In the Black community, being “presentable” often means having your hair “done.” And, by “done,” that means having your natural hair texture politely hidden. To the point, even tennis star Coco Gauff’s textured bun in a Miu Miu ad was subject to that same anti-Black rhetoric this week.
After taking a month-long social media detox, Gauff said she returned to X to see thousands of people talking about the way she looks. “And, not in a positive way,” she nervously chuckled in a response video on TikTok. The discourse around her hair started one week ago when she posted a Miu Miu ad of her wearing a natural-textured bun on Instagram.
A post shared by Coco Gauff (@cocogauff)
The creative concept Miu Miu sent was for Gauff to capture their brand new $4,600 dollar Vivant Leather bag in an everyday context. She goes on to explain how the photoshoot wasn’t a “full Miu Miu production,” but a casual ad shot by her social media manager on the tennis court in her parents’ backyard. So, paired with a blue tennis skirt, red polo, and white socks with loafers, the tennis pro frolicked around the court shoving tennis balls into the bag to show just how much it can carry.
But, instead of it just being a cheeky little shoot, commenters on X spewed anti-Black rhetoric about her natural hair texture, which wastitle=”@cocogauff” href=”https://www.tiktok.com/@cocogauff?refer=embed”>@cocogauff
Since we were children, we’ve been taught anything is acceptable as long as it isn’t your actual hair texture, especially if it’s 4C. Princess cover ups turn into relaxers, and relaxers turn into wigs. And, if you don’t have “good hair,” which is an anti-Black connotation in and of itself, we’re taught to just make sure you cake on enough gel to “fix it.” Because, if it’s not smooth, it’s not presentable.
While there’s obviously nothing wrong with wearing your hair in braids, slicking it, or getting a sew-in, making that the default of hair being “done” shouldn’t, in turn, deem naturalrel=”tag”>Coco Gauff natural hair
The post Op-Ed: Coco Gauff’s Hair Isn’t ‘Unkept’—You’re Just Anti-Black appeared first on Essence.
Author: Akili King
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