Black characters with white hair: the “Special Snowflake” Compilation
Is it problematic to give my Black MC white hair?
Is it problematic to give my black mc white hair? In my story, if someone dies and comes back to life, their hair turns white. Her origin is that she’s a reincarnation of an escaped soul, and took the place of the stillborn fetus in her “mothers” womb. I am pretty flexible in her design still, so I am willing to change if it’s a bad idea. Thank you if you answer! :)
I think we’re all aware that Black people can have white hair naturally, whether it’s due to
Hair that turns gray/white early in life
Genetics - Black person (mixed race or no) who have very light or white hair.
Obviously, Black people can dye their hair white as well.
Photo above: Black models Diandra forrest and Nyakim Gatwech posing. They both have pale blondish-white hair. Source: Essence.
The question being asked is if it’s okay for Black characters to have white hair by conscious choice of the author.
On its face, it’s okay to have Black characters with white hair. This is especially true if how the white hair comes about is a natural occurrence in your story that likely affects other races too. Motive is an important factor.
What is the reason for their hair being white?
That reason could and should be everything but to make them seem special or more likeable. This isn’t aimed at you specifically, OP, but there are creators who feel compelled to give Black characters uncommon, rare or unusual features due to an aversion to feature Black people with more common features (dark and brown hair, skin, eyes etc).
When aversion to Blackness is the motive, it shows.
It’s in the way the narrative exalts this character over other Black people in the narrative, treating them more favorably and giving them more of an arc over other Black characters. This is sometimes known as making them a “Special snowflake” which isn’t a term I particularly love, as it’s sometimes used to devalue real struggles people face. However, It does serve to categorize the trope. (See: TVTropes Special Snowflake)
Signs you’re treating your white-haired Black character better over other Black characters, aka the “Special Snowflake”
Stronger characterization and arc, more importance and “Screen time” than other Black characters (even when they’re not the main character)
Unique features are overemphasized and described at every chance (fetishized)
Better treatment in the story compared to other Black characters. They’re also less likely to face suffering and abusive narratives. Good things happen to them more than other Black people.
Shown to be more deserving of love, affection and romance over other Black characters; may have a love interest while others don’t.
You can have Black characters with white hair. However, do not use light or unique features to exalt or set your character apart from your Black characters as “better.”
That is, not without an explicit social commentary, since yes these folks tend to be treated better by society and media in real life.
It also helps to have other Black characters with more common features who are treated well and have a fully developed character arc. These other Black people’s lives also should not revolve around just supporting white or the white-haired character, either.
Black Girl, Snow White Retellings
I (a white woman) would like to write a re-telling of Snow White and make her a Black girl with white hair. Snow White would be under the impression, that her stepmother (a white woman) is evil, when in fact, she only tried to protect herself and Snow White from Snow White’s father (a white man). The story would be told from both perspectives, probably first from Snow White’s perspective, then from the queen’s. In the end, both women make peace, Snow White understands the queen’s actions and the queen apologizes and tries to make up for her actions that hurt Snow White. Do you see a problem with any aspect of this outline and/or are there certain things I have to keep in mind?
Thank you so much for all the work you do with this blog and for your efforts to educate.
I’m writing a science fiction variant of Snow White with a protagonist that has dark skin with white, 3C hair and brown eyes. I read a post that said magic white hair, dark skin, and European features was a bad trope; would it still be bad even if I made it clear that she has no European features and her hair’s not magical?
See “Is it problematic to give my Black MC white hair?” which answers the core of this question. Motive truly is the main factor in if it’s okay or not, and the resulting treatment of that character and other Black characters that may exist in the story. I have a Black Snow White in one of my retellings, too!
The motive is clear here: you’re retelling Snow White with a Black girl and want to keep it relevant by assigning the white feature to hair instead of skin. It’s also a story where Snow White is intentionally meant to stand out as the “fairest of them all” so the exalting does have plot relevance.
As noted before, I would caution against making her beautiful to mean that other Black women are not beautiful or are unworthy.
I would like to make special mention that you can also do retellings where Snow White goes the other direction, and her compelling dark features make her the “fairest of them all”
Black woman dyes hair white, problematic symbolism?
@tlking-heads-moved said:
hi! i have a story with two black women protagonists:
1.) leader, strong and loyal, with very curly dark hair (usually pulled back)
2.) part of the group, elegant and refined, with light pink braids (or other protective styles).
Towards the end of the story, both of their hair changes styles, the second character dyes her hair white.
I am afraid that the character with the styled, pink/white hair will come off as “purer” or “better” than the character with the natural, dark hair, because of their personality + appearance differences. should I change either of their usual hair styles or their personalities?
These seem like stylistic choices. As the girl already had a pink braided style, hair color changes seems like something she likes to do and does not have to be symbolic of anything. Your use of color throughout the story could help avoid implications of white as more pure, if this is something you’d like to avoid:
See more about Color symbolism in our Color Symbolism Guide
Also, going from pink to white, which both have connotations of femininity and softness (according to a Western Lens) doesn’t come across as a stark difference. Without knowing the full details of these personality changes the girls undergo, I’m personally not getting that impression. Again, the full narrative will inform this and you may want to pay mind to your use of color throughout.
Now, do avoid making the dark-haired one a Strong Black Women character. You specifically called her strong, which doesn’t necessarily mean she’s a SBW, but please see our several related posts to ensure she is not one.
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