Essence Magazine:
Bettmann/Getty Images By India Espy-Jones ·Updated January 18, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Black women have never had the privilege of not being political––and neither has our beauty. Texturism leads to government-mandated hair discrimination, featurism turns into the fight against “pretty privilege” while systemic racism makes maintenance––like hair, nails, and makeup––unaffordable to the working class. Throughout history, however, Black political figures reclaimed their beauty to fight against––and attest
This post first appeared in Essence Magazine. Read the original article.