Touching Black hair without consent is unlawful. It is not harmless curiosity or an innocent compliment. It is an intentional violation of a person’s right to control who touches their body. Under traditional tort law, that is battery.

That right is called bodily autonomy. Bodily autonomy means that each person decides who may touch their body and under what circumstances.

Depending on state law, the same conduct may also be prosecuted as criminal battery, assault, or assault and battery. The precise criminal charge may vary, but the basic legal principle does not: adults do not have a right to touch another person’s hair without permission.

The legal issue is not whether the person intended curiosity, admiration, affection, or offense. The issue is whether the person being touched consented.