Former KTN news anchor Joy Doreen Biira has narrated her past ordeal on how she was once forced to undo her hair right before going on air.
In a series of tweets, the TV siren went on to share her predicament, questioning the ethical standards that local media houses uphold in regard to international standards.
“Won’t forget undoing my freshly plaited braids in the newsroom just hours before going on air to do business news, because standing orders from above said your hair is either straight or you don’t get on air. Then when the hair was out and straightened it was not straight enough.” She recalled.
Basing it on her lamentations, Biira said she fails to understand how one is supposed to encourage the younger generation to learn and embrace their natural self when even one is not accorded the cordial ground to practice it.
“So we are Africans but should wear hair that’s unAfrican? How are we gonna encourage younger girls and women to believe and know that our African hair, braided or not is still good hair.” She lamented.
Her words come shortly after British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist Nancy Kacungira tweeted a picture of herself in plaited braids, with the caption; “so many people say you can’t be a news anchor and wear braids.”
A conversation centered on women’s experiences in media. Whereby, they were required to come out and share their experiences in the field.
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