Tangled – Why Your Hair Matters to Society

Hair is simply a collection of protein filaments that sprout from our scalp, yet it carries great meaning for us and our society.

From twists and tapers to braids and buns, what’s on top of our head and how it is received by others often reflects society’s standards of beauty and desirability. Using song, video, poetry, and imagery, this interactive presentation encourages us to examine our cultural conceptions of gender, class, and race. Why, for example, is one kind of hair or hairstyle understood as “better” than another? Who says so? What are the consequences of sporting an unruly ‘do, and how has that changed over the years?

Join professor Anu Taranath to untangle the meaning of hair, and better understand the stories we tell about beauty, bias, and belonging.

Read an interview with Anu here.

Register by emailing arust@auburnwa.gov before Tuesday, March 9.

This event made possible by Humanities Washington.