Senegal theatre reverses wig ban after backlash

BBC News

17-07-2025

A sudden and swiftly reversed ban on wigs, hair extensions, and skin-lightening products at an iconic theatre in Senegal's capital, Dakar, has ignited a widespread public backlash - laying bare deep tensions around identity, gender politics, and cultural nationalism in the West African nation.The internal memo was stamped by the national culture ministry and issued on Monday by Serigne Fall Guèye, director of the Grand Théâtre de Dakar.He said the move was to "promote Pan-African values" and protect the institution's cultural image.But critics accused Guèye of policing women's bodies under the guise of cultural pride, and the ban was reversed the following day.
Feminist groups and civil society leaders said the memo reflected broader concerns about gender inequality in Senegal, especially given the low number of women in President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's administration - four out of 25 - and the removal of the Ministry of Women.Many social media users criticised the ban as sexist, invasive, and paternalistic.The controversy was further complicated by Serigne Fall Guèye's own political background. Before being appointed to the Grand Théâtre in early 2024, Guèye was a prominent figure in Pastef - the ruling party known for its anti-colonial, pan-Africanist rhetoric.At the time, he led the party's artistic and cultural commission, championing a return to what he called "authentic African values".Critics fear that Guèye's personal ideology is now bleeding into what should be a neutral public entity. "This isn't about wigs or skin," political analyst Fatoumata Ba tells the BBC. "It's about a broader power play - using state institutions to impose a particular version of identity, while silencing or sidelining anyone who doesn't conform."
One of the most widely shared responses came from Henriette Niang Kandé, a feminist analyst and public intellectual, who questioned the logic and intent behind the ban in a viral social media post, saying:"As for [hair] grafts and wigs, should we remind this director that these are aesthetic choices, sometimes economical, often practical? Are we forbidding men from shaving their heads to hide baldness? From wearing false collars to lengthen their necks?" Supporters of the now-cancelled ban, though in the minority, argue that the director's intention was rooted in cultural pride, not oppression. Guèye himself defended the memo as part of a broader mission to "restore African dignity and identity", particularly in the arts sector, which he believes has been overly influenced by Eurocentric beauty standards.Yet critics say such policies reduce cultural pride to physical appearance - while ignoring deeper systemic issues."If you truly want to affirm African identity," sociologist Mame Diarra Thiam tells the BBC, "start with language, education, economic justice - not banning weaves and skin [lightening] cream".By Tuesday, facing mounting pressure, Serigne Fall Guèye was forced to reverse the ban, citing public misunderstanding and reiterating his commitment to the theatre's mission. But the damage had already been done. It has exposed growing discontent with Pastef founder and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko among the urban youth and progressive civil society, who supported him in the 2024 elections but now feel betrayed by his government's perceived conservatism and centralisation of power.At its core, the wig and bleaching ban at the Grand Théâtre was not just about aesthetics - it was about who gets to define cultural authenticity, and at what cost.In a country where skin-lightening products remain popular despite known health risks, and where women's appearance is often subject to moral scrutiny, the debate is far from superficial. It touches on post-colonial identity, gender inequality, economic necessity, and personal freedom.For now, the ban is gone - but the broader debates it sparked remain very much alive.
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