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Why White People Don’t Wash Their Chicken
How racism influenced cultural norms
Most of us go through life without thinking about how certain cultural norms have made their way into our habits and homes.
Of course, not all people in any group are the same. Many factors, including socioeconomic status and geography, influence our culture.
But over time, certain practices developed and influenced communities, and the reasons might shock you.
I never considered why many white people don’t use washcloths in the shower. But it’s true. In large part, white families wash their bodies with a bar of soap without a washcloth. Or a rag, as my lower-middle-class family used to call it.
On the other hand, the Black community has a centuries-old practice of using washcloths to bathe. Not that I shower with my friends, but the habit is well-known.
While doctors have hotly debated the benefits of using washcloths, Black people in this country have historically faced harmful stereotypes about cleanliness — with their very skin unjustly being called unclean.
As a result, many Black families strongly emphasized hygiene, incorporating washcloths into bathing for thorough cleansing.
