Hair and Disability: Accessible Hair Culture
Modern hair culture finds its space within hair salons. Stylist-to-client relationships form over years of appointments or instantly with a successful walk-in. The pampering at high-end salons and the companionship at barber shops result in quick moments of elevated self-esteem (or, if you are unlucky in choosing your stylist, moments of lowered self-esteem). You can easily find salons of varying expertise, price ranges, and aesthetics throughout the United States. Salons populate American cities as frequently as hospitals do; however, there is a huge lack of accessibility in hair salons. While you can search through salons for whichever aesthetic you desire, finding a place for individuals with disabilities to safely and easily revel in this hair culture is a challenge. Due to lack of inclusion for people with disabilities in the hairdressing world, it is vital that more accessible hair salons and less exclusionary practices be implemented; since the culture of hair can greatly unite a community, creating an “accessible hair culture” for people with disabilities will create more positive ideas of identity within the Disabled community.
People with disabilities are not the only group excluded from mainstream hair culture: many hair salons (especially hair salons with a majority of white hair stylists) cannot offer services to Black clients. Due to lack of diverse training in beauty schools across the nations, a majority of white hair stylists cannot style or cut the hair of Black individuals, leaving hair salons extremely segregated (Cummings). This lack of education starts in beauty school: during training in beauty school, most stylists only learn hair techniques for straight or wavy hair textures on white mannequins, despite the obvious presence of mannequins with 4C hair textures (Cummings). If stylists wish to learn how to work with hair textures other than straight or mildly wavy hair, they must pay to attend other classes or programs outside of the licensing beauty school curriculum. As evidenced, inclusivity in modern hair salons still needs lots of progress.
Despite institutionalized racism continuously paving a gap between Black hair and beauty schools, the Black community established its own hair community with salons and stylists educated and excited about all types of hair — especially 4C hair textures. While various platforms — music, fashion, literature, food, etc — have created and supported the Black community in the United States, the culture of Black hair holds special roots: through hairstyles like twisted locks, intricate braids, and bantu knots, the Black community fabricated its own self-identity — an identity that highlights personal expression, shows the evolution of Black culture over time, and unites the entire community (Williams).
The Black community’s sense of identity has long withstood European ideals of beauty and exclusionary practices throughout history; expressing this identity through hair and finding community in Black hair salons strengthened the Black identity. I suggest that forming an “accessible hair culture” — a hair culture for Disabled individuals that emulates the success of the Black hair community — would not only combat the lack of inclusivity in hair salons: an accessible hair culture inspires a sense of Disabled identity and creates a new Disabled culture.
A stylist from Minnesota sees the importance of Disabled individuals experiencing the hair culture found in hair salons. This stylist, Cat Rongitsch, experienced discriminatory and completely inaccessible hair salons when attempting to bring her daughter (who uses a wheelchair due to spina bifida) for a hair appointment; Rognitsch notes that most hair salons across the United States are inaccessible and often will not accommodate for Disabled clients: “We’ve been shuffled through back doors or expected to carry her down stairs or use freight elevators because they’re not prepared to accommodate her” (Leliberte).
Such exclusionary practices at hair salons have not changed even in modern times. Just how mainstream hair culture turned its head in accepting Black hair, hair salons fail to include accessible options for Disabled clients: instead, if you have a disability, it’s best you call The Traveling Barbers. The “In Home Hair Care for Disabled” company offers a platform where individuals may request a hairdresser to come to their homes for services (“About Us”). While the Craigs-list type of platform has helped many people receive services they otherwise would be unable to receive, such a space should not be the only option. There is no opportunity for an accessible hair culture without accessible hair salons. The formation of an identity and community around hair must occur within the salon — or any public gathering area — where Disabled people may come together and experience the Disabled identity together (Riddell 4).
Frustrated and straight-up annoyed with the inaccessibility of hair salons, Rognitsch decided to open her own accessible salon which she coined Dignified Beauty. As one of the first accessible hair salons, Dignified Beauty will incorporate walkways and doorways suitable for wheelchairs, textured flooring for visually impaired clients, and soothing classical music for people with autism. Stylists would use quiet hair dryers and soft voices. Fidget toys and blankets would be on hand to help people stay calm. Safe spaces would be available if anyone felt overwhelmed by sound, smell, or touch. Finally, a place where any person, regardless of their disability, can come to an experience the same pampering able-bodied people take for granted.
Just as a white, able-bodied woman can walk into any salon and receive services, a Black, Disabled woman should be able to do the same; yet, their experiences will be vastly different. Beauty schools fail to teach stylists about 4C textures (that is, unless you go to a Black hair salon), and hair salons do not have wash bowls built for wheelchairs (that is, unless you go to an accessible hair salon).
There is a need for accessible hair salons in our world today; however, must this accessibility be found only in “accessible” hair salons? Instead of creating a realm of hair culture separate from the mainstream culture, the mainstream must incorporate accessible options in their salons. Black hair should be respected and accepted in any hair salon. Hair of those with disabilities should be respected and accepted in any hair salon. While incorporating accessibility in hair salons proves to be difficult in an ableist society, small steps, such as the few taken by Cat Rongitsch and her salon, Dignified Beauty, are vital. Any alteration in a hair salon to be more accessible and each accessible hair salon opened are promises that the future of accessible hair culture is a reality — and that this accessible hair culture will bring forth a new Disabled identity and community from quiet hair dryers and raised self-esteems.
Works Cited
“About Us.” The Traveling Barbers “In Home Hair Care For The Disabled”,
thetravelingbarbers.org/about-us/.
Cummings, Faith. “Why Can’t All Hairdressers Work With 4C Hair? Some Stylists Say
Cosmetology School May Be To Blame.” Bustle, Bustle, 6 Mar. 2019,
www.bustle.com/profile/faith-cummings-12082361.
Laliberte, Marissa. “This Woman Is Raising Money to Open a Salon Accessible to People with
Disabilities.” Reader’s Digest, Reader’s Digest, 9 May 2019, www.rd.com/true-stories/
inspiring/accessible-hair-salon/.
Riddell, Sheila, and Watson, Nick. “Disability, Culture, and Identity: Introduction.” Disability,
Culture and Identity, Taylor & Francis Group, 2003. ProQuest Ebook Central, pp. 4.
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gwu/detail.action?docID=1710618.
Williams, Ashleigh. “The Connection Between Hair and Identity in Black Culture.” C R
Research, www.crresearch.com/blog/connection-between-hair-and-identity-black-culture.
