Why it's not ‘just hair’.
Technology is a beautiful thing. It has allowed us to do near anything at the snap of a finger. Social media specifically, along with globalism, has allowed us to create more connections with those who we [more than likely] would never have connected with before.
Now cultural appropriation is not new, but with this connectedness comes easier access to certain cultural aspects. It allows for individuals to enter the sub communities of social media and see things that they simply don’t understand [or care to understand] fully. Hair is one of these things. Hair is an important cultural aspect, like dialect or clothes, with history and an ever evolving meaning behind it that is often consumed and replicated.
Part 1: Appropriation v. Appreciation
Before I go into why box braids, cornrows and other hairstyles that are apart of black culture I wanted to discuss the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation.
These days it seems as though many people don’t know the difference, throwing the term “cultural appropriation” around.
Appropriation
Now culture itself as per Oxford Languages is defined as “the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.”
So cultural appropriation is “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.”
the unacknowledged:
This is generally seen as a complete disregard to the appropriated thing’s origin, claiming it as one’s own.
With this we have the “Bo Derek Braids” or Kim K’s “Boxer Braids”
Their influences allows for the community who’s culture is being used to be overshadowed and unacknowledged. These terms play towards masking and erasing origins to the masses.
inappropriate adoption:
This is similar to unaknowldegement terms of ignorance of origins, or disregard. Those who do this are more than aware of what culture the appropriated thing belongs to, but use them wrongly.
A widely done example of this is the Qi Pao/Ao Dai
From what I know, this day and age Qi Pao’s and Ao Dai’s are worn during the holidays (Lunar New Year) and in certain professions like waitressing.
They look like
Around the 60’s the “Chinese Bombshell” acted as the starting point for the trend of wearing qi paos specifically as costumes.
It’s simply all around weird and insenstive. 1. It plays into the sexualization and fetishization of asian women and 2. Though the origins were unknown, they were worn by people. So what? Wearing it as a costume…you’re a Chinese person for halloween? Like I said weird.
Appreciation
Cultural appreciation is when you earnestly seek to learn about or explore a different . You learn. You listen. You strive to understand. You seek to honor its beliefs and traditions.
An example of appreciation is, this video on my Youtube recommendations page and thought it was a bit weird that she HAD to point out her nationality and such (see video description). I understand why she did so, though. As I mentioned above, many don’t know the difference between the two. Her posting the video in the form she did acts as a way to not be attacked for appropriating. I, personally, feel that as long as she said she was doing box braids and maybe even that it was a protective style she was fine. Simply doing that would allow her to not fall under the definition of appropriating.
Everything she included, though I personally seen it as a bit unnecessary, falls under the definition of appreciation. She saw a hairstlye worn by black people, wanted to have that hairstyle, did research and then replicated it. There are still comments that are against her action. I understand why, but I’ll save that for another day.
She also, from my knowledge, has not told those in the comments who are against it to not feel the way they do because it’s 2021 and their sensitve. Further deeming this situation as appreciation.
Appropriation V. Appreciation
- bindis: appropriation
“Oh I just love Indian culture. The red dot is so cute. I’m going to get one”
- bindis: appreciation
being converting to Hinduism/immersing oneself in the culture
- chopsticks: appropriation
buying chopsticks, using them for a hairstyle
- chopsticks: appreciation
buying chopsticks, using them to eat
All in all, I believe that as long as one does not deny a things origins or correct usage, adopting a certain cultural aspect is completely fine. Some things are not easily adoptable (like bindis) which is something one must respect.
Part. 2: Cultural Appropriation of Black Hairstyles
Commonly Appropriated Black Hairstlyes
Now before I begin this, no braids are not exclusive to black people and black cultures. In the styles or ways above though? Yes. Many even get their texture changed to emulate styles as those above and more.
If your response is…so what? It’s just hair. You are wrong my friend.
Now while it is hair, these hairstyles hold a high level of significance.
- They are protective styles
Styles like those above (today) are protective styles. Protective styles are any style that keeps the ends of hair tucked away and minimizes manipulation, giving the ends of natural hair a break from nasty weather conditions. Basically, it keeps natural hair from unnecessarily breaking off. (they are also great for when you just don’t want to deal with your hair)
2. They are religious styles
A commonly appropriated style are the Rastafarian dreadlocks (locs). There are many beliefs about locs in the Rastafaris movement. One being that they were a symbol of letting go of material possessions and worldly vanity. Another being the longer they are, the closer to God one is.
There was this whole “thing”, which I remember vaguely, from like 2010–2017ish of being a “Dreadlocked Rasta”. At that time, I didn’t understand anything about it. I just associated those people who identified themselves as such as “pot heads”. (That is an example of how communities are overshadowed with appropriation!)
3. They have been used as navigation tools
Cornrows, during the Atlantic Slave Trade, were used to meet the standard of maintaining a neat and tidy appearance. These braids were also used to “transfer and create maps to leave plantations and the home of their captors.” This act has been said to have been evident across South America.
4. Such hairstyles are demeaned and many are discriminated against for wearing such hairstyles
The CROWN ACT or Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition to ensure protection against raced-based hair discrimination in the workplace and public schools. Currently it has only been enacted in 8 states (one being California), but there is still a push for it to be enacted nationwide because…yes being discriminated against for “just hair” is a thing.
Not only are we told our hair is unkempt or unprofessional, we are also denied certain positions or opportunities due to the way we choose to style our hair. Or that it doesn’t comply with the school rules. We are also bullied, excluded and more.
With cultural appropriation comes the glorification of such “unkempt” hairstyles. When a non-black person wears a “unkempt style” it becomes a “fresh”,“cool”,“stylish” and sought after look.
Now while it’s not necessarily every non-black individual’s fault that such notions exist, there are those who keep it alive. For example, again, Kim K and the “Boxer Braids”. Also, The New York Post claiming that Sasha Obama’s cornrows were inspired by UFC Fighters!
Denying, overshadowing and NOT listening are purely detrimental!