Wednesday, June 10, 2020

No. You Cannot Touch My Hair! | Mena Fombo | TEDxBristol


Know how I've felt when white people have touched my hair without invitation?  (and yes, this has happened more times than I care to remember). Assaulted.

"Assault - The act of inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person."
Feeling entitled enough to touch someone's hair (not to mention make rude, hurtful comments after doing so) without at the very least asking permission first is gross and shows how so many white people have been brainwashed with the idea of white superiority.

How? Because it fetishizes natural born features that are different than European features.
It shows how society at large overlooks the very humanity of people of colour to the point that many white people don't even think to ask permission before putting their hands on the body of a person of colour. 

Often what follows after these unsolicited touching incidents are rude, hurtful comments, showing  yet again how society at large has been indoctrinated with the notion of white superiority - in this instance by people not even stopping to care or think about the very feelings of the person they have touched, and certainly not questioning why they view this different hair texture as 'gross' or 'weird' etc when in fact it's our society that tells  us on a daily basis that European features are better than.

But if nothing else, do remember this - assault is the act of inflicting unwanted physical contact upon a person.
Don't touch my hair. Don't touch another POCs hair. And if you see that shit? Make damn well sure to Call That Shit Out!



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