I was recently engaged in a conversation with another young woman about a controversial video that went viral on Facebook. The video included a tutorial of a Caucasian woman getting her hair styled into a crinkly Afro style that resembles the natural style of African American women that we see on a regular basis. That video will be found below. The woman's choice to wear the style was not the problem for me. My main concerns focused on the caption of the video and the symbolism of her use of such a culturally engulfed hair style.
Caption of the video: "Beautiful texture!"
The company that posted this video is known for recreating hairstyles that are performed on the hair follicles of white women. They referred to the texture as a "beautiful texture", but this is problematic since black women have been told so many times in history and in the present that their natural hair styles and crinkly Afros are unacceptable, nappy, unprofessional, and etc. In fact, black woman have often been denied jobs for their hair or even kicked out of school as young as age 5. Khou.com reports a story that describes the outrage a mother felt recently in May 2016 when her third grade child was pulled to the side by an assistant principal who sent the child home, since her hair was not in compliance with the dress code. Was her texture not beautiful enough? Seriously, what can we tell young black girls who experience such hurt and pain in a society that doesn't accept their natural appearance yet praises those who imitate it?
The Symbolism
Black culture has experienced many years of appropriation at the hands of white people in this country. This video represents another item that was taken and recreated as something that has never been done before. Would it be too much to give black women credit for our lifetime contribution of "beautiful textures" and crinkly styles? Some may argue against this since we also are dominant in our use of hair extensions that are straight or we may even dye our hair a color that is not naturally our own, but there is a difference between appropriation and assimilation. We have been forced to assimilate to the European style of living to be accepted and to operate in this world. Plus, we never take those hair extensions and rename them as if they are our own. For example, Brazilian hair is still Brazilian hair in our catalogs, stores, and in our minds. Plus, black women are not the only women that wear extensions. We are simply the most criticized, as usual.
Overall, this hairstyle represents a simple reminder that black culture is simply amazing and worth repeating on so many levels. We deserve our trophy for our contribution to this country with some form of recognition for us and not at the hands of white women or those who simply remake what we have already done. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with sharing culture, but there is a problem when the rightful owners don't get the proper acknowledgment. Acknowledge us.
