The Thread That Binds
The story of South Asian women, eyebrow threading, and labor rights.
Originally published in the Emory Economics Review.
As you step inside the salon, you’re greeted with the cheerful rhythm of Bollywood music mingling with the hum of lively conversation as the parlor aunties in their brightly-colored kurtis move gracefully between the chairs, their nimble fingers expertly working the thread. As the women shape their clients’ brows, they provide an informal therapy session, listening with rapt attention and offering sage advice. Their service is affordable and accessible, making the salon a valuable resource for those seeking a break from costly beauty treatments. This is the world of eyebrow threading, an age-old South Asian beauty practice that has gained widespread popularity in the United States [Toppa, 2021].
The History:
Scholars suggest that the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act was a crucial turning point for South Asian immigration to the United States [Bhandari, 2022]. The Act increased the quotas for migration from non-European countries, but it also had some limitations; the Act was primarily focused on allowing individuals with professional degrees to migrate to the US. During the first wave of South Asian immigration from 1965 to the late 1970s, there was a natural triple selection process based on upper caste, upper class, and skill level. The second wave of immigration began after the passage of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which made it easier for blue-collar workers to immigrate to the US. The second wave brought in a newer class of South Asian immigrants on more precarious terms. This opened the US borders, which were later restricted by immigration policies in 1996.
Certain categories of work, mainly those involving niche services, are closely linked to the historical, ongoing, and changing aspects of migration policies. The second wave of immigrants arrived in response to the emergence of niche job opportunities connected to corporate firms and leisure-related industries in small businesses such as restaurants and motels, as well as in personal service sectors like domestic work.
During the late 1980s, major American cities, including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, witnessed the emergence of expanding South Asian communities. South Asian immigrant women started offering threading services out of their living rooms, the back rooms of sari shops, and modest salons in strip malls. They relied on word-of-mouth advertising to promote traditional beauty services such as threading and mehendi application. As these communities grew in size, so did the popularity of threading, and the customer base expanded to become more diverse, attracting individuals from various social, racial, and economic backgrounds.
South Asian women who had restricted job opportunities due to their limited language proficiency and precarious legal status found a means to improve their economic situation by working as threaders. This allowed South Asian women to achieve financial stability and support their families while fostering community building and empowerment. The prosperity of threading salons is a testament to the entrepreneurial drive of South Asian women, who have transformed a specialized service into a flourishing industry that has gained recognition and popularity across the United States and beyond.
More Than Just a Beauty Service:
Threading salons have emerged as a part of the aforementioned immigrant service sector, yet the threading industry stands out from the rest as a racialized practice, process, and product.
The practice of threading is deeply ingrained in South Asian culture and aesthetics. The South Asian women who operate these salons possess distinctive threading abilities that have been handed down over generations. By offering customers an intimate and tailored experience, threading salons have evolved into a sanctuary for underrepresented communities to find solace in the welcoming atmosphere, familiarity, and cultural connections these salons offer.
The work of an employee at a threading salon encompasses more than just grooming expertise; it involves the management of emotions for customers in the salon, a phenomenon known as affective labor. This dimension of labor is embedded within co-ethnic worker-owner hierarchies and a tip-dependent industry. Threaders, in particular, connect with a diverse clientele through their customer service practices, as well as manage relationships with co-workers and salon owners. They cater to their customers' emotional needs and desires while prioritizing their job satisfaction and dealing with workplace instability. By fostering long-term customer relationships, they navigate the intricate dynamics among workers, owners, and customers faced by immigrant and refugee women of color in low-wage service occupations, operating within the framework of global capitalism. This underscores the multifaceted nature of service work and workers' emotional labor, in addition to their technical expertise.
The Problem:
Immigrant and refugee women of color, including South Asian women, working in low-wage service jobs face many struggles, such as poor working conditions and lack of labor protections. According to a report by the National Women's Law Center, in every state, at least six in ten low-wage workers are women, even though women make up half or less of the overall workforce in every state. This report also provides a profile of the women who work in low-wage jobs. Nearly half are women of color. Half work full time—and almost one in five is poor. Roughly one-third are mothers—and 40 percent of mothers in the low-wage workforce have family incomes below $25,000 [NWLC, 2014].
Workers often face exploitation from salon owners who may force them to work long hours without breaks or adequate pay. In addition, workers in the threading industry are usually not provided with training or safety equipment, putting them at risk of injury or infection [Watanabe, 2008].
There are added gender and racial dimensions to this labor exploitation in the threading industry, as most of these workers are South Asian women. In particular, workers who do not speak English may have difficulty communicating with customers and enforcing their labor rights. Women of color are often subject to harassment and discrimination on the job.
As mentioned in the previous section of this article, the emotional and affective labor of these South Asian threaders is crucial for building relationships and sustaining businesses, is often undervalued and goes unrecognized, and can take a toll on the mental health of these workers.
The Solution:
These South Asian eyebrow threaders have been largely invisible in academic and policy discussions. There needs to be a more intersectional approach to labor organizing, one that takes into account the unique challenges faced by South Asian women in the threading industry. This includes recognizing how their gender, race, and immigration status intersect to shape the experiences of these workers and working to address the multiple forms of oppression they face. Acknowledging the emotional and affective aspects of service work is crucial to empowering workers and improving their working conditions. [Sharma, 2019]
There is a need for worker-led initiatives that prioritize the well-being of workers rather than profit margins. Worker centers, labor unions, and other organizations can play a crucial role in advocating for workers’ rights and improving working conditions in the industry by providing a platform for workers to voice their grievances and negotiate better wages and benefits.
There is impressive advocacy, and worker’s rights work being done by organizations such as the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, the Pilipino Workers Center, and the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance. These organizations are fighting to improve working conditions for low-wage service workers and increase their access to resources, including health care and legal support. Organizations such as these are critical for supporting and amplifying the voices of low-wage service workers, particularly immigrants, refugees, or people of color. For example, the KIWA has supported low-wage workers in the Koreatown neighborhood in Los Angeles, including workers in nail salons, restaurants, and garment factories. KIWA has helped workers organize, negotiate better wages, and file legal complaints against employers who violate labor laws and have successfully recovered over $1 million in wages for workers in the area. [Kwom, 2017]
Another approach to improving working conditions in threading salons is through licensing and regulatory reform. The licensing requirements for threading salons can be burdensome and exclusionary, particularly for immigrant workers who may need access to the same resources and networks as more established business owners. By working with policymakers and regulatory agencies, advocacy groups can help streamline the licensing process and reduce barriers to entry for immigrant workers.
Consumers can also play a role in supporting better working conditions in threading salons. Patronizing salons that prioritize fair labor practices and advocating for regulatory reform helps create a market demand for ethical and sustainable service industry practices. By supporting workers’ rights and advocating for reform, we can help create a more just and equitable industry that benefits everyone involved.
The experiences of South Asian women in threading salons highlight the broader issues of labor exploitation and gendered, racialized economic inequality in contemporary global capitalism. There needs to be a wider recognition of the complex dynamics of labor, race, gender, and immigration in the contemporary United States and more efforts to promote economic justice and equality.
Edited by Stephen Adams
Works Cited
Bhandari, S. (2022). The History of South Asians in the United States. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from https://naswpress.org/FileCache/2023/01_January/South%20Asians%20in%20the%20United%20States-Sample%20Chapter.pdf
Kwom, J. B. (2017). The Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance: Spatializing Justice in an ethnic “enclave.” Working for Justice, 23–48. https://doi.org/10.7591/9780801459054-004
National Women's Law Center. (2014). Underpaid and Overloaded: Women in Low-Wage Jobs. National Women's Law Center. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/final_nwlc_lowwagereport2014.pdf
Sharma, P. (2019). The thread between them: Affective and intimate labor in Los Angeles threading salons (dissertation). University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
Toppa, S. (2021, September 8). The evolution of eyebrow threading salons. The Juggernaut. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-eyebrow-threading-salons
Watanabe, T. (2008, June 23). Beauty Salon chain is Sued in Labor Dispute. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-23-me-beauty23-story.html
