The NAACP and civil rights law firm Singleton Schreiber have teamed up to file a lawsuit against major beauty corporations, seeking accountability for the harmful health effects linked to chemical hair relaxers marketed to Black women and other women of color.  

The relaxers, often used to straighten hair, have been connected to serious health risks, including uterine, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, as well as uterine fibroids and procedures like hysterectomies. 

In a statement, NAACP General Counsel Janette McCarthy Wallace emphasized the organization’s commitment to pursuing justice, saying they will “use all its legal might to seek justice from those companies that have profited while these beauty products harmed Black women.” The lawsuit targets corporations like Soft Sheen-Carson LLC, accusing them of failing to disclose the health dangers associated with their products. 

Danielle Ward Mason, a partner at Singleton Schreiber, echoed this sentiment, stating, “By holding these companies accountable, we’re sending a strong message that corporations profiting at the expense of women’s health will face justice.” The law firm released a video as part of their campaign, revealing the hidden dangers behind the marketing of relaxers.  

The products, often advertised using images of young Black girls and women with straight hair, contain chemicals known as endocrine disruptors, which can harm users’ health. One of the chemicals, sodium hydroxide, the main ingredient in lye relaxers, has been shown to burn the skin and even cause bald spots. 

The NAACP and Singleton Schreiber aim to raise awareness about the aggressive marketing of these products, which they say promotes Eurocentric beauty standards. Their campaign demands transparency from the corporations involved, compensation for victims, and continued efforts to inform the public about the chemicals in these widely used products. 

 

SOURCE: blackenterprise.com 

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