Egyptian women embrace natural hair in identity revolution
Salons and kitchens are hotspots of a change that is sweeping Egypt as women reject European beauty standards and celebrate their hair as it is.
Every time Talaat combs her daughter’s hair, it takes her back her own school years. She was bullied for having the same kinky hair, ruining her teenage life. But she's determined her daughter will have a different experience.
“I was, like, fighting every day for no reason except that I have curly hair in a society that believes in one kind of beauty,” Noha Talaat, a 37-year-old English teacher, told Al-Monitor.
As a girl with dark skin and kinky hair in a society that embraces European beauty standards, Talaat used to hear people describe her as a “house maid” when she was just 13 years old. Her colleagues would also bully and reject her.
“I tried hundreds of methods and products to straighten my hair to avoid bullying, but the result was that I got depressed and I damaged my hair. I don’t want my daughter to suffer like me,” said Talaat. She found refuge in emerging online platforms that offer help on how to take care of her natural hair.
