Don't Touch My Hair

Don't Touch My Hair examines Black hair through historical, cultural, and philosophical lenses. Author Emma Dabiri intertwines personal experiences with research on pre-colonial African hair traditions and mathematics. The book traces how Black hairstyles connect to identity formation and resistance across different time periods and geographies. Dabiri explores topics from ancient African fractals to modern natural hair movements, while questioning Western beauty standards and white supremacy. Her investigation moves between autobiography, social analysis, and academic discourse, creating connections between hair texture and broader systems of power. The work contextualizes contemporary discussions about Black hair within frameworks of colonialism, racism, and cultural appropriation. The text presents hair as a gateway for understanding deeper patterns in society and human relations. Through this focused examination of Black hair, Dabiri constructs an argument about how superficial differences become tools for oppression and markers of cultural resilience.

Readers praise Dabiri's blend of personal experience with academic research on Black hair history, culture, and politics. Many note the book opened their eyes to connections between hair texture discrimination and broader systems of oppression. Liked: - Clear explanations of complex topics like colonialism's impact on beauty standards - African mathematical principles found in traditional hairstyles - Mix of memoir and scholarly analysis - Accessible writing style for academic concepts Disliked: - Some found the academic language dense and hard to follow - UK-centric perspective that doesn't fully address US experiences - A few readers wanted more practical hair care advice - Some sections feel repetitive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.6/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.7/5 (300+ ratings) "Eye-opening and thought-provoking" appears frequently in reviews. Multiple readers noted they "had to read sections multiple times" to grasp the academic concepts but found it worthwhile.

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🌟 Emma Dabiri wrote this groundbreaking work while completing her PhD in African Studies at SOAS University of London, bringing academic depth to her personal experiences. ✨ The book's title references a common microaggression faced by Black people when strangers attempt to touch their hair without permission, a practice rooted in centuries of objectification. 🌺 Traditional African hairstyles often contained coded messages and maps, serving as communication tools during the era of slavery and resistance. 📚 The author explores how Black hair texture was deliberately used to create racial hierarchies during colonialism, with hair becoming a key factor in determining social status and rights. 🎯 The book was renamed "Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture" for its U.S. release, though both titles refer to the same work.