Jordyn Stump

Dr. Parker
Feminist Visions of Justice
9-17-2015
Banks Critical Summary
Hair Still Matters by Ingrid Banks takes an in-depth look at the topic of hair and discusses
its social, cultural, and sometimes even legal ramifications. Banks particularly analyzes the hair
of black women and how it has affected their social status and sexual identity. The issue of
good and bad hair was brought up, with Banks claiming that white women are automatically
granted the privilege of good hair. Black women, however, are tainted with the label of bad
hair. Not only does having bad hair make women seem less feminine and desirable, it also
increases their chances of being stopped by the police. Rather than having smooth, straight hair,
black women with afros or beaded braids are linked to an authentic or radical blackness (142).
The links between hair and sexuality were also deliberated. Many of the women interviewed
concluded that long hair is the ultimate marker of both womanhood and sexuality (145).
Therefore, if women are unable to grow their hair out or want to have shorter hair, they are seen
as masculine and lacking in womanly traits. Their sexuality is also assumed based simply on how
their hair physically looks. An interesting double standard was then brought up about mens
hairstyles. While women with short hair are viewed as masculine, men with long hair are not
considered feminine, but are even hyper-masculinized (148). Banks concludes that hair and
beauty standards continue to have dramatic effects on women and their treatment in society.
I have never considered my hair to be a privilege. In fact, Ive often considered it to be a
burden because of how tangled it can get, how I have to shower every day, and how once I
commit to a ponytail, I commit for the rest of the day. But Hair Still Matters made me realize
how miniscule and ignorant my complaints are compared to the actual strife that other women
experience because of their hair (or lack thereof). While blonde, straight hair is the universal
standard of good hair, my curly, brunette hair most likely still lands in the decent hair
category. Unlike the women mentioned in this essay, I have never been labeled as butch, detained
by police, or denied a seat at the table of femininity due to my hairstyle (146). Because my hair
is able to grow past my shoulders, I am clearly identifiable as a woman. Despite whatever clothes
I may be wearing, my hair is an immediate marker of femininity.
It blew my mind that Venus Williams beaded hair was the focus of media reports instead of
her tennis talent and it was disheartening to read that a woman was pulled over every time she
wore her hair in an afro. I have never felt discriminated against because of my hair, so learning
that other women experienced such prejudice on a daily basis was shocking. I do not associate a
womens worth with the length or texture of her hair. Banks, however, brought to light how this
problem currently exists for many black women, while a majority of white women like myself
remain oblivious to it. This reading made me aware of a privilege I didnt know I had and truly
made me see how polarizing the topic of hair can actually be. The videos we watched in class (I
Love My Hair and I Am Not My Hair) were inspiring and essential to cultivate hair pride,
particularly among black women and girls. The messages were especially important as black
women often dont have realistic beauty role models to look up to. But Hair Still Matters
unearthed the deeply-rooted cultural implications and showed how the movement wont be that
simplebut is still entirely necessary.

Works Cited
Richardson, Laurel, Verta A. Taylor, and Nancy Whittier. "Hair Still Matters." Feminist
Frontiers. 9th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 142-50. Print.