As we discussed earlier this week, Kim Kardashian wore Fulani braids to the MTV Movie and TV Awards, which aired on Monday night. I said that she was culturally appropriating because that’s exactly what she was doing. She does it all the time. She did it earlier this year when she had blonde hair and she claimed, at the time, that the braids were “Bo Derek braids,” like it’s not enough she’s appropriating black women but she actually has to go out of her way to give credit to a white woman for the braided hairstyle. To be honest, I think Kim would still be called out for appropriation even if she came out every time and said “I love these traditionally black-culture braids.” The thing is, she never does that. Kim chatted with Bustle this week and they asked her about the braids and cultural appropriation. Her answer was not good.
Why she wore braids to the MTV Awards: “I actually didn’t see backlash. I actually did that look because North said she wanted braids and asked if I would do them with her. So we braided her hair and then we braided my hair,” Kardashian West explains. North West, Kardashian West’s 5-year-old daughter, has naturally curly hair and is often spotted wearing them natural or in braids. It’s clear that Kardashian West supports and celebrates her daughter’s natural, biracial hair and it also makes sense that North would ask her mom to match her hairdo.
The backlash on “Bo Derek braid”: “I [do] remember the backlash when I had the blonde hair and that I called them ‘Bo Derek braids.’ But I obviously know they’re called fulani braids and I know the origin of where they came from and I’m totally respectful of that. I’m not tone deaf to where I don’t get it. I do get it,” Kardashian West says. When the mother of three wears her hair in braids, she claims she wears them in honor and with respect of the culture who originated the style — the Fula people from West Africa and the Sahel Region — and at the very least, to celebrate her daughter’s hair.
She means no disrespect: “Maybe if I had come out and explained that from the beginning instead of calling them ‘Bo Derek braids,’ then it wouldn’t have gotten such backlash. But in no way am I ever trying to disrespect anyone’s culture by wearing braids. If anything, my daughter was so excited to see me get matching braids with her. [When] we did her hair in these braids, she was so excited.”
Honestly, she’s full of it. I remember the “Bo Derek braids” controversy, since it was just in January/February of this year. It’s wasn’t JUST that she called them “Bo Derek braids,” it’s that when people were like “appropriating bitch please,” she got nasty about it and started posting more photos of the braids and saying she didn’t give a f–k about the “haters.” If she knew they were called fulani braids, why didn’t she just call them that in the first place? And it’s not like this sh-t started this year, and it’s not like this is the first time Kim and her sisters have stolen something from black culture and then passed it off as something they invented.
Also: it makes me uncomfortable to see her using North as a shield from criticism. Yes, North is a mixed race girl and she will continue to be curious about braids and different kinds of hairstyles. Kim has every right to educate her daughter and allow North to experiment with her hair and all of that. But the answer to every criticism that Kim faces should not be “but my daughter wanted it, that’s why I did it!”
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Does anyone else feel like she’s using her daufhter as a shield for her terrible behavior?
I think that is exactly what is happening. She is something else.
My family is black. My sister has bi-racial children. They love to see their mom wear her hair naturally, with wigs, with extensions, etc. They think its cool. It makes me happy too when she does it because it sets a good example to her daughter, who currently wears her hair wavy (never blown out like Meghan Markle). But if my niece ever wanted to switch it up, at least her mom can show her how.
So please stop criticizing Kim K. Kim is letting her daughter know it’s okay to wear ethnic styles (hair or even clothes) to important events!!
I agree. Let her wear braids. Her husband is black, her children are as well. Jesus let it go. I don’t see the issue.
When has North worn her naturally curly hair? I’m sure I’ve only seen 1 picture of North with curly hair; and that pic was from their trip to Armenia. That pic looked as tho the hairstyle was unintentional, like the hairstylist didn’t make the trip with them or they ran out of time. It’s usually pulled super straight and super tight.
Having a Black husband or Black children does not make appropriation ok. My husband is Asian, I don’t walk around in kimonos, squinting my eyes, or anything else perceived as “Asian”.
Good grief, what’s with the “not blown out like Meghan Markle” nonsense?
“North celebrated her fifth birthday this past weekend in New York City and opted to wear her curly, biracial hair straight for the festivities. … People accused Kim of letting her daughter get extensions to achieve the straight locks, but the mom said North’s hair is naturally that long when straightened.” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5871365/Kim-Kardashian-West-speaks-decision-rock-braids-defends-straightening-Norths-hair.html
@lboogi So if a black woman has blonde hair that’s straight or looks feathered or “white” I should be offended as a white woman? Give me a break. It’s hair and maybe a nod to her husband and children or maybe she just likes it. No matter what she says or doesn’t say it will get dissected to death and never be right. I am not a fan of hers but I’m over the hair thing.
Is her appropriation inappropriate entirely because of her race? Or are Fulani braids supposed to be an outward manifestation of virginity or caste (royalty for instance or even great wealth) or level of achievement in scholarship or religious wisdom or craftsmanship? I think they are dramatic and attractive on her. Who is she making feel disrespected? Her hair is beautiful and I would think it took a lot of time and care. Surely some black people who love their braids take it as a compliment when a wealthy famous beauty imitates their hairstyle .
So glad I found this thread! Grace, respectfulness and kindness found. Thank you `
THIS! Finally a sensible answer. Her daughter is bi-racial and wanted to share the braids with her mother. Criticizing her for doing something with her child to celebrate beauty is INSANE.
I should have had more coffee before reading this. I can’t stand when someone thinks people can’t smell their bull crap. Just own up to it. One time.
Or.. maybe it is not crap at all and a mother who is enjoying braids with her child who happens to be biracial with a black dad.
I’m not tone deaf to where I don’t get it. I do get it,” Kardashian West says.
I get it, I just don’t give a f*ck because I will do anything for attention and besides, I can just use my kid as a human shield against criticism.
Can we just cancel this whole damn family? Every time I think they can’t get worse they do. Her especially.
Just reading her responses to this latest “LOOK AT ME” stunt make me convinced of two things:
1) Kim or someone close to the Kardashian family reads and/or posts on celebrity blogs.
2) Kim put braids in her hair to distract from the latest “refreshing/tune up” she has had done to her face
She’s going to have a very, very hard time aging, and I think we’re already seeing evidence of that. She was brought up as the pretty one but she has been altering her looks for years now and she’s only in her thirties. She craves that attention. The upkeep on her face and body will be neverending as she ages. When she gets divorced (you know she will) she will still need some man around to make her feel desirable and that will lead to more and more tweaking.
Speaking of her latest refreshing/tune up, is it just me or do her eyes look especially squinty/wonky due to this refreshing?
I was thinking that too, that one of her eyes is askew due to too much surgery, much like Tina Louise?
https://surgeryvip.com/tina-louise-plastic-surgery/tn-500_louisewm453027135-jpg-pagespeed-ce-q9k5ioigyhqgr5ow19kf/
Either way, yes, she’s going to have a helluva hard time aging. She’s not even 40 yet and can register very little emotion on her face due to all the fillers and botox.
I really feel like she genuinely wishes she could pass off as biracial. I personally think it’s irrefutable at this point that she is obsessed with black culture in a strange, twisted way.
Kim has a fetish, and since her family kisses her ass and emulates everything that she does, they (mostly) all embrace this fetish and pursue exclusively black men as well. Are you really going to tell me it’s just by chance that Kylie has only dated black men? Khloe as well? Now their mother as well with Corey Gamble?
I run hot and cold with Kim for various reasons, but watching her enable Kanye as he seems to truly spiral has served as proof to me that she doesn’t really care, he’s a prop to her. My biggest gripe with this entire family is that they use black men and black culture as prop all while acting like they’re somehow better than the black women that date the same men/run in the same circles as them. The way they treated Amber Rose and Chyna was disgusting.
And real talk, bc I’m genuinely confused:
When was North’s hair braided during the MTV awards?! Bc I keep seeing her on pap strolls with her mom and her hair is straightened all the time now. Of course Kim would try to use her biracial daughter to try to deflect.
North always had her baby hairs slicked down like crazy when she was a baby and now that’s she’s growing up it’s texturised or flat ironed. People have eyes and this is why she’s using her mixed race daughter now to deflect from her fetish. I’m still waiting for North to rock her hair like the BIC.
Everything that comes out of KK’s mouth is a lie so I’m not surprised about this ‘braiding our hair together’ comment. Gtfo.
If “everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie”, do we realize how that thinking contributes to the success of President Trump? We salivate and slavish attention – positive and negative – and we invest in their offerings; Is that how Trump slipped past? The Kardashians were his warm-up act, getting us used to lies, gas-lighting and fake news? Brain exploding
I mean no disrespect. I honestly don’t get the fuss about hair braids being cultural appropriation. A proud Indonesian here, 1000+ tribes in one country. Skin from the fairest porcelain to darkest ebony. Nobody bat an eyelash if somebody else wear their tribe’s hairstyle like Kim did. *shrug*
I don’t get it, and my black family members and friends say it doesn’t offend them either. I’ve never worn my hair in that style braids, but I wear French braids and I’ve never heard a French person say it’s something only meant for their culture. I’d be offended if someone said my ancestors culture was so bad that they’d never be interested.
Kim knows this offends people, so I don’t know why she keeps doing it, but hair is hair
Yeah, I don’t get the cultural appropriation thing, either. The U.S. is a mixed culture, and people copy clothes and styles that may not traditionally be their own every day. MOST great things in the world were inspired/influenced by something else. So exactly what law is being broken? Is it:”If you’re not black, you don’t know what it’s like to suffer the same way, so how dare white people wear braids?” WHAT? Sorry, but that just makes no sense to me. Is eating “soul food” as a white person an appropriation? Or eating tacos an appropriation and an offense to Mexicans? Since some little girls DO love to match the way their mommy’s look and vice versa, I don’t think Kim was using her daughter as a “shield” from the inevitable, unreasonable backlash at all. Sorry, but I am giving Kim (for once) a pass here.
As an African American woman, I personally don’t view her wearing braids as cultural appropriation. The hairstyle itself doesn’t offend me.
I also think the outrage about hairstyles being cultural appropiation is taking the discussion too far.
There is such a thing as appreciation and thinking a hairstyle is attractive and wanting to try it yourself is normal dialogue between cultures.
But people will go after Kim Kardashian for anything apparently.
Maybe she likes it. I am no Kim defender, I’m here soley for the cultural appropriation discussion. I have long Caucasian hair, I am a pale Irish American girl. There is no way I can “deny” my whiteness or whatever. I also wear hairsticks very regularly to keep my hair up and neat. Some of my sticks have little charms hanging off them, like you see in geisha paintings. They’re cool, pretty and keep my hair up without breaking/stressing it. I am in no way trying to be Asian. I just like them.
I’m black and her hairstyle doesn’t bother me a bit. I think this whole cultural appropriation mess is way overblown. Wear your hair however you want to.
I’m Black and there were plenty of White folks who were my Managers who “frowned” upon me wearing a hairstyle that’s indigenous to MY culture…so yes…whenever I see a White woman wearing something that often…I CANNOT…that makes my blood boil…and THAT’S the issue…period.point.blank.
Are you from the Fulani tribe? Because unless you’re from that specific tribe from that specific part of Africa, then it’s not really your culture. Also do you practice other Fulani traditions or is it just the hair? How much Fulani blood do you have to have to consider their story part of yours?
@Nickname most of us (African Americans) have no idea what tribe we are from. This is because when we were brought here as slaves, we were separated from others in our tribes, stripped of our language, culture, and history.
Please forgive us if we can’t immediately identify which exact tribal hairstyle is “ours”.
However, I am preeeeetty sure Kim is far from any African tribe
@Lboogi So how can you say someone is stealing from your culture if you’re not even sure what your culture is? I’m classified as white, my family is from Sicily but according to my DNA test, I have about 5% African blood in me. I don’t know what part of Africa but does that give me the right to wear braids and call it part of my culture? How much African do I have to have to claim it? Also, Africa is HUGE, and full of very diverse peoples. Some of those people do not get along. What if you are a member of the Mandinka, can you wear Fulani braids? Wouldn’t that be cultural appropriation?
Nickname, you are very out of line and you must be thinking you are being clever here, but you are really just giving the strongest case of second-hand embarassment ever.
@Babs… people are coming here to troll. There’s threads on other pages about Celebitchy and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if those posters thought they were being clever by trolling here and especially in the political articles too. Especially when the issue of hair has been discussed on here for a number of years now by WOC posters.
@Lala,
Sorry you have had so many asshole managers.
If the manager got promoted it’s not the braids honey…
Hi Pia,
Please re-read my comment. Never did I say it does not exist. It’s just not a big deal from where I came from and apparently not a big deal from people commenting before you. It reminds me of a teenage who wears cheongsam to her prom and people went crazy accusing her appropriating Chinese culture. All the while, the Chinese were, “Nope, we’re cool.” “Girl looks beautiful” and stuff. I’m not a Kim apologist but as long as she doesn’t do it in disrespectful manner (naked selfie, maybe?) I think it should be fine.
ALBALILUM you purposely missed the point of what ERNI is saying.
If I’m told as a black woman no matter how excellent my work is because I wear my hair in braids I will never be allowed to move up. Until I conform to the European standard of beauty and straighten my hair I will be stuck wear I am and when a white woman weatrs her trendy new braided hair it’s not a problem and she get promoted.
For those who say I’m black and it doesn’t bother you and you don’t see the problem; I have seen it happen. Biracial guy with curly hair wore it in a big Afro was told by our department VP to cut it and he would go far in the company cause his work spoke for itself. Guy with curly Afro refused to cut it and never was made an offer for a promotion .So yes it very much matters.
Thank you. Here is the deal for me. I hate the fact that when a non black or African does it it’s considered trendy and fashionable, but when done by the originators or descendant it’s ghetto or classless and beneath everyone. The response is that the originators need to change to fit in and have opportunities afforded to them but everyone else is just naturally awesome, and may do as they please.
I went through that as an Indian kid growing up in North America in the 90s… Bindis were cool and mainstream for a while, whereas before, it was the “dothead” kind of thing.
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Honestly… having them in the mainstream/or wearing them as fashion does not bother me, and I think it’s a good thing when elements of Indian cultures are in the mainstream. (Though what is ‘mainstream’ is also important to unpack.)
Plenty of Indians, including me, wear bindis not for any symbolic reason (even though it can have symbolic meaning), but because they look cool with certain outfits. Why shouldn’t India have the ability to export that to the world, and why shouldn’t people who aren’t Indian be inspired by that? To me, arguing the opposite pigeonholes Indian cultures as being simply oppressed in a way that makes me uncomfortable.
I’m not saying that cultural appropriation doesn’t exist – I think it does in certain contexts (wearing a sari for Halloween could be an example). But that context, including any outrage about cultural appropriation, is important to explore with nuance.
Yes. Black women are glass-ceiling-ed all the time because of our natural hair. A woman in Alabama sued and it went to their State highest court because she was offered a job then told to change her hair because her boss doesn’t like dreadlocks. Dreadlocks cost hundreds of dollars at the salon btw.
Michigan- 2 black girls were pulled out of school for having braids. The ACLU had to send a letter to the school board to allow them back in.
Countless black children have been pulled or suspended from school, and generally ostracized for the way their hair grows out of their head.
Anyone who hasn’t read about it, should get on board. Black people of all ages get punished for how their hair grows out of their head and how they wear it. It’s ridiculous.
And Fulani is a subgroup of the Hausas in Northern Nigeria.
This is all a fair point and an excellent way to illustrate how and why cultural appropriation is a problem in the USA.
However.
It has nothing to do with Kim’s hairstyle. It is a cultural and professional problem within America and the Kardashians are not responsible for either creating it or solving it.
^^^ I get this point. I’m white, and it honestly never occurred to me until recent discussions, and I’m glad it did. I realize it’s not everyone else’s “job” to explain it from another perspective, but it is very helpful. This anecdote isn’t racial, but I have an ex who was a single father with three boys. I was a single mother with two sons, and it used to really upset me when people would hail him for all of his sacrifices and I’d get comments like, “Aren’t you worried about your kids not having a father figure?” But with him, it was, “That’s so cool that you’re Mr. Mom.” I think any time you are shut down for doing something and see another, different, person being praised for that same, exact thing, it’s going to be blood-boiling. My hair’s not long enough for braids, but your stories will definitely give me pause to think about things I do and how they could be interpreted.
Kim has had this explained to her and chose to do it again. I can’t with her.
100% of people here seem to not understand the difference between appropriation and incorporation. Most people here are racist, sexist, and mysoginistic just like every other person on the planet.
@Pia
I have had that happen to me & I feel happy when I see others with Bindi or henna. It means my culture is becoming more mainstream and being acknowledged by the rest of the world. It means more restaurants sell food I like & more stores sell clothes I enjoy wearing.
Re-read what was written. It’s because she said they were “Bo Derek” braids. Give credit where credit is due. Now she claims she knows where the origins are which is BS. I understand why some are offended with a white woman giving another white woman credit for a hairstyle worn by POC for many years.
This is the first time I’ve ever heard Kim ever utter the word Fulani. Am I right? Did she just learn the term? She’s had endless opportunities to give an attribution.
You do realize that Kim’s misappropriation makes your hairstyle more mainstream and less of a political/culture statement. Thus more work-appropriate. That your boss and any company guests you interact with will feel more comfortable. So Kim = good, boss = cause of anger.
I’m a Black woman. I’ve got to be honest. I don’t care what hairstyle she wears. It’s hair.
I’m a black women- it bothers me.
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57b380cde4b014a587fba07c
“and then we braided my hair.” I’m supposed to believe that she and her five year old daughter braided her hair like that? Sorry. No. You had a professional do that, not a five year old. And recent pictures of her kid show her with straightened hair so no, she’s not respecting her daughter’s hair.
She says “we” when describing doing braids. I’m sure she’s referring to her hair/beauty team doing both of their braids. I don’t know how tf you got her saying North did her braids from the article.
@Beth: you got me curious about the origin of “French” braids so I did some online research. I’m not trying to cause issue and I’m sure others on this site will know more, but I did read about an African origin….Anyone?
Not an expert but I’m French and I can tell you that French braid is not French. In France we call it African braid.
Oh no, here we go. Many peoples around the world have braided things for millennia, from rushes to laces to hair. There are definitely some hair-braid styles that speak to a specific region (at least in our anthropological memory), such as Fulani braids and/or multi-braid styles that evolved in African cultures because of the way hair sometimes grows on folks of African ancestry. But when we start suggesting that dirndl braids, for instance, are illegitimate (as some noob did on Twitter a while back), we look like people who’ve never cracked open a history book. Braiding is universal because it’s easy, obvious, convenient, cooling, decorative etc. The idea that separate peoples can’t randomly/spontaneously come up with the idea of plaiting hair around the world/through history, and by extension erasing Indian, Chinese, Viking, Spartan etc etc etc cultural totems, is why we can’t have nice things among us progressives sometimes.
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57b380cde4b014a587fba07c
She is doing that for the controversy and exacrly to be accised of cultural appropriation. It gives her space at media and websites. She knows exactly what she is doing, because she wants and needs the attention, even the negative one. Maybe nudes pics are not having the same effect anymore. She will not learn and she will never be an example of anything, because she doesn’t want to. Ignoring her existence would be the best.
Exactly. Any press that gets her attention is what she wants. It’s telling to me that Kanye’s album said when he made his comments about slavery, she called him upset that they were going to lose everything (fame/power). She didn’t care that he said a terribly offensive thing, just that it would impact her fame.
I have a feeling that now she’s seen how it really hasn’t affected her fame,(her fame level is fine in spite of any negative reaction) she feels like she can push things even farther, ie, cuddling up to Drumpf. Every time her/Kanye’s brand survives another crisis, their bullshit gets stronger.
If that makes sense.
Bey in her destiny days. Kim wants to bring em back and say: ‘see i brought them back’.
I’m not offended at the idea of her wearing braids, and where the Kardashians are concerned I’d rather keep the convo superficial. I think they’d have less cultural signifigance overall if we kept it that way. So with that in mind let me get to my real comment…since she lasered off all her baby hairs it looks kinda weird on her, right?! Maybe it’s just me.
I think her answer was good enough and this isn’t really cultural appropriation. And it’s good of her to show her daughter she can wear her hair like that. I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure this made up controversy is only because it’s Kim Kardashian.
Her hairline is so uncanny, it weirds me out.
YES I’m glad other people feel this way haha.
That’s because she said she had her “baby hairs” removed by laser.
Yeah I knew that but no one has a hairline that straight even without baby hair, except Playmobils. It looks shaved or something.
Playmobils… lol. I can’t unsee that now!
She looks like she stepped off an Egyptian pictograph. Surreal.
Vapid. She needs to focus on hair because her plastic face is going to fall off soon.
Oh come on. Not this. Wearing a hairstyle is not cultural appropriation. Taking away the credit is and she got the burn she deserved the time she did it. But I don’t understand what is the problem with non-black women wearing braids? If somebody styles their hair in a certain manner for an event where a person goes wearing high-end couture it sure is not disrespect and as hell is not cultural appropriation. Lets stop with this unnecessary and pointless outrage at irrelevant stuff.
I’ll just keep referencing Michaela Coel’s tweet on KimK and keep it moving. She does this for the attention/ire of black women, stop giving it to her.
@slightlyanonny Thanks for putting me on to that tweet.
TBH I agree she does fetishize black culture HOWEVER the only problem I see is if you do this and are silent about the issues that culture faces. Because she recently freed that black woman from jail, she can “celebrate” black culture all she wants (respectfully). Same with Rachel Dolezal. Rachel Dolezal lost respect because she straight up LIED while fighting black causes. Why don’t people get that authenticity and honesty is what really matters.
Was she celebrating Black culture with her racist and classist Twitter tirade at Rhymefest and the legitimate work he has done in Chicago?
Opportunist. Nothing more. It’s good that occasionally people in need will benefit from her opportunism, but that’s it.
But I saw pics of North with her hair straightened this week…where were the pics of her hair in braids?
Not only do I think she’s using North as a shield, I think she’s straight up lying. I just find it hard to believe for little North to be getting her hair done and she says mom will you get your hair like this too? I just find it hard to believe. Being honest isn’t exactly her strong suit though
When Kimberly? When was North’s hair ever braided like this? When were yall matching?
Liar.
Here’s a genuine question. African American women have faced discrimination in the work place, etc. over wearing natural and protective styles. That’s something that is changing, but people have been actively working to change it. If women of other cultural backgrounds wear more African styles, wouldn’t it help take the pressure off of Black women to fight this battle alone? Ultimately hair is hair. Couldn’t more cultural back-and-forth help to diffuse the politics surrounding Black hair?
I was thinking the same thing. Not a fan but Kim’s hair looks beautiful!
No- this is not how it works. And the fact that African American women are called ghetto or can’t even where these hairstyles or in some places are policied for doing these styles in their home is precisely why she shouldn’t be wearing them and getting praised for it. Her and her families persistent appropriation of everything Black is disgusting. And black kids doesn’t shield her from that
I would think that the only way it would work would for people to stop stereotyping WOC and their hairstyles etc NOT for white women to suddenly start doing it. I can see where these people are trying to go, but it completely jumps over the fact that racism has sooooo much to do with it.
What a disturbing and myopic view.
Please educate yourself. Women of color and POC do NOT need white women to be their saviors. What you mentioned is EXACTLY what POC are frustrated with and hence the backlash against celebrities. Its OK and acceptable when a white person does it, but it isn’t when a POC does it? Do you understand how deeply flawed and disturbing this is? A person’s worth is being relegated to their skin color and you are ENCOURAGING it.
Why can’t it be acceptable with a POC does it? Why do they need a white person to normalize it?
Disturbing and myopic? That is absolutely not what I’m saying. Let me rephrase… how can white women and women of other cultural backgrounds best support Black women when it comes to hair politics? As I say, this is a question, not a declaration. I’m not proposing “white saviorism,” I’m talking about women having other women’s backs.
Shallow-ass woman.
What should also scare everyone is how Kim is going on a tour to normalize Trump. She wants us all to stop criticizing the Dotard and his administration so that he can “win”.
I don’t think it is just the braids that are so rage-stroke-inducing about the Kardashians. It’s all the other next-level cultural appropriation stuff: the butt surgery, the fetishisation of black men, the photoshop, the stealing of high-profile rappers’ images (Kendall and Kylie) etc etc.
The braids are just the cherry on top of a steaming pile of cultural appropriation.
I saw on a discussion board the other day that clueless teenagers were defending the Kardashians as “women of colour”.
AAARRRRRGGHH! No, no, no.
Kris Jenner is white. Their dad was of Armenian descent = from the Caucasus = LITERALLY THE DEFINITION of Caucasian.
It’s not just the braids.
They want to be black without actually being black. Kim has occasionally spoken on social issues, but I’ve never heard anything from Khloe or Kylie. It’s almost like it’s a costume to them. I think there is a faction of “backlash against the backlash” Kim defenders, but this is a troublesome and legit criticism.
The Kardashians as “women of color”…are you kidding me? They have enjoyed every privilege of being White and Rich in America. Their children on the other hand, will have to deal with racism, even if they are rich. How the Kardashians will deal with that…only time will tell.
Some comments here are downright disturbing. I never want to hear a WHITE woman explain WHY POC should NOT be offended when they see caucasians borrow from their culture without giving them credit. If you’re a white woman reading this, please keep your mouths shut if ur ignorant enough to not enlighten urself and remove ur hands from the keyboard.
These are hairstyles associated with african culture. A culture that has been demeaned and looked down up throughout history and is still going through the same struggle in 2018.
Thank you, here is how it is at my son’s school. He is told that african children can’t wear braids because it a “gang sign” then a caucasian boy goes into the city to get fulani braids with beads and wears them all day. My son is told not to say anything, don’t be upset and “be the better person” This boy takes pictures of himself and posts them all over his instagram cause he is so cool. They finally have him take them out because the teachers complained. My son comes home feeling powerless and angry. Thats how it is all the time….he has to not react and take the high road.
That’s really an unfortunate situation and i’m so sorry that the school is so ignorant.
People that are upset with cultural appropriation should not be told to take it easy. When they do it, it’s a ‘hood’ thing or it’s ‘ghetto’. When white people do it, it’s ‘please be understanding. they’re not trying to offend anyone’. I don’t see any of these idiots coming out to defend POC when they’re berated or stopped from representing their own culture.
Fulani braids are cultural braids of that particular tribe and thus isn’t it so that nobody else should wear them, as that would be cultural appropriation. Not a single person outside tribe, it’s their particular culture and not someone’s fashion statement. It doesn’t matter what color your skin.
As for example Sami people in north Scandinavia have their traditional clothing. Only Sami people can wear them, not all Scandinavian people, definitely nor all Caucasian or “white” people, only Sami people. Same with any cultural style. So shouldn’t everyone else take their braids out if they’re not part of that particular tribe they belong to? I think so. It’s not ok then.
I wasn’t aware that a race could own a hairstyle. People should be able to wear their hair anyway they want. Terms like cultural appropriation only alienate people of different races. This is coming from someone who despises the Kardashians by the way.