For many women especially those from minority backgrounds such as African Americans and Hispanics, hair salons constitute more than a place for getting a haircut. Rather, they are considered to be an integral part of the economic and social makeup of minority communities, where people congregate to socialize with one another--exchange ideas and gossip, as well as speak their minds on topics, especially about the opposite sex (Rooks; Alkalimat "Cyberhair: Historical Community"). Since these hair salons cater to a single-sex clientele, they promote opportunities for gendered bonding, which are limited in a public space. As such, conversations about the opposite sex and the assertion of the "feminine" perspectives can often take place in hair salons that thus serve a special social role for women. Thus, it is little wonder that going to the hair salon is a ritual for many minority women characterized by symbols, customary activities and communal energy. For example, the first hair visit to the hair salon is often defined as a "coming-of-age ritual" (Robinson).
Based on my initial review of this topic and my hair salon experiences, I believe that hair salons address two dimensions of women's concernsùtheir self-image and their interactions with their peers. These two dimensions are in turn affected by their perceptions and relationships with their distinctive cultures. With the disintegration of the traditional extended family units, the entry of women into the workforce, along with the commodification of services that used to be provided by individuals in their homes, hair salons have occupied an increasingly important niche for women as a means of creating new social support networks (Alkalimat "Cyberhair: Historical Community"). Visits to hair salons are transformed into rituals that are extremely meaningful to the women who work there and the clients. Through this field project, I will assess the validity of this perspec...