Why Kamala Harris’ Skincare Matters
We’re almost a week away from the U.S. Presidential election and our new candidate Kamala Harris brings a new take to campaign strategy. When Joe Biden dropped from the Democractic Party, her team took the country by a storm. According to Forbes Magazine, “In a matter of days, Harris raised a record-breaking $200 million in campaign donations, inspired supporter-organized Zoom meetups, and procured endorsements from party officials and celebrities far and wide” (Collins). We’ve all seen the ADs, along with Kamala aunty’s signature glowing skin and mannerisms. In NBC’s Saturday Night Live, comedian Maya Rudolf plays Harris with so much sass that she seems like a “cool” mom. Rudolf often flips her hair back, revealing the attention we draw to Harris’ beauty over Trump’s lack of appreciated hair-do. But, as the first woman of color in the final round, is Harris’ usage of beauty and culture a survival tactic? Glossy Co notes that in the 1900s, “straight hairstyle as a means of survival and assimilation in society” (Pile). Does dressing, or perhaps taming, her hair allow people allow citizens to see Harris with more class? Glossy continues:
A February 2023 report from Dove and LinkedIn revealed that Black women’s hair is nearly three times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. The report also showed that Black women are 54% more likely to feel that they have to wear their hair straight to a job interview to be successful.
At the same time, we weigh on Harris to be a represent “a symbol of Black hair autonomy” for the entire community. Harris’ need to represent Black America reflects our saying that Obama was the first, “Black President”. Yet, Obama and Harris were also heavily influenced by their Hawaiian and Indian parents accordingly. An emphasis on their representation for Black America brings out the one-drop rule in public. Not only are Obama and Harris considered as representative – there is also allowing the view that their identity takes over their image. It’s no doubt that it’s important for more diverse leadership to represent a diverse America. Still, I can’t help but wonder if beauty and race distracts from policies. Fashion Magazine, The National, reveals Harris’ trend to wear beige suits to match her male-counterparts. Harris’ 2017 memoir even adds that these suits are an “anti-distraction technique”. She says:
Since there wasn’t much to say or report on what I wore, maybe people would focus on what I was saying instead.
A focus on beauty might be crucial for today’s internet culture. DECA Direct discovers how her “cultural relevance” may target younger voters. DECA elaborates that campaigns must catch up to the the blurring lines between politics, pop culture and marketing. Take candidate Donald Trump’s campaign. He increased his personable PR by being the first to attend every single one of the Republican convention. Even more, he often called in external musicians with patriotic rock songs. With Harris, her speeches become soundbites. Instead of her stance, young voters engage with Harris through virality. We watch Tik-Toks and Reels of her saying “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree” (DECA). With cameras watching politicians all the time, politicians must adapt to becoming to be the next (“Brat”) cultural brand.
Still, it’s more important now than ever that all voters see past glamour. Forbes reiterates that surface will come together where, “we’ll be voting for a symbol that most accurately represents our ideological reality” (Collins). We will look at whether we’re included in the communities our candidates seek to represent. At the same time, it’s not mutually exclusive to look to the issues that also affect one another. Kamala Aunty’s skin, hair, and funny quotes all matter. Yet, how Harris, Trump, and the other ballots will influence freedom and the outside world requires independent research. We can ask who we entrust to be America’s next brand. But, more importantly, why?
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Works Cited:
https://www.thenationalnews.com/topics/Author/sarah-maisey/
https://www.glossy.co/beauty/kamala-harris-slik-press-presidential-candidate/
