History and its remnants (HAIR) : South African and Nigerian women negotiating professional and physical identities

Abstract

The documenting of the experiences of Black African women in professional workplaces, both historically and currently, remains a topic of critical discourse despite the increasing opportunities in what were previously and sometimes still exclusive workplaces. The need for such discourse arises from the persistence of prejudice and marginalisation, which is sustained by the legacies of colonialism. Previous research on prejudice and biases against hairstyles worn by Black women in workplaces has largely concentrated on African American women, with comparatively limited attention devoted to women in Africa. Given the focus of the study, the intersection of three powerful identity markers is evident: racioethnicity, gender and social class. The study offers an African perspective and delves into the hitherto unexplored consequences of both settler and non-settler colonialism on the perceptions and subjectivity of Black African women with respect to their hair, as well as with regard to their personal, physical, and professional identities. The professional settings in South Africa and Nigeria, as locations within the context of settler colonialism and non-settler colonialism respectively, offer a compelling backdrop for examining the effects and implications of colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic conflicts. This study focuses on South Africa and Nigeria for three main reasons: their history as British colonies, recognition by international organisations as leading African emerging economies, and extensive scholarly work on the effects of domination systems on individuals in institutional contexts. Moreover, the research highlights the significant intersection of race, ethnicity, gender, and social class in the hair of Black African women and their identity work. The research employs a qualitative life story approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Black African women perceive and navigate their experiences because of their intersecting identities, how they subjectively conceptualise their hair in relation to these identities, and how they wear their hair in order to be seen as presentable, professional, competent, and beautiful. The study employs an inductive approach to examine the applicability of postcolonial theory and the theories of intersectionality, embodiment, and identity work, as well as the concepts of othering, lookism, and aesthetics. The integration of postcolonial theory establishes an interdisciplinary framework, drawing upon sociological theories and historical contexts. The research findings indicate that workplace cultures continue to promote experiences of exclusion and devaluation, particularly targeting Black African women and their hair. This is achieved through othering, lookism, aesthetic labour, and hair bias. In South Africa, the study found that the settler colonial environment socialised the women to perceive the devaluation of their hair during their early years, particularly through educational institutions, leading them to conform to Eurocentric standards of beauty and professionalism. In Nigeria, the women's non-settler colonial environment allowed them to embrace their hair during their formative years. However, as they observed successful career women, they associated career success with specific hairstyles, such as wigs, and when they entered the workplace, they faced institutionalised grooming policies that favoured Eurocentric hairstyles. Ultimately, the socialisation of these women is so strong that they begin policing each other regarding the professional aesthetics of Black women's hair.

One would think that Black African women's subjective view of their hair in Africa would be resolute; however, it was incredible to perceive that even Black African women experience hair bias. The present study is significant as it elucidates organisational cultures that perpetuate experiences of exclusion and devaluation in the workplace through othering, lookism, and aesthetic labour, and sustain intersectional and embodied identity work challenges among the participants, resulting in their inability to achieve acceptance and belonging in organisations.