Let's not kid ourselves. Texturism is alive and well in the natural hair & Black community.
What is texturism?
Texturism is the idea that particular types of natural hair textures are more appealing or desirable than others. Often times these desirable hair textures tend to have looser than tighter or coiler curl patterns.
First off, let's get into the natural hair typing system--a system many naturals have come out to condemn as outdated and toxic. The hair typing chart was initially created by Andre Walker, an Emmy award winning hair stylist, to help people with natural hair distinguish between and identify their hair textures. His chart ranged from type 1 to type 4.
A decade or so later, NaturallyCurly expanded on Walker's chart and included more categories of A, B, and C to distinguish between the variations in Walker's hair types. The argument was premised on the fact that understanding and identifying hair texture would help when choosing what kind of products would work for a specific hair type.
So why have naturals started condemning it?
While the intention was good, the hair typing chart has caused, and continues to cause, a lot of argument in the natural hair community. For a long time, the 4c hair texture has been deemed the most undesirable hair type and consequently, has a lack of representation in the media.
Conversely, looser hair types like 3b and 3c are largely represented and celebrated in the media. It has been argued that this is due to "Type 3 curls being closer to “eurocentric” ideals of beauty thereby attaching a more positive stigma towards it. On the other hand, Type 4a, 4b and 4c have such a negative stigma behind it, it has been referred to as “dark skin hair”, and “nappy” giving our type of hair a negative and demeaning stigma" (Ira).
With an increase in representation of type 4 hair in the media today (e.g. Issa Rae dons her beautiful type 4 curls in HBOs Insecure), and the increasing number of naturals with 4c hair on YouTube putting out video tutorials, more 4c naturals are starting to learn how to do their hair and also appreciate its beauty.
At the end of the day:
It is up to you, dear reader, to decide whether or not the natural hair typing system is toxic or helpful to you. One thing I want you to takeaway from this is that your hair is beautiful no matter what texture it is. Celebrate your hair in all its magnificent beauty. Because if you don't, who will?
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