S3E1 – How to write hair and head coverings

In this first episode of Season 3 of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss how to write hair and head coverings.  

Listen to it here on Podbean or find us on your favourite podcast app.

What we talked about

• That hair, hair care, and head coverings are often ethnically dictated and gendered
• That there is no such thing as “ethnic” hair: we all have ethnicity!
• How to describe different natural hair colors
• How to describe different hair textures
• Whether dreadlocks are cultural appropriation
• Who wears wigs and weaves, and for what reason
• That head coverings for men and women come into play in many ways that go beyond religion and what one’s culture dictates
• How you can use descriptions of hair and head coverings to add layers to your POV characters

(Re)sources mentioned on the show

• “Untangling the Symbolism of Art History’s Most Famous Redheads” by Sarah Dotson: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-untangling-symbolism-art-historys-famous-redheads
• “Seeing red: why we need to be sensitive about using the word ‘ginger’” by David Marsh: https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/jan/24/mind-your-language-red-hair
• “3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Address Redheads As ‘Gingers’” by Kali Hanson: https://www.howtobearedhead.com/3-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-address-redheads-as-gingers
• “Writing About Hair: The Thick and Thin of Descriptions” by Sharla Rae: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/writing-about-hair-the-thick-and-thin-of-descriptions
• “The East Asian women + colored hair trope” by Jess: https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/post/101115852994/the-east-asian-women-colored-hair-trope-an
• “The Ultimate Black & Natural Hair Glossary” by Joanna Samuels: https://afrocenchix.com/blogs/afrohair/the-ultimate-black-natural-hair-glossary
• How to Write Black Characters by Salt and Sage Books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087ZSJ9BN
• “Dear white people with dreadlocks: Some things to consider” by Emanuella Grinberg: https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/31/living/white-dreadlocks-cultural-appropriation-feat/index.html
• “Once in a Lifetime: The village of Huang Luo in China’s Guangxi Region is famous for the dramatically long hair worn by its female residents” by Linn Yaeger: https://www.vogue.com/projects/13548460/women-of-huang-luo-china-long-hair-tradition
• “Niqab, How Does It Work? | THE BASICS, how to wear the niqab” by Niqabi Nextdoor: https://youtu.be/KAbsPFS8gus
• “What are the differences between a niqab, a chador, an abaya, a burkha and a hijab?”: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-a-niqab-a-chador-an-abaya-a-burkha-and-a-hijab
• “Women’s safety clothing not fit for purpose” by Matthew Gunther: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/womens-safety-clothing-not-fit-for-purpose/1010138.article
• “Employers Exposed When Women’s Safety Equipment Doesn’t Fit” by Fatima Hussein and Jaclyn Diaz: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/safety/employers-exposed-when-womens-safety-equipment-doesnt-fit
• Tina from Glee: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1327801/characters/nm3206118
• Mako Mori from Pacific Rim: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/characters/nm0452860
• GoGo Tomago from Big Hero 6: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245084/characters/nm1512166
• Einayim Petukhoth or Eyes Wide Open: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1424327
• Unorthodox: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9815454
• Crazy Rich Asians: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988
• Steel Magnolias: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098384
• Luke Cage: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322314
• Barbershop: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303714
• Coming to America: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094898
• The Boondocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Mly_Zj6gg
• Hair Love: https://youtu.be/kNw8V_Fkw28
• Tamora Pierce’s work: https://www.tamora-pierce.net
• Mulan: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120762
• V for Vendetta: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409
• The Boys: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190634
• The Wolverine: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132
• The Princess Diaries: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247638
• Jason Elliot’s An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Unexpected_Light
• Bethany’s Editing Your Novel’s Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors

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