Is a hairstyle racist?

[Rach89]

Adele has been accused of cultural appropriation after sharing a picture of herself in a Jamaican flag-print bikini top with Bantu knots in her hair.

Since when has a hairstyle been allocated to a particular race or region?

Surely it’s just a hairstyle and actually a compliment to want to look like another culture?

Would you take offence?

[Dahlia]

I don't understand why people have taken offence. Isn't the same as when afro hair is straightened/relaxed?

[Dani]

It is crazy to take offence, I see it as a compliment. Who are these people taking offence really? :ne_nau: do you think it is really people just trying to be controversial?

[Beatrice]

I think adopting a culture, clothing, hairstyle is a form of compliment, and respect. I live Sari’s and think they are incredibly beautiful, given an opportunity to wear one, I would, out of love, not disrespect.

The world has gone mad!

[Laura]

I don't understand why people have taken offence. Isn't the same as when afro hair is straightened/relaxed?

I’ve often thought that, many Black women have their hair straightened or they wear wigs.

[Charlotte]

I don’t think any culture ‘owns’ a hairstyle, it’s a huge compliment to copy a style

[SuzyQ]

If a hairstyle is racist then why can Beyoncé dye her hair blonde, it’s not her natural colour?

[guv-ner]

It’s just a small minority of people that are going out of their way to speak on behalf of the masses, and the media loves to hype stuff up, and push people’s buttons. Don’t be sucked in by the rhetoric.

[Dahlia]

It’s just a small minority of people that are going out of their way to speak on behalf of the masses, and the media loves to hype stuff up, and push people’s buttons. Don’t be sucked in by the rhetoric.

That's very true.

[Louise]

I find this whole cultural appropriation debate mentally very tiring. When you blend cultures there will always be an adoption of those cultures, which a good thing. Such adoption and blending works both ways, and surely that was always the point.

I read with frustration that in the US, there is a push to allow Black cultures to not be expected to use standard English language in their academic work, and that only Black lecturers should teach Black people, and to make matters worse, White people are not allowed to use this same Black language.

Is this designed to make Black people feel more inclusive, so as not to be racist to their culture? But surely, this then excludes all other cultures? What about the myriad of other cultures and their language? :ne_nau:

I worry where all this is going, and see it as divisive and not inclusive, we should be bring people together, not dividing people.

[Ruthie]

It’s all over the news that a former Love Island contestant was disgusting because she had her photograph taken wearing Indian headgear on a modelling shoot. Why is this her fault, she was doing her job but it’s classed as cultural appropriation nowadays. Maybe they are just celebrating the Indian culture, why is it only now that this is not appropriate?

[Sarah]

It is the small minority that want to get everyone wound up on behalf of the many! I know many people of different cultures and I don’t know any of those people that are actually offended by such things.

I think what annoys me is that so many white people seem to be offended on behalf of other cultures, almost drowning out the voices of those people they are offended for! :doh
Let’s be honest, the people that are living in these different countries have a lot more things to be concerned about that if someone is wearing a braid in their hair, or an item of clothing. If people are so concerned about these other cultures and what they are affected by, get up and stand up for their women’s rights, the right to be safe, respected, be educated, to be recognised as equal.
If a person really cared, that’s the voice we should hear!