Black people have long faced oppression and discrimination, including being objectified and even dehumanized not only because of their color but because of their hair texture and styles.
Megan Young went viral after she fixed the hair of Miss Botswana, Lesego Chombo, during the final round of the Miss World competition on Sunday.Some people criticized her behavior, saying it was offensive to Black people, especially without their permission.The Miss World 2013 titleholder has apologized since then, explaining she only wanted to lend a helping hand. In the comment section, it appears it's not clear to many Filipinos why Megan's act is considered offensive.
Hair became a marker that separated Black people from other racial groups, Zakiya Collier explains in her 2021 NYU Paper, "Don't Touch my Hair: An Examination of the Exercise of Power Through Interracial hair-Centered Interactions." "Because of this, the black body especially that of the female, is frequently subjected to the interrogation by non-black people," she said.