Lupita Nyong'o Tells Grazia UK, "Don't Touch My Hair"

Lupita Nyong'o called out Grazia UK on Instagram for photoshopping her natural hair on the cover and spread of the November issue.

She states:

"As I have made clear so often in the past with every fiber of my being, I embrace my natural heritage and despite having grown up thinking light skin and straight, silky hair were the standards of beauty, I now know that my dark skin and kinky, coily hair are beautiful too. Being featured on the cover of a magazine fulfills me as it is an opportunity to show other dark, kinky-haired people, and particularly our children, that they are beautiful just the way they are. I am disappointed that @graziauk invited me to be on their cover and then edited out and smoothed my hair to fit their notion of what beautiful hair looks like. Had I been consulted, I would have explained that I cannot support or condone the omission of what is my native heritage with the intention that they appreciate that there is still a very long way to go to combat the unconscious prejudice against black women's complexion, hair style and texture. #dtmh"

The magazine responded with an apology, saying they did not make such request.

This mixup calls to mind Solange's clap back to Evening Standard Magazine just last month. The magazine photoshopped her hair sculpture by artist and hairstylist Joanne Petit-Frére's off of her cover, and the singer took to Instagram to display the original look.

These apologies are necessary, yet fleeting—as the damage has already been done. While we hope these mainstream entities now know to do better in the future, these incidents are more examples of why more black people need a seat at the table.