Basetsana Kumalo’s Letter to Clicks #DontTouchOurHair

Clicks has been trending for quite some time now and many celebrities have been outraged by the racism that was spewed by the advertisement, which categorized African hair as ‘dull, dry, frizzy and damaged.

Basetsana Kumalo has released an open letter to the disgraced retailer that has dominated the headlines over the past week. As a proud afro wearer, she too was offended by the post and she shared clips of a scathing letter on behalf of all black people to Clicks and the hair care brand that was behind the advertisement
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“As a mother of a beautiful African child, how dare you describe our crowns as dry, brittle and damaged…where does the buck stop? Did you expect us to look the other way as you subconsciously feed us absent-minded vitriol about our image as African people? This advert is not only utter rubbish from your brands, but a reflection of ongoing problems in this industry that dares to define what beauty is to any of us,” the letter reads.

She adds that the portrayal of black hair in mainstream media is also a disappointment. “I will not be silent when I see the continued portrayal of white hair as not just the norm, but the standard. Our hair remains important as an expression of individual identity…Our kids do not deserve to ever be subjected to adverts such as yours.

“Raising a daughter who embraces her true self is a deliberate act of service to her as her mother, who is her primary role model….I love my daughter’s hair, as much as I love my own….and for that I call your advert distasteful, disrespectful and disgusting.

“Don’t touch our hair, we are proud of it’s beauty, it’s natural state and it’s glory, we are queens and these are crowns on our heads,” she added.

She was not done as she informed the company that she loves her hair the way it is and will continue to proudly wear it.

“I like the kind of hair that will stand up for its rights.The kind that kicks,screams and protests. That resists, boycotts, fights with every coil. The kind that riots and rebels. With every strand it refuses to be quiet for nobody. The kind that won’t be anything but black, and it refuses to relax,” she concluded.