The Morning: The danger of hair relaxers

Plus, the G7 summit, abortion and Jerry West.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 13, 2024 Good morning. Today, Linda Villarosa uncovers a health threat for many Black women. We're also covering the G7, abortion and Jerry West. —David Leonhardt Getting a treatment. Naila Ruechel for The New York Times Relaxer reckoning By Linda Villarosa Contributing magazine writer A vast majority of Black women — approaching 90 percent — have used a chemical hair relaxer to straighten their natural curls. Some use it every other month, beginning in childhood. But these products, applied in salons or at home, disrupt the endocrine system, according to a growing body of evidence. They're linked to early puberty and many reproductive health issues that can follow: uterine fibroids, preterm birth, infertility and cancers (breast, ovarian and uterine), many of which disproportionately affect Black women. The products, which aggressively target Black girls and women who believe these chemicals are safe, have almost no oversight. I began reporting a story about "creamy crack," as chemical hair straightener products are sometimes called, for The Times Magazine more than a year ago, and it published today. At every stage, I was surprised by what I learned. I interviewed government officials and health nonprofit workers, scientists at universities, people taking part in medical studies, plaintiffs in lawsuits, politicians, historians, activists and lawyers. A 1960s ad for a hair relaxer. Granger I spoke with Jenny Mitchell, now 34, who had used hair relaxers nearly all her life. She'd always wanted to have children, and in 2018 she visited a fertility specialist. But what Mitchell thought would be a happy new beginning led to heart-stopping news. "During the ultrasound, the physician said, 'I see something; I think we need to do a biopsy right now,'" she recalls. "He did a biopsy that day, and then three days later, I got a call saying that I had uterine cancer." To preserve her life, doctors removed her uterus and then gave her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Mitchell could no longer have children. The new research Black female epidemiologists raised many of the questions that propelled the new research. All told me that their personal experience drove them to pursue the connection between the chemicals in these products and the racial disparities in reproductive health that scientists have struggled to explain for decades. Tamarra James-Todd, a public health professor at Harvard, is their pioneer. James-Todd recalled sitting in a salon as a kid and having relaxers applied to her hair. It felt as if her scalp were on fire. She told me that she now knows her instinct was right: The product being put on her head wasn't safe. Brands for sale. Naila Ruechel for The New York Times A seminal 2022 study followed nearly 34,000 women for over a decade. It found that those who frequently used chemical hair-straightening products were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as those who did not. That's the most common cancer of the female reproductive system, and the most aggressive sub­types have been on the rise for nearly 24 years — particularly among Black women. The United States is unusually lax about these problems. While the European Union regulates more than 1,300 ingredients for use in cosmetics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricts only nine. Hair relaxers marketed to children, which are packaged with bright colors and photos of adorable little girls, contain high levels of five of the chemicals prohibited in Europe, according to one study. Another found that hormone-disrupting chemicals were in plenty of creams — but not listed as ingredients on the packaging. In October, the F.D.A. finally proposed banning formaldehyde (a toxic preservative) in hair relaxers. It has not set a date to implement the rule. Plaintiffs have filed thousands of lawsuits since the 2022 study came out. A federal judge has combined them into one big suit. But while Black women have embraced natural styles in recent years (total sales to salons and other hair professionals fell to $30 million, down by half, from 2011 to 2021), these products are still in wide circulation. They fuel a continuing — but preventable — public health crisis. ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS G7 Summit World leaders at the G7 in Italy. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters World leaders are convening in Italy today. But many of them are facing elections that weaken their positions. Read about the summit. The leaders will discuss the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Volodymyr Zelensky is set to attend. Late-night hosts joked about Biden's repeated trips to Europe. Israel-Hamas War The mother and girlfriend of Andrey Kozlov, a rescued hostage. Ohad Zwigenberg/Associated Press "They were all abused, punished and tortured physically and psychologically": Read about the experiences of hostages rescued from Gaza. Hamas made changes to a cease-fire proposal, and Antony Blinken called them unacceptable. He said the U.S. would keep pushing for a deal. The World Health Organization said that 8,000 children under 5 in Gaza had been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. The homes of the Jewish director of the Brooklyn Museum and other museum leaders were vandalized. More International News China is testing more driverless cars than any other country. See inside of one. In the Asia-Pacific region, America has become a humbler superpower. Instead of dictating terms, Washington is now focused on cooperation. The U.S. announced sanctions to try to stop Russia's military from benefiting from Chinese technology. Politics Merrick Garland  Tom Brenner for The New York Times The House voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for refusing to turn over video from a special counsel interview with President Biden. Garland called the move "a partisan weapon." Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bill that would have created new ethics and transparency rules for Supreme Court justices. Hunter Biden is likely to appeal his conviction by arguing that the judge violated his Second Amendment rights in her jury instructions. The Biden administration issued the first national strategy to reduce food waste. Economy Price increases slowed in May, a sign that stubborn inflation numbers in the U.S. earlier this year may have been a blip rather than a trend. The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged and signaled that it would cut rates only once this year. Health Care The New York Times About 170,000 patients traveled for abortions in the U.S. last year. See where they went. Members of the Southern Baptist Convention, a prominent branch of American evangelicalism, voted to oppose the use of in vitro fertilization. Other Big Stories The Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit seeking reparations for the Tulsa Race Massacre. The two last known remaining survivors of the 1921 attack had brought the case. Tesla shareholders will vote today on whether to award Elon Musk a pay package worth $45 billion. A study of astronauts found that even a brief trip away from Earth impaired the subjects' health. Opinions Russia has no right to the revenue its assets make in Belgium. Europe should use that money now to fund Ukraine, Janet Yellen, the Treasury secretary, writes. Big Tech is killing innovation. Companies like Microsoft are making deals with A.I. start-ups that run afoul of antitrust law, Mark Lemley and Matt Wansley write. President Emmanuel Macron of France's decision to give the far right a chance to govern is a reckless gamble, Cole Stangler writes. Here are columns by Pamela Paul on revisiting the same destination, and Ross Douthat, who interviewed Senator J.D. Vance. The Games Sale. Limited time offer. Come play with us. Subscribe to New York Times Games for 50% off your first year. Strengthen your Wordle strategy with WordleBot (now in the app), reach Genius on Spelling Bee, and play The Crossword, Tiles and more. MORNING READS The director David Cronenberg. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Screenland: Some say the best dressed people in Hollywood aren't the actors — they're the directors. Study: DNA from Chichén Itzá, an ancient city in Mexico, shows that the Maya ritually sacrificed local boys, many of whom were siblings or close relatives. Trash danger: At a zoo in Tennessee, a rare African antelope died after choking on a plastic cap from a squeezable fruit pouch. Social Q's: "Why did my wife's sister confess to taking her clothes 50 years later?" Going viral: Cow pedicure videos are a hit on TikTok. Viewers call them "oddly satisfying." No cars, no crowds: In the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, nature thrives. Adult dining: This restaurant won't admit anyone under 30. Legal experts think that may be a problem. Wellness: Still burned out after your vacation? Here's why. Lives Lived: The witty, encyclopedic political reporter Howard Fineman was so ingrained in cable TV's talk-show ecosystem that people in Washington liked to joke, "If Howard Fineman's here, who's on TV?" He died at 75. SPORTS Jerry West dribbling in 1972. Larry C. Morris/The New York Times "The Logo": Jerry West, the Los Angeles Lakers legend and one of the greatest basketball players in history, died at 86. West was a 14-time all-star as a player, and as an executive he helped assemble two Lakers dynasties. His silhouette adorns the N.B.A. logo. N.B.A. finals: The Boston Celtics withstood a fourth-quarter comeback and defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 106-99. The Celtics now lead the series 3-0. Soccer: The U.S. men's team secured a promising 1-1 draw against Brazil, days after an embarrassing defeat against Colombia. Golf: Scottie Scheffler is a big favorite in the U.S. Open, which tees off today. Sports diplomacy: Saudi Arabia has used its vast wealth to become a major player in professional golf and soccer. Now, it wants to take over boxing. ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS A queer icon? Shane Mahood/Syfy It's Pride month, and images of queer icons — Madonna, James Baldwin, Elton John — are everywhere. But the internet has added a new name to the list: Chucky. NBCUniversal is partially responsible. Its streaming service, Peacock, put Chucky, the killer doll who first appeared in a 1988 horror film, on a banner of other queer icons this month. People online have been dissecting Chucky's work for evidence of queer credentials ever since. More on culture A new exhibition — which looks like a storefront on Canal Street in Manhattan — draws attention to the prevalence of "superfake" handbags. Sony is acquiring Alamo Drafthouse, a boutique theater chain. Diplo, a Grammy-winning D.J. and music producer, shares a guide to Jamaica. Matty Healy, the frontman of the band the 1975 and subject of much of Taylor Swift's latest album, is engaged. Read about him in The Cut. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Mix cucumber and avocado in this five-ingredient side dish. Do this 20-minute core workout. Read a book lovers' guide to Strasbourg, France. Pack for summer camp. Save on these summer essentials. Browse last-minute Father's Day gifts. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was educable. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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