By Mackenzie Williams
Howard University News Service
WASHINGTON— During Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign, she faced numerous criticisms regarding her identity and appearance— showing that systems of racism, colorism, and sexism continue to affect our perception of individuals.
Attacks against Harris included commentary on her not being a biological mother and lacking “professional” experience. Even her authenticity as a Black woman was questioned.
Harris is the first multiethnic woman of color to be nominated and run for the U.S. presidency.
As for many other Black women in leadership roles, her identity, gender, and appearance played a crucial role in shaping public perception.
“If she had been a dark-skinned, unattractive woman with long hair, she would not be at the top of the ticket,” said Msia Clark, assistant professor of Africana studies at Howard University.
Clark’s comments speak to a term coined by Kimberlè Crenshaw: intersectionality.
It refers to “an intellectual framework for understanding how various aspects of individual identity—including race, gender, social class, and sexuality—interact to create unique experiences of privilege or oppression.”
“She feels and looks comfortable, ” said Clark. “White people don’t have to go as far to understand her as the opposition.”
Originating in European colonialism, colorism equates the closest complexion to white as beautiful and darker skin as threatening.
According to a Harvard study, “Lighter-skinned people of color enjoy substantial privileges that are still unattainable to their darker-skinned brothers and sisters. In fact, light-skinned people earn more money, complete more years of schooling, live in better neighborhoods, and marry higher-status people than darker-skinned people of the same race or ethnicity.”
Nadia E. Brown, author of “Sister Style: The Politics of Appearance for Black Women Political Elites,” notes that while Harris is paving the way for more Black women in leadership, it is crucial to recognize the many challenges she has faced related to her identity and appearance in achieving her current standing.
“It would be hard to imagine her at the top of the ticket without straight hair,” Brown said.
She referenced former First Lady Michelle Obama wearing braids at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Brown said this choice makes a powerful statement, yet it was a decision that likely would not have been acceptable while Obama was the First Lady.
According to the CROWN Act, “Approximately two-thirds of Black women (66%) change their hair for a job interview. Among them, 41% straighten their naturally curly hair. Black women are 54% more likely to feel they have to wear their hair straight in job interviews to be successful.”
The 2019 CROWN Act study further reports that Black women are aware of the “harsh penalties” they can face for wearing natural hairstyles at work.
Like Harris, Shreenithi Venkataraman is part of the Tamil community.
“People will look for anything to claim a Black woman is anything but her identity,” said Venkataraman, who studied public health with a minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at George Washington University.
She expressed surprise at how the media has “over-analyzed” Harris’ identity and at comments from the Tamil community suggesting Harris does not care about them or their heritage.
“She’s not, not Indian because she’s Black,” Venkataraman said in response to those comments. “She spends so much time making herself approachable because she doesn’t have a choice.”
Navigating the political landscape as a woman of color is especially complex and taxing, which is why the nonprofit Running Start trains young women to run for political office.
“In the Black community, we don’t discuss colorism, fatphobia, or pretty privilege when putting ourselves out there for the public to see,” said Serena Saunders, the program director.
Saunders emphasized her commitment to promoting “authentic leadership” within the organization’s program, encouraging participants to recognize that times are changing and they can “be themselves” in leadership positions.
“The system is not going to change overnight,” Saunders said. “In the meantime, we can work overnight to equip young girls with the confidence and coping skills internally they need to do the work externally.”
Mackenzie Williams is a HU News Service reporter.
