The Siposim - Hair Care Behind Bars

Hair is never just hair.
It's identity. Culture. Self-expression. Dignity. Come learn and discuss with us at The Siposium.
About this Event

Hair is never just hair.

It's identity. Culture. Self-expression. Dignity. And for many incarcerated women, it's one of the few ways they can hold onto a sense of themselves in an environment designed to limit personal choice.

Join us as we explore the surprising intersection of hair care, incarceration, race, gender, and power. Drawing on research from women currently incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, interviews with formerly incarcerated women, and historical archives, we'll examine how something as ordinary as hair can reveal extraordinary truths about life behind bars.

Our speakers are Dr. Mary Thomas, Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Dr. Tiyi Morris, Professor of African American and African Studies at The Ohio State University. Together, they lead the Ohio Pr*son Education Exchange Project (OPEEP), where they work alongside incarcerated students to explore the history of women's prisons in Ohio and the experiences of the women who live there.

This conversation goes far beyond beauty. It's about identity, resilience, inequality, and what everyday routines can teach us about the larger systems that shape our lives.

*All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Ohio Pr*son Education Exchange Project*