Model Imaan Hammam speaks up about adultification of black girls

Model Imaan Hammam speaks up about adultification of black girls
The 23-year-old catwalk star has taken to Instagram this week to speak up against adultification of black girls. (Getty)
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Updated 29 July 2020
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Model Imaan Hammam speaks up about adultification of black girls

Model Imaan Hammam speaks up about adultification of black girls

DUBAI: Racial discrimination has been a hot topic on social media recently. Since the death of African-American George Floyd – who died at the hands of police in May – we’ve seen a number of celebrities speak up about racism, and Imaan Hamman, the Egyptian-Moroccan-Dutch model, is the latest to voice her opinion. 

The 23-year-old catwalk star has taken to Instagram this week to speak up against adultification of black girls. 

Hammam shared a video with her 949,000 followers that uses simple graphics to explain “adultification bias.” 

The two-minute long video was created by the US’s Georgetown University Law Center for an initiative called “Gender Justice and Opportunity” that works to support low-income girls and girls of color.

“In the US, adults view black girls as less innocent and more adult-like than their white peers starting as young as five-years-old,” the voiced-over clip said. “All kids make mistakes, but in similar situations, black girls are treated differently. A white girl’s mistakes might be met with sympathy and understanding. But, time after time, black girls are punished instead.”  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Imaan Hammam (@imaanhammam) on

Following on that, the model – in her caption– gave an example of pregnant girls in the US. “All around the world, we’ve seen how when teenage girls become pregnant, they are suddenly denied the rights they are entitled to as girls,” Hammam said. 

“Particularly in the US, there is a similar injustice, except it happens from birth: racism and bias regularly deny black girls their rights,” she said.

Hammam then added that research has proved that black girls deal with “perceptions that they are: more mature and less in need of protection... Too aggressive or have attitudes when simply explaining their point of view, especially to authority figures... Deliberately acting out, rather than making a mistake, despite being a child.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Imaan Hammam (@imaanhammam) on

“This is unacceptable: All girls deserve equal protections and rights. Systems and behaviors must change in order for a world where girls can freely exist,” she wrote concluding her message. 

Hammam has always been vocal about her support for the black community. 

In June, she joined the protest in Amsterdam, which took place at the Dam Square, aimed to stand against the killings of Floyd and other African-American citizens including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.