Lupita Nyong'o has been called one of the most beautiful women in the world, but she said she's been discriminated against in the past because of one element of her physical appearance — her hair.
"My hair is something that, historically, has been shunned. I mean, how often do you hear 'You can't get a job with hair like that'?" the "Black Panther" star told Porter in a new cover story. "Natural, African, kinky hair — it's often been painted as uncivilized or wild. 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."
On Aug. 6, Lupita shared images of the cover story to Instagram, writing, "Sometimes opening up can be so easy!"
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Clearly, Lupita is pleased with how the magazine portrayed her. That hasn't always been the case.
The actress has had issues with how her hair has been showcased in the past. Last November, she slammed a magazine for editing out her locks.
"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," she said. "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."
