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Braids, yes. Box braids, no. It's like the difference between tattoos and moko.
Google "box braids" images and tell me what you see.
I found something upsetting
- Thread starter Calliea
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Google "box braids" images and tell me what you see.
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Agreed. It bothers me just as much as people cussing her out for not knowing she was doing something potentially upsetting. Both are dead wrong far as I'm concerned.
Massive deal really when you've been told all your life that the hair which grows out of your head is ugly. I love my fro, even though care can be pretty involved since my hair is waist length but shrinks to my arm pits.
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Define "giving her shit".
Calling her names and being cruel and hurtful: yes, that is wrong. Informing and educating her about cultural appropriation, and the history of box braids in African culture: how is that wrong? Esp since she's responded by thanking people who took the time to share their knowledge and feelings with her.
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Which makes it all the more tragic, IMO. I hope the girl manages to learn a good message from all this, but she's getting the wrong message from both sides.
I blame the Internet.
The vikings and wild tribes of northern Europe wore box braids and cornrows. And I'm sure since the dawn of time, little girls the world over have braided their friends' hair neatly out of boredom. I sure did, when I was a kid!
Context is key. You don't see many vikings these days.
That's said, I'm not criticizing her for it.
This is a stupid discussion. White people have been braiding their hair like this for many years; why someone has now decided to make an issue of this at this point is beyond me.
What's next...telling white Rastafarians that they have to shave off their dreadlocks?
Chill...
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Wow. Just... I would give you a pass since you're apparently new, but I don't think so. Here's a newsflash, Black people have been complaining about this for as long as white people have been doing it. Get over it.
I hadn't realised how new you were, so I'm going to be slightly more helpful and suggest you read the stickies - esp the RYFW one. But I'm keeping the popcorn warm and buttery, because I don't see this ending well.
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My girlfriend says if someone wants to sit and have someone pull at their hair for 3 or 4 hours then let them.
Resently she let her hair go natual...she looks so 70s
Oh, we're around.
But, inadvertently, it sounds like you and Lillith are saying, "I don't have a problem with it ... but it's wrong, she shouldn't do that again." You're contradicting yourselves.
No, but the post-count of 40 to date (and the approach to discussions of cultural appropriation in the PoC thread) seems to suggest that maybe there hasn't been a lot of contact in the intervening months...
Uhh nope.
Please show me where I said otherwise.
I said I understand why it could rub people the wrong way, and I said hair is a big deal. Nowhere did I say she shouldn't wear her hair like that.
Thinking hair is a big deal doesn't mean I think she's wrong.
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Oh, we're around.
But, inadvertently, it sounds like you and Lillith are saying, "I don't have a problem with it ... but it's wrong, she shouldn't do that again." You're contradicting yourselves.
Nope, I'm not contradicting myself and neither is Kuwi. I'm saying that I don't have a problem with it, but she should be aware others might take issue with it and for what reason whatever her choice in the future.
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I don't have a problem with the girl's hair: she's a child, she meant no harm or insult, she was wholly unaware of the recent history of such braided hairstyles, and I have no personal affiliation with the black/African culture and thus cannot experience any personal insult. However, I do have a problem with cultural appropriation in general, with the fact that a sector of the population have lived for decades with "it's ghetto and trashy when black women wear it, but it's chic and sexy when wihte women wear it", and then are further insulted and demonised by "it's meant as a compliment!" and "what's wrong with those people!" and "PC police gone mad!" and "I wouldn't feel offended, so they shouldn't either!" comments when discussions of cultural appropriation occur.
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Free full beta read by yours truly,or a five dollar donation to AW, for anyone who can find a pic of a naked mole rat with cornrows or box braids.
(Yes, I'm probably grossly overvalueing my beta reading skills. So sue me.)
(Yes, I'm probably grossly overvalueing my beta reading skills. So sue me.)
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