Tips, Toes, and Tension: Black Women’s Resistance Practices in US Asian-Dominated Nail Salons

• In Event: Consumption and Inequality

Abstract

The transatlantic slave trade was the inception of America’s disrespect for Black women. Since then, treatment of Black women and girls has not improved, it has simply been justified or ignored. Today Black women face just as much violence against their bodies, minds and emotions. Black women are expected to be of service and provide comfort to all while accepting poor treatment from the very people they created a safe space for. This expectation has led to the mistreatment of Black women even when being serviced in the beauty industry. In this work I aim to conduct a digital ethnographic content analysis of TikTok videos posted by Black women discussing their racialized experiences in US Asian owned nail salons in efforts to answer the following research questions. How does racism manifest in Black women’s experiences in US Asian owned nail salons? And in what ways are Black Women resisting racialized mistreatment in US Asian owned nail salons?

Author

• Chaprill Danielle Bostick, Howard University