By Hadiza Abdulkadir
A viral video showing Chinese passengers covering their noses around an African woman has triggered a heated debate online over racism, cultural differences and the use of perfume.
The woman, identified on X as Teebebe (@Acupoftii_), appeared to interpret the passengers’ reaction as racist. The video has since attracted widespread attention, with social media users offering competing explanations for the behaviour.
One of those responding was X user Zhao DaShuai, who argued that the incident may have had less to do with race and more to do with the strength of the woman’s perfume.
“It’s your perfume,” Zhao wrote.
He said many East Asians carry a variant of the ABCC11 gene linked to reduced production of certain compounds associated with underarm odour. According to Zhao, this may mean people in East Asia are less accustomed to strong fragrances.
The claim has prompted further debate, with some users questioning whether covering one’s nose should be interpreted as evidence of racial discrimination, while others argue that the gesture could have been a simple reaction to an unfamiliar smell.
Scientists have established a relationship between variations in the ABCC11 gene and differences in underarm odour, although the prevalence of the relevant variants varies considerably between populations.
The genetic explanation, however, does not establish why the passengers in the video covered their noses. Nor does the video, by itself, provide enough context to determine whether the behaviour was motivated by racism, discomfort with a strong fragrance, or another reason.
The incident has nevertheless revived an online conversation about race, personal fragrance and cultural differences in perceptions of smell, highlighting how an apparently ordinary gesture can carry very different meanings across cultural and racial contexts.