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Why The Black Girl in The H&M Ad Is Being Shamed For Her Natural Hair

Ezinne Ukoha

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Another beautiful Black girl is going through the harmful ritual of being nationally shamed for the hair texture that keeps the Black community divided in ways that are evidential of the formidable grasp of White supremacy.

H&M was recently forced to release a statement addressing the growing uproar that was catapulted by the instagram post of celebrity hair stylist, Vernon Francois, who unleashed his disapproval over the images of a Black girl, happily posing in the retail giant’s latest accessories with her hair casually packed into a simple bun.

Francois detailed the common plight of Black girls with hair textures that are best described as “kinky,” and how this specific trait seems to serve as the never-ending challenge for stylists, who are incapable of masterfully producing shiny, curl-defined coils.

Those expectations prove how we’ve become accustomed to the endorsed images that sustain the thriving business of the “natural hair movement,” that’s blossoming on the picturesque platform of Instagram.

The notion that this fresh-faced Black girl could be the victim of gross negligence by an industry that excels in the art of beauty with currency of the White aesthetic is an unacceptable travesty for Francois and many others.

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