Are these comments made to me racist?
So these white women who work at my local hair salon I go to have made these comments towards me and I am not sure if they are racist or not. Some of them said blonde hair would not suit me since I wanted to go a dark blonde I was like hey I want to go blonde and I didn't even ask for their opinion and they said 'If I am totally honest blonde would not suit your skin tone', FYI I am middle eastern with an olive skin tone.
I also overheard one of them talking to her collegues saying 'I wish I had her asian hair, I have to cope with my thin white hair' and I felt very weird about that comment about her assuming my ethnicity and felt 'fetishised' so I told the manager about it
Are either of these comments racist? I want to know so to know if I should stop going to this place and leave a bad review. Thanks
I also overheard one of them talking to her collegues saying 'I wish I had her asian hair, I have to cope with my thin white hair' and I felt very weird about that comment about her assuming my ethnicity and felt 'fetishised' so I told the manager about it
Are either of these comments racist? I want to know so to know if I should stop going to this place and leave a bad review. Thanks
Original post by tsr_account
So these white women who work at my local hair salon I go to have made these comments towards me and I am not sure if they are racist or not. Some of them said blonde hair would not suit me since I wanted to go a dark blonde I was like hey I want to go blonde and I didn't even ask for their opinion and they said 'If I am totally honest blonde would not suit your skin tone', FYI I am middle eastern with an olive skin tone.
I also overheard one of them talking to her collegues saying 'I wish I had her asian hair, I have to cope with my thin white hair' and I felt very weird about that comment about her assuming my ethnicity and felt 'fetishised' so I told the manager about it
Are either of these comments racist? I want to know so to know if I should stop going to this place and leave a bad review. Thanks
I also overheard one of them talking to her collegues saying 'I wish I had her asian hair, I have to cope with my thin white hair' and I felt very weird about that comment about her assuming my ethnicity and felt 'fetishised' so I told the manager about it
Are either of these comments racist? I want to know so to know if I should stop going to this place and leave a bad review. Thanks
Think it's important to acknowledge that interpreting comments can be subjective. However, based on your story, the comments are certainly insensitive and quite inappropriate.
[start]Think in some cases it would be good to offer advice professionally, but commenting on someone's appearance in a judgmental way is kinda...[/start]
[start]The comment about "Asian hair" is problematic too. I've had this kind of experience and mind you I think a lot of it is due to ignorance. People just assume cause I have some features quite common to people from a certain country that I come from there. Think assuming someone's ethnicity and making comparisons based on stereotypes can be offensive. Am sorry that you felt uncomfortable and good on you for telling her to the manager. Think it wasn't her intention to be racist though.[/start]
The suggestion that blonde hair would not suit your skin tone, unsolicited and based on a superficial assessment, can be seen as a manifestation of unconscious bias. Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. In this case, the salon workers’ advice may reflect ingrained perceptions of beauty standards that are influenced by race and ethnicity, suggesting a narrow view of what is considered aesthetically pleasing for specific skin tones. This bias, albeit potentially unintentional, underscores a broader societal norm where certain beauty ideals are privileged over others, often to the detriment of ethnic and racial diversity.
Further complicating the interaction is the comment made about wishing to have "Asian hair," which introduces elements of exoticization and fetishisation. Such remarks, while possibly intended as compliments, serve to objectify and reduce individuals to stereotypical characteristics associated with their perceived ethnicity. This not only demonstrates a lack of sensitivity but also perpetuates a culture of othering, where people are singled out for their ethnic traits in ways that can feel dehumanising.
In terms of discrimination, while the comments may not constitute overt discrimination in the sense of denying service or explicit derogatory treatment, they contribute to a service environment that feels unwelcoming and insensitive. Discrimination often stems from unchecked biases and can manifest in subtle interactions that, over time, create an atmosphere of exclusion and marginalisation.
The crux of the issue lies not just in the specific comments made, but in the broader context of how societal norms and unconscious biases influence our interactions and the spaces we navigate. Modern societal norms are increasingly advocating for greater inclusivity, awareness, and respect for diversity, challenging long-standing stereotypes and biases that persist in various sectors, including the beauty industry. This shift calls for a more profound understanding and respect for individual identity and preferences, moving beyond superficial assessments based on race or ethnicity.
In deciding how to respond to your experience, it may be worth considering the broader implications of these interactions. Communicating your feelings to the salon management was an important step in advocating for a more inclusive and respectful environment. Whether to continue patronising the salon or leave a review could hinge on their response and willingness to address and learn from this feedback. Ultimately, such decisions reflect a personal journey of navigating spaces that align with one's values of respect, diversity, and inclusivity.
Further complicating the interaction is the comment made about wishing to have "Asian hair," which introduces elements of exoticization and fetishisation. Such remarks, while possibly intended as compliments, serve to objectify and reduce individuals to stereotypical characteristics associated with their perceived ethnicity. This not only demonstrates a lack of sensitivity but also perpetuates a culture of othering, where people are singled out for their ethnic traits in ways that can feel dehumanising.
In terms of discrimination, while the comments may not constitute overt discrimination in the sense of denying service or explicit derogatory treatment, they contribute to a service environment that feels unwelcoming and insensitive. Discrimination often stems from unchecked biases and can manifest in subtle interactions that, over time, create an atmosphere of exclusion and marginalisation.
The crux of the issue lies not just in the specific comments made, but in the broader context of how societal norms and unconscious biases influence our interactions and the spaces we navigate. Modern societal norms are increasingly advocating for greater inclusivity, awareness, and respect for diversity, challenging long-standing stereotypes and biases that persist in various sectors, including the beauty industry. This shift calls for a more profound understanding and respect for individual identity and preferences, moving beyond superficial assessments based on race or ethnicity.
In deciding how to respond to your experience, it may be worth considering the broader implications of these interactions. Communicating your feelings to the salon management was an important step in advocating for a more inclusive and respectful environment. Whether to continue patronising the salon or leave a review could hinge on their response and willingness to address and learn from this feedback. Ultimately, such decisions reflect a personal journey of navigating spaces that align with one's values of respect, diversity, and inclusivity.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Tulipbloom
Think it's important to acknowledge that interpreting comments can be subjective. However, based on your story, the comments are certainly insensitive and quite inappropriate.
[start]Think in some cases it would be good to offer advice professionally, but commenting on someone's appearance in a judgmental way is kinda...[/start]
[start]The comment about "Asian hair" is problematic too. I've had this kind of experience and mind you I think a lot of it is due to ignorance. People just assume cause I have some features quite common to people from a certain country that I come from there. Think assuming someone's ethnicity and making comparisons based on stereotypes can be offensive. Am sorry that you felt uncomfortable and good on you for telling her to the manager. Think it wasn't her intention to be racist though.[/start]
[start]Think in some cases it would be good to offer advice professionally, but commenting on someone's appearance in a judgmental way is kinda...[/start]
[start]The comment about "Asian hair" is problematic too. I've had this kind of experience and mind you I think a lot of it is due to ignorance. People just assume cause I have some features quite common to people from a certain country that I come from there. Think assuming someone's ethnicity and making comparisons based on stereotypes can be offensive. Am sorry that you felt uncomfortable and good on you for telling her to the manager. Think it wasn't her intention to be racist though.[/start]
Thank you for your response and that I wasn't completely off the mark. When I told the manager the colleague came over to me and apoligised and said she didn't mean any malicious intent only to make a similar comment when I was trying clip in blonde highlights she said a comment about her 'thin white hair', can remember the context but bringing her race into it and I was just like bruh I literally just pulled you up on it.
Original post by EmilyJade24
The suggestion that blonde hair would not suit your skin tone, unsolicited and based on a superficial assessment, can be seen as a manifestation of unconscious bias. Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. In this case, the salon workers’ advice may reflect ingrained perceptions of beauty standards that are influenced by race and ethnicity, suggesting a narrow view of what is considered aesthetically pleasing for specific skin tones. This bias, albeit potentially unintentional, underscores a broader societal norm where certain beauty ideals are privileged over others, often to the detriment of ethnic and racial diversity.
Further complicating the interaction is the comment made about wishing to have "Asian hair," which introduces elements of exoticization and fetishisation. Such remarks, while possibly intended as compliments, serve to objectify and reduce individuals to stereotypical characteristics associated with their perceived ethnicity. This not only demonstrates a lack of sensitivity but also perpetuates a culture of othering, where people are singled out for their ethnic traits in ways that can feel dehumanising.
Further complicating the interaction is the comment made about wishing to have "Asian hair," which introduces elements of exoticization and fetishisation. Such remarks, while possibly intended as compliments, serve to objectify and reduce individuals to stereotypical characteristics associated with their perceived ethnicity. This not only demonstrates a lack of sensitivity but also perpetuates a culture of othering, where people are singled out for their ethnic traits in ways that can feel dehumanising.
In terms of discrimination, while the comments may not constitute overt discrimination in the sense of denying service or explicit derogatory treatment, they contribute to a service environment that feels unwelcoming and insensitive. Discrimination often stems from unchecked biases and can manifest in subtle interactions that, over time, create an atmosphere of exclusion and marginalisation.
The crux of the issue lies not just in the specific comments made, but in the broader context of how societal norms and unconscious biases influence our interactions and the spaces we navigate. Modern societal norms are increasingly advocating for greater inclusivity, awareness, and respect for diversity, challenging long-standing stereotypes and biases that persist in various sectors, including the beauty industry. This shift calls for a more profound understanding and respect for individual identity and preferences, moving beyond superficial assessments based on race or ethnicity.
In deciding how to respond to your experience, it may be worth considering the broader implications of these interactions. Communicating your feelings to the salon management was an important step in advocating for a more inclusive and respectful environment. Whether to continue patronising the salon or leave a review could hinge on their response and willingness to address and learn from this feedback. Ultimately, such decisions reflect a personal journey of navigating spaces that align with one's values of respect, diversity, and inclusivity.
Thank you for the thoughtful response, the whole experience did make me quite insecure as I remember I was happy to go blonde coming into the salon and I got all these comments saying it wont suit me, I think its so unprofessional and rude
I also want to mention that I came for a consultation once and a hairdresser was brushing my hair and this other hairdresser comes over and whispers in her ear 'I think she might have nits' (you cant do someones hair if they have nits) and I felt so uncomfortable, since I am middle eastern I naturally have oily hair with dandruff, again idk if I'm overreacting but I thought this was rude as well...
No they are not - You are in a hair dressers discussing hair colour. If they hadn't had that discussion would you could end up walking out of there with a shocker of a hair colour that you perhaps didn't want or didn't anticipate (and then what?)
It is a hairdressers job to talk about skin tone, skin colour and hair colour. Curiosity and subjective conversations about chemical hair colours against skin tone is not unconscious bias, hence certain celebrities making a mint out of matching make up to eye colour etc. Have you considered the possibility that your own unconscious bias on racism is attributing a perfectly reasonable discussion on hair and skin colour to - racism?
It is a hairdressers job to talk about skin tone, skin colour and hair colour. Curiosity and subjective conversations about chemical hair colours against skin tone is not unconscious bias, hence certain celebrities making a mint out of matching make up to eye colour etc. Have you considered the possibility that your own unconscious bias on racism is attributing a perfectly reasonable discussion on hair and skin colour to - racism?
(edited 2 months ago)
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