O cabelo crespo na trajetória escolar: a identidade negra e a luta antirracista no ensino de química

Abstract

The present study, with elements of participatory research, had as its main objective to investigate the influence of beauty standards and the impact of hair straightening products on the students' experience and construction of black identity. To achieve the purpose of contributing to the citizenship and anti-racist training of students, we propose through a qualitative methodology, a conversation circle and a Didactic Sequence that aims to encourage dialogue between the chemical content of Inorganic Functions and Human Rights Education. In these meetings, we relate straightening hair products to the beauty standard imposed by Eurocentric ideology. Our data source was semi-structured interviews and audio recordings carried out during the four classroom meetings by the research teacher. The data obtained was transcribed and analyzed from the perspective of Laurence Bardin's Content Analysis. The four primary categories listed through the results showed us that many students perceived racism in the school context in which they are inserted, but did not relate it to their own identity, nor to the implications that racist stereotypes cause for society. On the other hand, the acceptance of their natural hair was also seen in the speeches of some black students.