“We’ve seen an entire generation thrive on seeking injustice in every corner of society.”
Shea Moisture has come under fire for its latest ad, which features white women. The brand has catered primarily to black women’s hair care needs, offering products specifically designed for the texture of African-American hair. In the latest campaign, Shea Moisture set to branch out into the marketplace and offer products that are designed for other hair types as well.
In their “break free from hair hate” ad, Shea Moisture featured a black woman (presumably biracial) and two white women. The intended message was one of diversity and inclusion. The black woman spoke about the difficulties she faced with managing and maintaining her natural hair. The white women had the same message about hair insecurities. One lady with red hair said she felt pressured to be blonde, while the lady with blonde hair said she didn’t know what to do with her hair.
To the average person, the ad seemed like just another commercial. However, to many, it was somehow a slap in the face to black women. How dare Shea Moisture offer products for people who aren’t members of the black community! Naturally, social media lit up with complaints and threats to boycott. Chief among the complaints in the black community? The black woman featured in the ad wasn’t “black enough.”
This preposterous complaint is offensive and reeks of the black community’s own bias toward members who are lighter-skinned. It’s unbelievable the amount of stock people put into commercials. We’ve seen an entire generation thrive on seeking injustice in every corner of society. After watching the commercial a few times, I failed to find anything offensive about it. Maybe I don’t understand because my skin isn’t dark enough.
Another sentiment that is thrown around is the assertion that those of a different ethnicity wouldn’t be able to recognize bias, prejudice, or racism against another. That argument is mostly made when social justice warriors are reaching for something to cry about.
Nevertheless, Shea Moisture pulled the advertisement and issued an apology to the black community for including white women in their campaign. Here’s a little-known fact in the interest of educating crybabies—women of all backgrounds have trouble managing their hair. I come from two different backgrounds, and the texture of my hair requires extra work to achieve the styles I want.
Society has gotten so used to tiptoeing around minority groups it’s insane. Not everything comes with a subliminal message. Sometimes things should be taken at face value. I understand that the marketplace for the maintenance of ethnic hair is slim in comparison to other products, but I’ve never once thought to avoid supporting a business over its inclusion of others.
Social media has become a powerful tool for change and expression. Unfortunately, it has also caused overreacting and trending topics that replace mobs with pitchforks. The only conclusion that I’ve drawn from all the fuss is that Shea Moisture was somehow politically incorrect. I still don’t understand why.
