You can leave your hair down and add a single braid on one side of your head or work a braid into a simple pony. Even if you dont contribute to these struggles, the fact is that Black women wrestle these conditions every day. The video touched off debate over whether dreadlocks on white people constitute cultural appropriation or appreciation, a fashion faux pas or some combination thereof. Best to rethink this Halloween costume if it isn't actually your culture. If you enjoy manga, research how and why it exists, and promote your favorite authors. In the United States, for example, white people get the unearned benefits of having the dominant culture. What kind of braids are cultural appropriation? And you are one individual who consumes media, and acts on the ways they influence your view of the world. And as big fan of liberation, I get why that feels fucked up. Some minstrel show, some character, some two-dimensional stereotype of a person you can both mock and steal form. Writer and longtime locks lover Jamia Wilson began adopting the look 10 years ago as a return to her natural state. Filmmaker Lana Wachowski made the "Matrix". But if you really want your answer, you also have to listen to other perspectives, learn about being an ally Black folks, and acknowledge your own privilege. What kind of braids are cultural appropriation? I can attest to how differently people treat Black women depending on the style of our hair. The phrase "spirit animal" may be popular, but it clearly has the potential to make a lot of people feel disrespected so it's probably best to follow Washington's lead and avoid using it in the future. This is super important, especially since mainstream media loves to ignore the cultural significance of these hairstyles. The popularity of Eurocentric images says that being beautiful means being white, and that normal hair is fine and silky nothing like my kinky natural African hair. Coups and coos are two commonly confused words that are pronounced in the same way when spoken aloud but are spelled differently and mean different things, which makes them homophones. frogsareprettynice 1 yr. ago here's a reference link: https://images.app.goo.gl/Dupy1JapgLb7sUtF9 sorry idk how to put pictures in my message We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Thats why Im not saying youre a bad person, even if youre guilty of appropriating another cultures traditional hairstyle. Maybe youre stuck on the idea that if youre a white person, you cant wear your hair a certain way. After a black San Francisco State University student confronted a white student over his dreadlock hairstyle, calling it cultural appropriation, people are talking about the topic of white. Many have hair textures similar to that of black women. Unfortunately, thats not the world we live in. One of the trickiest parts of cultural appropriation is knowing where to draw the line. There was even a time when we legally had to cover our hair. Theres also a face veil draped over a womans face keeping her completely shielded while still allowing her to see. And tangles arent our only trouble. Hello! And all of us but especially women deal with a dominant image of beauty thats completely unrealistic. Most of us probably adjust our speech depending on who we're with or where we are, and that's not always a bad thing. Although Egypt sits in the north of the African continent it is considered by many to be a Middle Eastern country, partly because the main spoken language there is Egyptian Arabic, the main religion is Islam and it is a member of the Arab League. I cringe when I think about it today, but I was a child, and I really didn't know I was appropriating at the time. Which braids are cultural appropriation? I wonder if an Indian person could say I was appropriating them? she said. Think of it this way: Its not segregation, but celebration. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Is it cultural appropriation to wear waist beads as a Is it cultural appropriation to own a Jewish candle Is it cultural approriation to wear a bolo tie? For Latinas of African descent, rocking a hairstyle like box braids or bantu knots shouldnt cause hesitation because Afro-Latinas are mixed race. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Showing love for something awesome and doing so with respect to the culture is appreciation and I dont see problems with that, for the most part. Now that we have that out of the way this is not about whether white people should wear braids, cuffs or beading, this is about mainstream stores robbing culture and selling it as new to an audience that clearly does not know any better or care to know any better. So if youve ever thought a white girl with braids looked quirky and a Black girl with braids looked ghetto, thats not a sign that youre the One True Source of All Of White Supremacy. There are Black people speaking out against police brutality who dont speak the names of Black women killed by police. Why You Shouldn't Wear It: The increasing appearance of the mark on the foreheads of fashionistas around the world under the excuse that it's "so '90s" is not impressing people who wear them as, you know, part of their culture. One famous case of cultural appropriation is the Native American feather headdress, which is now banned at several festivals around the world and woe betide any starlet who thinks it's "cute" to pose in it on Halloween or Instagram. and avoid shutting down. Ive touched on several of the important issues for Black women already employment discrimination, lack of visibility in the media, police brutality not to mention things like healthcare, reproductive justice, and intimate partner violence. Remember to braid over instead of under to giveheight for your Dutch braid. Even the nose ring, or nath, has cultural associations, depending on where in India it is being worn. More often than not, they take traditional hairstyles and rename them. The Western world should stop making assumptions that Muslim women arent empowered if they wear a hijab, and they certainly shouldnt appropriate it as a passing trend. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows, who has admitted his locks are extensions, is one notable example. Wear any hairstyle that is not offensive to other cultures. Cultural influences abound in the food you eat, the music you listen to, and perhaps even the clothing you wear or the decor in your home. Dreadlocks are essentially entangled locks of hair achieved through various means of rolling hair. If youre going to take on something that does have sacred and historic significance and an unequal history of power dynamics its important to honor that history, she said. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Until we correct that imbalance, then when Kylie Jenner wears cornrows, shes acting on privilege and exploiting Black culture. The problem is the unjust ways society treats our differences not the fact that our differences exist. It's weird and uncomfortable for everyone, plus it's offensive. But heres the thing: not every white person who wears black hairstyles has ill intentions. Feminism 101 Women have fought for the freedom to make their own choices for centuries. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Henna booths are not uncommon at music festivals but it's important to remember that getting Henna painted on your hands isn't the same thing as applying those stick-on tattoos you got out of gumball machines as a kid and you shouldn't treat it as such. If one Black person says its okay, you have one persons opinion, and thats a start. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Recently, Kerry Washington was criticized via Twitter for saying, "Kate Winslet is my spirit animal." Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Were going to have the cultural appropriation talk again. Braiding started in Africa with the. What is the difference between culture appropriation and appreciation? Some of my earliest childhood memories are of my mom parting my hair with comb at the centre of my head before braiding my long black hair into two elbow-length plaits. So wearing chopsticks in your bun and calling it a celebration of Asian culture definitely isn't OK, and it doesn't even make sense. Cultural exchange is a beautiful thing, but failing to recognize and honor the people who have created and developed all the things you love about a certain culture is one way you could be appropriating without knowing it and it's definitely no way to pay homage to the artists behind the work. I didnt always know the word assimilation, but Ive always felt the pressure of it. What are hair rings? This is what the uproar over appropriation of Black womens hair is really all about. Learn more about: cookie policy. Take the latest case in point: a viral video showing a black woman calling out a white male student at San Francisco State University for his dreadlocks. Heres your answer: This conversation isnt just about hair. When a marginalized group takes on elements from the dominant culture in order to survive, thats called assimilation. Why You Shouldnt Wear It: You should never simplify or downplay this significant part of the Indian faith, especially as Sikhs continue to be victims of hate crimes for wearing turbans. For many black women, a salon is a place of community and it may sound silly, but theyre sacred spaces to us. All Rights Reserved. We can start by talking about her hair, but if thats all we talk about, well miss the chance to learn something valuable about how mundane actions, like the way you wear your hair, can make a huge statement about whether or not you value people of color who are struggling with the atrocities of oppression every day. She loves her locks but acknowledges they come with baggage. The differences between us also include things that should be celebrated. I do understand the symbolism of hair, especially to black women who, like black men, have had to endure taunts and insults about their natural physical appearance in the past. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. By taking these styles and not giving credit to the originator, they are literally erasing black hair culture. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". That said, there are also a lot of ways you could be appropriating without knowing it, and it's important to be aware of them. I wish I could give you the magical formula for what makes something offensive: Its just not that easy. She wonders whether white people with dreadlocks go through the same things. Non-Black people wearing their hair in dreadlocks is cultural appropriation. In our world, systems of oppression create power dynamics between different groups of people. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Are French braids cultural appropriation? Its nice to know that I have something in common with North West, although her braids are probably not being done by mommy, Kim Kardashian-West. But if you really want your answer, you also have to listen to other perspectives, learn about being an ally Black folks, and, Ignores the inequality of systematic racism, letting it remain invisible, Distracts from the real issue of racism by leaving it up to people of color to point out the problem so its about our oversensitivity, rather than institutional oppression, Adds to the Eurocentric standard of beauty that says that Black womens features are acceptable only on white women, Claims profit, credit, and/or praise instead of the people of the culture she borrowed from, Trivializes the struggles of the people who identify with that hairstyle, Erases cultural differences that should be celebrated, Perpetuates the system of white supremacy by reinforcing false ideas of Black womens inferiority, Were suffering and invisible.