Open Letter to White People with Dreadlocks
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Open Letter to White People with Dreadlocks

Wearing dreadlocks isn't supporting black culture-it's theft.

6887
Open Letter to White People with Dreadlocks
WIREIMAGE

Stop. Just stop. Dreadlocks aren't "just another hair style." They have significance in the black community.

Dreadlocks have a long history. They didn't start with Kylie Jenner and "boxer braids." Dreadlocks have been connected to religion (notably Rastafarian beliefs) and to anti-colonialism and anti-racist practices. They are a way for black people to reclaim their natural beauty. Beauty our society still deems lesser.

So no, white people wearing dreadlocks isn't cute — it's an act of violence. It's taking something that black people are punished for doing and making it acceptable but only for white people.

Black hair is still political in the United States and abroad. Thousands of kids are being suspended from school for wearing their hair in this style because it's inherently seen as disruptive. Thousands of adults have to choose between their hair and a job because dreads are seen as unprofessional. This is cultural appropriation. It's disrespectful. It's racist. It's a way for white people to continue to oppress black people and it needs to stop. Now.

Until white people love black people as much as they love black culture, we won't be able to have an equal cultural exchange. And I don't mean love as in you have a black friend you occasionally talk to. I mean as in standing in the front line of a black power protest movement with police pointing a gun in your face. I mean until black people are not killed in this country every day simply for existing and when they are their murderers get sent to jail and serve just and equitable sentences.

There are other ways to support black people than by stealing their hairstyles. Theft isn't support in the first place. Instead, read Shaun King's 25 Step Plan to End Police Brutality. Read the Lemonade Syllabus. Read "The New Jim Crow." Read "Between the World and Me." Once you're done reading and have acknowledged and understood what these texts are saying, go and create change. This can be supporting black-owned and run businesses, speaking up when you hear racist things being said, and educating your white friends about such issues. As white people, it's on us to listen to what black people tell us, to believe them, and then work with other white people to end racism.

Do not ask your black friends to explain stuff to you. There are numerous resources available to learn about why natural hair is important along with any other question you might have. Yes, we didn't learn this in school but that's not an excuse to remain ignorant. We are not the ones who have historically had resources kept from us. When you ask black people to stop and explain things to you, you are taking away their time, using them to speak as the sole black voice and further creating hierarchies between whites and blacks by using them to learn from yet offering nothing in exchange.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58590
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37775
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959347
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

194304
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments