Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Communities and Beauty
Anh was thrilled to join Refinery 29 in May during AAPI History Month to discuss the significant message about “heritage, routines, and backgrounds” within the AAPI community.
The article challenges the common misconception that all Asian hair is straight and coarse, emphasizing the wide spectrum of textures from curly and wavy to fine and coarse.
The importance of representation for AAPI individuals is a central theme in the article. It stresses the significance of not grouping Asian hair into a single category, highlighting the need for diverse and accurate portrayals of AAPI individuals in discussions about hair and beauty.
As someone who represents the AAPI community and has worked with many different hair types, Anh reflected on the broader implications of how we perceive hair, stating, “Not all Asian hair is the same. Most people think Asian hair is straight and coarse. But there are so many types of Asian hair. From curly, wavy to straight, and fine to coarse hair.” Anh further emphasized the educational aspect of exploring diverse Asian hair textures by describing the experience as, ‘It’s like an Asian hair history class.’ This perspective encourages us to recognize hair based on its unique characteristics rather than solely associating it with a particular racial identity.