_edited.png)
Many of us have noticed the cultural appropriation of Black culture. There have been many attempts to discuss this issue, but it seems there hasn’t been a resolution. Listed below are the top three examples that really grind my gears.
Durags
I cringe whenever non-black people wear durags or wave caps! For those who aren’t aware, durags aren’t an accessory. They’re used in Black culture to achieve a particular hairstyle known as “waves,” hence the name “wave cap.” Many non-black people add this to an outfit because they believe that the durag is a “style.” I needed to clear that up for the audience in the back.
Image retrieved from iheartit.com
Hairstyles
It’s not “just a hairstyle!” If our hairstyles were “just” a style, Kaden Bradford, a teen from Barbers Hill High School in Texas, wouldn’t have been threatened to cut his locks.
Another hairstyle that is fetishized by non-black people is wigs. Even though wigs aren’t as criticized as they were in the past, it appears that’s only because of celebrities. Let’s take the Kardashians, for example, many people believe protective styling didn’t exist until the Kardashians began to take interest in it, and that’s the tea!
Although there are many more hairstyles that are being appropriated, the last one I’ll mention is box-braids. I’ve noticed many non-black people, specifically with straight hair, attempt to wear box-braids. The history behind this style dates many, many, many years before. As Black women continue to rock this style, non-blacks suffer from their hair being ripped out. The style wasn’t made for you! A clear visual of this cultural appropriation is shown on the models for Comme des Garçons at Paris Fashion Week. I’ll list the link here for everyone to check out.
Image via Getty/ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT
Skin Tone
This topic might need a part two! Brown skin didn’t seem so appropriate to those with lighter skin until lighter models attempted to acquire darker skin- let us be honest with ourselves! Rachel Dolezal is a great example of this, as she is a European woman who presented herself as African-American. This story was talked about for many months and is still one of the most mind-blowing stories I’ve ever read about. Since then there have been many cases of models tanning their skin to appear darker in attempts to gain recognition.
Image retrieved from New York Post
I’m sure this post may upset some readers, but in the words of Nene Leaks “I said what I said!”
On that note, I hope everyone has a Happy Black History Month!
Feel free to follow me on social media:
Instagram: princesatrin
Twitter: _trinityj
Comments