The NAACP and Singleton Schreiber, a leading civil rights law firm, are taking a stand against major beauty corporations. They are pursuing a lawsuit to hold these companies accountable for selling chemical hair relaxers to Black women and women of color. These relaxers, also known as perms, have been linked to serious health issues, including several types of cancer.
Health Risks Linked to Hair Relaxers
The chemical hair relaxers have been associated with dangerous health problems. According to the NAACP, these products are linked to uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. Other risks include uterine fibroids and surgical procedures such as hysterectomies. The organizations claim that major companies, like Soft Sheen-Carson LLC, have not fully disclosed these risks to consumers.
Janette McCarthy Wallace, General Counsel of the NAACP, emphasized their commitment to justice. “We will use all our legal might to seek justice from those companies that have profited while these beauty products harmed Black women,” she stated. The organizations are determined to change how these products are marketed and ensure the health of consumers is prioritized.
Fighting for Accountability
Singleton Schreiber aims to protect Black women’s health through this partnership. Danielle Ward Mason, a partner at the firm, expressed the importance of this mission. “By holding these companies accountable, we’re sending a strong message that corporations profiting at the expense of women’s health will face justice,” she said.
As part of their campaign, Singleton Schreiber released a video exposing the harmful effects of these hair relaxers. The video highlights how the catchy jingles and appealing packaging mask the risks associated with these products. For many years, Black women have been exposed to a group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. These can cause severe health issues, yet consumers were not fully informed about the dangers.
The Impact of Marketing on Black Women
The NAACP and Singleton Schreiber highlight the aggressive marketing strategies used by beauty companies. These strategies often push Eurocentric beauty standards that can harm Black women’s self-image. The campaign aims to demand transparency about the chemicals in hair relaxers and ensure that consumers know what they are using on their bodies.
