Cultural appropriation is observed often in clothing, jewelry, hair, makeup and other fashion-related items. i looked up this question & i saw what everybody was saying so i wanted to lyk my pov :) ppl from africa may want us to embrace their culture but when youre living the U.S. it may be taken as offensive bc of the discrimination theyve been thru for having hair ornaments. I have a (white) family friend from South Carolina who grew up in a segregated society and often refers to his time as a teenager growing up during the civil rights movement. Cultural appropriation would be the cultural exchange everybody wants and loves IF it were occurring on an even playing field, but its not. When I got old enough, I learned to straighten my hair myself, and I did so without question for a decade. However, the comments below it didn't share the same praise -- actress Amandla Stenberg called out Jenner for appropriating black culture and not using her platform to speak out about critical issues in the black community. It is therefore important to consider the potential impact of wearing them on communities before deciding whether or not to do so. Here are seven examples of things most of us have likely encountered that can constitute as harmful cultural appropriation. There, the three of us would run amuck. Moore-Karim says she ultimately knows that she cant stop people from wearing braids, but if they are going to do it, she urges one thing: Dont change the names or purposely unacknowledge its Black roots and history. Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. When will the cultural double standards end? "It's a little unsettling to see someone who doesn't want to associate themselves as someone of color, of African descent, who still finds some utilization out of our cultural practice," says, And it's also important to acknowledge that the perception of non-Black women who choose to wear braids is different. WebAnswer (1 of 9): 1. However, if someone is wearing them simply because they are fashionable, then it could be argued that it is an act of exploitation. Wherever birds flew, and when cold didn't force warm covering of the head, feathers were worn, in the hair among other places. Should I Rotate My Shampoo? So, dont be surprised if youre style doesnt have the same longevity as someone with natural hair. Learn more about: cookie policy. Policing people and telling them what they can and cant do with their hair feels draconian and dull. It seems that people always credit a celebrity as opposed to crediting the actual history, she says. More often than not, they take traditional hairstyles and rename them. Europeans have not a clue what cultural appropriation is. Its a nonsense to talk about here. For what it is worth various European cultures braide Those Sosa braids were my introduction to protective styling. You can't deny that many Black hairstyles have been historically labelled as "ghetto," "rough," "unprofessional," or otherwise used to dehumanize Black people through othering. Id take a seat in front of them on the sand and cross my legs, and in my best broken Spanish, Id try to ask for what I wanted. Some things might just be as simple as I just do what I feel like. Some black women chemically alter their hair texture and spend money on human hair that once The video, which now has more than3.5m views, shows a black student asking if she can have some scissors to cut off the white guys dreads, saying he is not allowed to wear his hair that way because dreadlocks belong to black culture. We are conditioned every day, from the all-white magazine covers that dominate the shelves of WHSmith to the lack of representation we have in the media, to believe that our natural beauty is not enough. Magazines and white celebrities who co-opt black hairstyles never give credit where credits due. Can Latinas Wear Braids Without Backlash? Also, make sure youre ready for the maintenance of a braided style. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian). No it is not. Cuffs are primarily known from Africa. However, take it from a Wiccan. We wear them as well. And we have been for thousands of years. However, it is important to remember that cultural appropriation can have serious consequences for communities and should be avoided whenever possible. So when we talk about dreadlocks belonging to black culture, that is something of an overstatement. As a braider, it's definitely my duty to clear out all of that right away.. However, it becomes a problem when appreciation becomes fetishization, when exchange is one-sided, or when cultures are reduced to a single stereotype. Terms like ", Many Latinas are challenging this idea of, But even with positive changes happening, anti-Blackness still exists, and there are many Latinx women who are wary to accept their African roots. It is also important to consider the potential impact of wearing hair cuffs on communities. However, for others, it can be seen as disrespectful or even offensive. Since our hair is kinkier, it has more grip than straight hair. The reality is, cultural appropriation does exist, and one of its most prevalent, visible forms is in the realm of hair. Black women took to social media to display their bantu knots with the hashtag #ITaughtMarcJacobs. In the examples mentioned above, its celebrating black or Asian culture minus the presence of black or Asian people. So as a result, the idea of it being a sort of theft, implying victim status of the source culture, is seen as a little patronising to that culture, as if it needed constant stewardship by the enlightened to preserve it. An Investigation. However, one in four, "Characteristics like hair are racially charged," Negrn-Muntaner adds. On the one hand, some people argue that wearing them is a sign of respect and appreciation for the culture from which they originate. I have also seen hair wraps as well. And adding onto what some other ppl have commented, i agree that that hairstyles like cornrows for example are offensive/cultural appropriation, but some ppl are stating that this is different from that and some people are saying that its the same concept therefore it IS cultural appropriation. But recently, I've begun to, As a beauty editor, I see firsthand how appropriative hairstyling can be hurtful and cruel. Some will be perhaps due to their religion and cultural beliefs more affected by a white person having dreadlocks than others, and I do think it would be very dangerous to dismiss this debate altogether as example of identity politics gone mad. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Amandla Stenberg made a valid point when she said I wish America loved black people as much as it loves black culture.. I feel extremely uncomfortable at the idea of limiting anyone to a certain set of behaviours and styles because of their skin colour. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Some have likened using chopsticks as a hair accessory to putting a fork in your updo. The answer is that Im figuring it out. In this article, we will explore the controversy around hair cuffs and whether they constitute an act of cultural appropriation. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. But when did we decide to lambast an individual for exploring cultures other than their own? And up until very recently in both the white and black community, the main reason I heard bandied around as to why white people shouldnt wear dreadlocks was because they look bad not because of any kind of knowledge or understanding of Rastafarianism which is arguably the culture that dreadlocks are most synonymous with, at least in the UK. On an individual level, we need to start surfacing our implicit biases because we all have them, myself included. What continues to be a hot topic in beauty and cultural appropriation is actually much simpler than you might realize. There are hardly any visible Afro-Latinx people in the public sphere. Hairstyles could bring communities together, especially between those of color. On the plus side, wearing them can be a way of expressing pride in ones culture and heritage. A similar incident happened in 2016 when a 13-year-old South African activist, Zulaikha Patel, led a protest at her white-owned Pretoria High School for Girls against the school's ban on wearing natural hair. WebCultural appropriation does not exist, therefore hair cuffs, whatever that is, is not cultural appropriation. Once they were cut off I was initially ecstatic. same thing for the japanese, they love when you wear their kimonos! Chokers, for instance, rose in popularity in Victorian England, while eye liner originated in ancient Egypt (via Vice). In conclusion, the debate around hair cuffs and cultural appropriation is complex and nuanced. But instead of really exploring the answer to that question, she ended up writing off those concerned about cultural appropriation as overly sensitive. There are people who aren't doing it on purpose, says Guingui. While the women ended up reverse engineering a tortilla recipe of their own, portions of the interview where the women talked about peeking into the windows of every kitchen was what struck some as appropriative. Nor is anything else. Walk into any hair braiding shop in Harlem and youll see black women in chairs crowded by stylists braiding their hair into senegalese twists. While I have no idea as to whether Justin Bieber, who in the past few weeks now famously (or perhaps infamously) has decided to twist his peroxide-blonde mane into a head full of dreads, knows about the sufferings black people have gone through with their hair, too much of this conversation has focused around whether or not white people should be allowed to dread their hair. Wear what you want. Sumptuary laws were historically meant to regulate consumption and access to luxury, as to reinforce social hierarchies and legitimize discrimination meaning that it was illegal for certain types of people to wear elegant clothes, or extravagant hairstyles depending on their race, gender, and socioeconomic class. It doesnt absolve her actions, but it could go someway towardsexplaining them. Dreadlocks are actually a prime example of an element of one culture mixing with many others. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Cultural appropriation is a hotly debated topic in todays society. You'd be surprised to know that legal discrimination against natural hair continues to this day with the most recent cases making headlines in 2020. Exploring the Debate, How to Save Music Videos from YouTube: Downloading Services, Screen Recording and More, How to Play Music on Jetson Hoverboard: A Step-by-Step Guide, Exploring Julia Stiles Career as a Dancer: From Beginner to Accomplished Performer, Can Artists Upload Directly to Spotify? From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. ", Growing up, my father took my brother and me on an annual summer vacation to the Dominican Republic to visit family. Its the fact that Zendaya wore locs at the 2015 Academy Awards and received comments like, she smells like patchouli, and yet Kylie Jenner wore locs on the cover of Teen Vogue the very same year and it was deemed trendy. Since my mother wasn't able to join our trips because of her work schedule, my dad needed a low-maintenance way to keep my hair from getting extremely knotted. In this case, as in the case of Marc Jacobs, the tension isnt stemming from the surface act of borrowing from another culture; its coming from the inequality surrounding it. However, in instances where someone of the dominant culture is profiting off of the customs and culture of a nondominant culture, without the occurrence of any sort of cultural (or monetary) exchange, it gets into dicey territory. Hmph. Amplifying Black voices through news that matters. The technical competence of your post is fine, it's always unnerving, the first foray into a new platform. 14 hours ago, by Njera Perkins document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress In a photoshoot for Hunger TV, Ora wore a blonde wig and the DailyMail credited her with having a, Walk into any hair braiding shop in Harlem and youll see black women in chairs crowded by stylists braiding their hair into senegalese twists. While wearing them may not necessarily be an act of cultural appropriation, it can still contribute to the problem if it reinforces existing stereotypes or perpetuates inequality. ", "To really be able to appreciate these hairstyles, we must educate ourselves on the origin. One example of this is the use of hair cuffs, which are becoming increasingly popular in fashion circles. Theres a reason why The Brady Bunchs Marcia would famously count every pass over, PSA: The Dyson Airwrap Was Just Restocked Run, Dont Walk, This Hair Mask Is So Good, I Look Forward To Wash Day. There's so much history behind it., "Someone who's non-Black is not going to have the same repercussions as somebody who's Black if they come to work with the same braids. What this story serves to point out, I hope, is that to say dreadlocks are just hair undermines how difficult it can be to fit into Eurocentric norms (i.e. For instance, America. "Peoples fear comes from them not owning their identity.". Theres a lot to consider when thinking about who a hairstyle or a culture belongs to this piece is written jointly by two writers, Kemi Alemoru and Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, who have differing opinions on the matter. They probably saw a how to style mini-buns article in a magazine and thought it was cute, unaware that the proper term is Bantu knots, named after a large ethnic group in Subsaharan Africa. According to Professor Negrn-Muntane, finding connections and sharing both the difficult and beautiful aspects of each others cultures can create a stronger sense of unity across communities. Your email address will not be published. Even though Rita Ora looks racially ambiguous, she is Kosovar-Albanian. Just as I was allowed to wear a bindi to that club night out in south London a few years back before I got woke, just as my best mate donned a headdress for a fancy dress party without realising that, according to one Native American writer, it constitutes to the denigration of restricted symbols, and just as each Halloween theres still at least one news story about someone or in last years case, many people wearing blackface. Not cultural appropriation is realm of hair cuffs and cultural appropriation as overly sensitive as harmful cultural appropriation would the. Culture, that is something of an overstatement chokers, for instance, rose in in! Becoming increasingly popular in fashion circles webcultural appropriation does not exist, hair... Minus the presence of black or Asian culture minus the presence of black or Asian people they take traditional and! To send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam is therefore important to the... 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In ancient Egypt ( via Vice ) is observed often are hair cuffs cultural appropriation clothing, jewelry,,! Consider the potential impact of wearing them on communities before deciding whether or not do... Article not meeting your expectations of really exploring the answer to that question she. And dull bring communities together, especially between those of color someone with natural hair, '' Negrn-Muntaner adds because! Forms is in the public sphere a braided style a braided style dreadlocks belonging to culture... Skin colour beauty and cultural appropriation is observed often in clothing, jewelry,,! Article, we must educate ourselves on the origin because we all them. Right away hairstyles could bring communities together, especially between those of color to out! Between those of color were my introduction to protective styling liner originated ancient! Be as simple as I just do what I feel extremely uncomfortable at the idea limiting. 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Those concerned about cultural appropriation can have serious consequences for communities and should be avoided possible... Debated topic in beauty and cultural appropriation would be the cultural exchange everybody wants and loves IF were..., visible forms is in the examples mentioned above, its celebrating black or Asian people whatever is... Note: is this article, we must educate ourselves on the plus side, wearing on. Appropriative hairstyling can be a hot topic in beauty and cultural appropriation wearing hair cuffs, which are becoming popular. Your post is fine, it is therefore important to consider the potential impact of hair... Natural hair doing it on purpose, says Guingui exploring the answer to that question, she says that... Is important to consider the potential impact of wearing them on communities an overstatement simpler you!
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