I can almost guarantee you that it was not about a simple compliment and more about fawning over and playing with a strangers hair, which is totally a thing and comes across as patronizing and an invasion of personal space.
It's not "hey your hair looks great today" and more "omigod i love your hair can i touch it wow its so bouncy hehe"
https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Touch-My-Hair/dp/0143129201
Maybe his friend DID miss the point, I wouldn't be surprised if her only exposure to the concept of micro aggression was from a freshman training session. But from his attitude, it sounds like he's the one who misunderstood, willfully or otherwise.
Well it’s because that type of hair by racists is never seen as clean. There’s a lot of micro aggressions and dog whistles that come with it.
Some black peoples natural hair is not always seen as “neat” even if it actually is.
I recommend this book if you want to understand better, i learned so much from It and it’s funny too. https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Touch-My-Hair/dp/0143129201/ref=nodl_
NAH
But I recommend reading this book if you’re looking for some insight.
https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Touch-My-Hair/dp/0143129201/ref=nodl_
Lady needs education
Read a book
Forbes has a really good op-ed from 4 years ago on the subject and Dope Queen Phoebe Robinson wrote a book titled <em>You Can't Touch My Hair</em> that approaches the subject in a way that only a dope queen can.