Last Tuesday 13th February 2018 we hosted our first interactive men's panel event. The discussion was centred around the question, "Is Natural Hair Attractive?" We heard the perspectives of a father and husband, the viewpoint of an uncle and a huge amount of natural hair appreciation.
Parts of the discussion were live streamed on Instagram but in case you missed it, read on for highlights!
After a welcome from Afrocenchix founders Joycelyn and Rachael, our host Jacqueline Shepherd introduced the topic. She framed the context for the conversation by recapping on the scandal surrounding Lupita Nyongo's hair on the Grazia cover last year and the school girls in South Africa who protested being told their natural hair was unacceptable for school.
The conversation kicked off with Jacqueline asking the men if they were aware of these specific examples, and whether the policing of black women’s hair is something they talk about. The panel discussed what they appreciate about natural hair, how often they think about it and the role that social media plays in the perception of natural hair.
We heard thought provoking responses from Ade Akins, who talked about telling his neices their hair is beautiful, Jeremiah Brown, who spoke about challenging mainstream opinions, and Elliot Rae, who wants his daughter to feel she can be a Disney princess without straight blonde hair.
Questions from the audience led to exploring the ways in which men can contribute to a positive narrative and it was great to answer the title question with a resounding yes!
At Afrocenchix we're spreading the word that natural hair is attractive, manageable and professional, and as mentioned at the event, we'll be crowdfunding soon to expand our range and team. If you've not yet joined our mailing list on afrocenchix.com, please sign up to know when we launch the crowdfunder this March.
Fear not if you missed out this time! Keep an eye on our events page where we'll post upcoming events. We will also share earlybird tickets in our newsletter so be sure to sign up to our mailing list.
Need haircare tips and style inspiration? Try these Style videos.
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