We’ve all heard and even experienced it time and time again. Someone gives you a back handed compliment and then grabs for and touches your natural hair without permission. But THIS, in my opinion, takes it to another level.
Comment below and tell me how you would’ve responded in this situation…
Actress Teyonah Parris, who starred in Dear White People and Mad Men, was out with friends when an old white man insults and violates her personal space.
Parris shared this encounter on Twitter.
Having tea at The Ritz w/beautiful brown folk. Old Man walks over boldly asks me "Is that yours or an add on?!"Clearly referring tomy hair.
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
I firmly state "Sir, that's rude." And turn to finish enjoying my company. He continues w/ "I told the manager he should have the waitresses
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
wear that hair bc it's stimulating." I say "Excuse me?" He says "I'm saying I like it." I reply "That's all you had to say. You like it."
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
I turn back to my company to once again END this convo w/ my body language and this man grabs my hair- I swear to Goodness- as he says
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
goes "He's trying to give you a compliment. C'mon Dad!" I'm dumbfounded and in shock. You have objectified, fetishized, attempted to demean,
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
and a number of other things all in one quick exchange. The sad thing is after all of my explaining to him about how inappropriate he was-
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
Im pretty sure he left as clueless as he arrived. Yup, it's 2015. There's levels to this type of #ignorance and #privilege.
— Teyonah Parris (@TeyonahParris) June 9, 2015
The only thing that stood out for me in this story is “Old man”. Just makes me think, what if he was senile and really just couldn’t distinguish between an appropriate and an inappropriate approach? Just a thought ladies……..
What you stated was an excuse….and a very poor one at that. That’s like a man walking up to a woman and he grabs her butt to see if it’s real. Does that sound appropriate? Your hair is on your body, which no one should touch. Senile or not, he knew very well what he was doing. He didn’t sound senile at all. No senile person would ask questions like that, and go so far as to touching it. You never read about white woman having their hair touched and I promise you, if it ever did happen, no excuses would be made.