Latest news with #hairExtensions
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Senegal theatre reverses wig ban after backlash
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 internal memo was stamped by the national culture ministry and issued on Monday by Serigne Fall Guèye, director of the Grand Théâtre de said the move was to "promote Pan-African values" and protect the institution's cultural 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 social media users criticised the ban as sexist, invasive, and 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 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 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 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 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 now, the ban is gone - but the broader debates it sparked remain very much alive. You may also be interested in: No wigs please - the new rules shaking up beauty pageantsMeet Ivory Coast's hair sculptor Laetitia Ky Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lorraine Kelly praised for sharing candid detail about her appearance on live TV
Lorraine Kelly has been praised by fans for sharing a candid detail about her appearance on live TV. The broadcaster revealed during her show that she wears hair extensions "for telly," while speaking with celebrity hairstylist Richard Ward. During the segment, the Gorbals telly star reached behind her head and removed one of the extensions on camera, saying: "Can I just say, every morning when I'm on the telly, I have these wee things." She then playfully swung the extension in the air and said: "Look, da, da, da, da." READ MORE: Lorraine Kelly admits 'I'm in trouble' after sharing huge rule break Her guest, the famed stylist Richard Ward, exclaimed with amusement: "Oh my god, that's fantastic," to which Lorraine humorously answered: "Aren't they great?! She continued saying: "I don't do it for real, true life, but I do it for telly. Helen puts them in in the morning." She then held the hairpiece under her chin and joked: "Look, ta da! It can double as a beard." READ MORE: Lorraine Kelly shares worry over weight loss drugs like Ozempic (Image: Lorraine Instagram) Richard then declared: "That is amazing." She replied: "It just gives you a little bit more round there." This afternoon, fans witnessed the fun through a clip shared on Lorraine's official Instagram account The caption read: "After celebrity stylist Richard Ward gave one viewer a transformation to help with thinning hair on today's show, Lorraine makes a confession about her own hair!" Fans reacted warmly to the clip after it was shared on the show's official Instagram account. One viewer said: "I just love you." Another wrote: "Love you for doing this." A third commented: "It's so nice that you're so normal, Lorraine! "Love that dress too!" Others praised her openness and relatability, with one writing: "I just love Lorraine, she is so real and down to earth." Another commented: "Lorraine, I love you. "Everything you do is about reality and what people are going through. "My hair is thinning due to menopause, and I put the tracks in my hair to make it fuller. "Thank you for being real." Another fan said: "Thanks, Lorraine for being so honest about what ladies going through Menopause need."
