Mielle Organics stepped in it big a few weekends ago when they released a Threads advertisement for their Rosemary Mint products. The advertisement shows a Black woman with a blown-out afro on one side and a coily style on the other.
The ad is supposed to show how the products “support stronger-feeling, healthy-looking hair,” but the ad reinforces texturism by calling afro hair “weak and dull” and coily hair as “shiny and strong.”
What is texturism?
Texturism is defined by Wikipedia as “a form of social injustice, where afro-textured hair or coarse hair types, and their associated hair styles, are viewed negatively, often perceived as unprofessional, unattractive or unclean.” There are different subsets of texturism, such as beliefs about “baby hair” and good hair.”
Back in 2023, I wrote how the “baby hair” obsession is just the gateway to the rampant texturism in the Black community (and the broader American community).
The term “baby hair” itself is describing some Black women’s edges are wavy and looser in texture than the rest of their hair. But baby hair has come to represent how some Black women want looser hair at any cost. Just in terms of styling baby hair, some Black women will perm their edges to get that preferred texture.
Political and social arguments over Black women’s hair texture has been a part of Black women’s lives since slavery, with rules like New Orleans’ Tignon Laws demanding Black women wear hair coverings to denote their slave class, regardless if they were free or enslaved. So it’s not a shock when companies fall into these same, tired traps. But what is most disheartening is when companies catering to Black consumers reinforce the prejudices that aim to keep us mentally and emotionally shackled.
Mielle’s response to the outrage was an apology that admitted the ad was originally rejected, but was somehow still published. Many called BS on the apology. But regardless of if you believe the apology, what can we learn from the company’s mistake?
- Take a closer look at images used in advertisements: It’s just as important to critique messages in ads as it is to critique tv and film. Ads shape how we see ourselves and how we see others just like film and television do. Try to notice how a particular ad makes you feel. What message is the ad sending?
- Learn where stereotypes come from. Many stereotypes are rooted in old, negative ideas about races or cultures. Texturism, for example, is based in racist believes about Black people. There’s nothing wrong with coilier or kinkier hair. When you understand the history behind these stereotypes, they start to lose their power. Knowing they aren’t based in fact makes it easier to move past them.
- Show understanding for people affected by stereotypes. Black women of all hair types can use this moment to come together and understand the various privileges or biases we each face. Texturism is often connected to colorism, and both can create division among Black women. When we see that these stereotypes harm everyone, it becomes easier to stand together. We can unite to challenge companies that try to keep these harmful ideas alive.
If you want to learn more about media literacy, you can download my free e-booklet, The First 5: Five Thought-Provoking Media Literacy Starter Questions.
