Cultural misappropriation and hair

[meandthem]

Am I being unreasonable to object to ethnicity being a factor in respect of what hairstyle choices women are "allowed"? I am pissed of that it now seems acceptable for some styles to be considered cultural misappropriation. What happened to the sisterhood and feminism and women's right to do what the hell we want with our hair!

I'd give you the award for 'missing the point' but I haven't received it back from the last person who made this same complaint.

Feminism's dead and was never about supporting a woman simply because she was a woman anyway the fact it is now is part of the reason for its death

I didn't know there was a list of permitted hairstyles.

'Cultural appropriation' is nonsense anyway.

Please explain what point I am missing.

You are not only missing the point, you are also conflating issues. You are patently ridiculous.

In short: Yabu.

Please then explain the point and the issues I am conflating.

Feminism and cultural appropriation have nothing to do with each other.

Give me a minute, I shall write you a novel...

The premise of your argument doesn't even make sense or add up. You suffer from 'woolly' thinking.

But to save ourselves: YABU and ignorant. And also wrong.

Yes you can do whatever you like with your hair including chop it all off and don’t let anyone bully you into thinking other wise .

I completely agree with you OP. If women want plaits or dreads simply because they like how they look it’s nobody else’s business. And most cultures have had various versions of dreads/plaits at some point in their history, so to claim them for one culture is just false.

Thank you manilalce for your explanation. I do see feminism as being linked due to the fact womens' freedom of choice should not be dictated or limited by cultural norms of others.

Do what you want. There's no such thing as hair police.
Just don't expect to have a free pass to play dress-up with someone else's heritage without that being questioned.

Why are there so many threads and posts complaining about anti-racist activism lately.

"Give me a minute, I shall write you a novel...

The premise of your argument doesn't even make sense or add up. You suffer from 'woolly' thinking.

But to save ourselves: YABU and ignorant. And also wrong."

How patronising. The argument is basically: I think (know) you're wrong but you are too stupid and insignificant to waste my time with, so I'll be rude and pithy instead.

If posters think the OP has misunderstood the issue why don't explain their points of view? I also think cultural appropriation is a load of rubbish, but would very happily hear someone else's considered thoughts.

Vladmirs, please enlighten me. I am still curious about the point I am missing and you have offered no clarification.....I would really like to understand your point of view.

I think it depend on what hair style your talking out a tribal design used by specific tribe to denote coming or age or weddings yes cultural appropriation up to and including hair decorations inherent to that style. If your on about dreads then no. Every culture on earth has some form of dreaded hair in theor past and no one culture can claim it was first except maybe africa but only in the sense its the cradle of humanity and we all started out there.

www.thoughtco.com/cultural-appropriation-and-why-iits-wrong-2834561
This is useful but relies on someone having the empathy and knowledge to anticipate whether someone from the culture being appropriated would be distressed by it.

It's maybe not the first anti-racist discussion to get your teeth into. I'd maybe read 'why I'm no longer talking to white people about race' for some food for thought.

One point to bear in mind is how disheartening it is to see racism played out in a scenario like...
an African-american woman is fired from her job/made to leave school for wearing her hair natural or in locs.
A white woman doing the same thing is able to do so with impunity.

The white woman isn't actively spreading racist hatred but she's taking advantage of a system that privileges her.

Are you particularly keen about having dreadlocks or similar then, OP?

Cultural misappropriation?

Leftie PC nonsense that is best ignored.

super thats putting an unfair work policy on one person who has nothing to do with said policy thats on bosses not the lady in question it unfair in your situation but it not that one person fault.

Its the same as blaming her because the company is racist and refused to employ the other woman on the vasis of race. Really bad but not rhat individuals fault

YANBU.

I can understand that there is cultural appropriation when people groups are exploited but someone doing their hair in a different style is not it.

Women and men should not be sacked for how they wear their hair.

I've worn a sari to an Indian restaurant (and lots of other places too), the staff were very complimentary. I'm not Indian. When I bought the sari the staff in he shop were not angry at my buying it!

Sometimes it's just another think to berate women with, IMHO.

You may as well complain that a women in an islamic country decides to not wear a head covering because shes not if that faith.

Thanks Pretend for enlightening me about significant milestone styles - I was mainly thinking braids and simpler designs. Super, appreciate the link, and Sparkles thinking more for my daughter - she is old enough to have heard the phrase "cultural misappropriation" and curious, so posted to canvass for different perspectives.