How often do you get your hair cut, dyed, relaxed, and/or styled? 
  • Is length, color or texture important to you? 
  • What is the best quality about your hair and what is the worst? 
  • Do you go to a barbershop or salon, or do you get it styled at home?​
Discussion:
​Discuss your hair style preference(s).
  • Consider color, texture, and length for both men and women. Consider what hairstyles you think most successful people have.
  • What are some of the stereotypes you have heard regarding hair and what it says about the person/people? Fill in the blanks.
Blonds ____________________________
Brunettes _________________________
Redheads _________________________
Bald ______________________________
Dreadlocks _______________________
You can add more if you think of any.
  • Where do you think the those stereotypes came from?
You can either write or discuss your responses. 
Reflection:  
  • Write about a time when someone made a comment about your hair, either positive or negative. What did your hair look like? How did it make you feel? 
  • If no one has ever commented on your hair, then write about a time you have complimented or teased someone for the way their hair looked. 
  • If you have never done that, then write about an observation of a conversation or comments you have seen between other people.   
Read and discuss the following articles.
Washington Post
Essence: H&M
ABA 2019
N.Y. Times
Artistic Expression – Image Collage:
Materials: You can cut out pictures from magazines or online images as well as your own personal photos. 

Assignment: Create an image collage– celebrating your physical appearance either what you think you look like or would like to look like. Write a reflection about how it feels to create a collage celebrating your physical features. If there is a difference between your current physical appearance and the images you choose – explain why in your reflection.  ​

​Social Perceptions of Your Hair
  • What do you think teachers and people in positions of authority think about your hair? 
  • Do you care what other people think, why/why not? 
  • What do you think your hair says about you, your social class or your click?
  • Do you think the way you style your hair would ever impact an important opportunity?
Photo credits: On the beach by Ned Benjamin, Girl with braids by David Nels, Girl with Red Hair by Len-K-A, 
Rastafarians 1 by Dominic Morel,
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