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Revolution at the Beauty Salon

December 6, 2003 11:18 PM posted by kerri : track it (0)

Several prompts ago, I remember writing in my response about how feminists could be more inclusive by stepping outside of closed institutions. Today I read an article in Ms. from July/August 1998: “Coloring, Styling, Perming—And Lifesaving Info” by Jill Petty. Perhaps it was this article I originally read four years ago that vaguely stayed with me to influence what I had written about how if we want non-whites and the working class to participate in feminism, then we need to make these ideas available in places that will be accessed by these groups. Unfortunately this essay is not available online, so I will do my best to paraphrase and quote from it.

What Petty writes about is how a salon in Brooklyn provides more than just beauty help. Instead of having the television turned to a regular entertainment channel, they often play videos pertaining to health issues, featuring African American actors. In addition to this salon, there are about 15 other ones in Brooklyn that participate alongside a project called Black Pearls. This project is responsible for placing, “health educators, videos, and literature on breast health, heart disease, hypertension, organ donation, smoking, nutrition, and STD prevention” in these salons, “serving some 6,000 customers” (48. [stats from ’98, remember]). In the article, some women tell about how they feel more comfortable talking with the health educator and other Black women than with their own doctors, citing how the African-American community is often suspicious of the medical field thanks to the Tuskegee experiments.

Have you found feminist or women’s health issues being addressed in real life in places similar to this? I will say right here that I think it is necessary to get beyond academia and traditionally elitist and/or primarily white middle-upper class mediums as the main source of information and connection. How do you think this can be carried out? In what other places would this hybrid of a salon/health center work? Discuss.

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your comments : post a new comment

I wish I could say that I *had* seen such a thing. Sadly, I don't think so. It's a very good idea.

Posted by: house9 on December 9, 2003 01:17 PM |

My response is up. I can think of one place that sort of meets the criteria...

Posted by: megan on December 10, 2003 07:42 PM |

I cant say that I've been in very many beauty salons, but I do want to point out that product and propaganda have been becoming more and more intertwined. Both of the bagel shops near my job have fox news playing constantly, all day long. The message may be advertising at WalMart, or "news" at the bagel shop, but there is a message everywhere. Its time for us lefties to hook some businesses into the internet and broadcast some shows like free speach radio news ... anything empowering will do. Health info (that's not tied to a product), Sexuality, News, anything.

Posted by: Subversity on December 10, 2003 10:35 PM |

I've seen it in churches and community centers, to an extent. And just a tad in my own hair salon.

More on my site. One thing that always concerns me when privileged feminists start talking about reaching out to less privileged folk is that we also need to reach out to people who represent the groups we're trying to help to find out what they want and need. I think that's why these non-traditional venues work well - because their activities are actually motivated by the audience & the local community.

Posted by: april on December 11, 2003 03:01 PM |

response

Posted by: Kerri on December 13, 2003 02:23 PM |

I've been thinking of this for days and outside of salons and churches, I can't think of a good place that I've seen this happen. At my yoga studio, I have seen feminism creep in. It's not seen as feminism as much as it is seen as pro-family.

Posted by: Roni on December 15, 2003 12:36 PM |

Finally have my response up here

Posted by: Vic... on December 16, 2003 09:28 AM |