Amazing. We're Amazing For This, Actually.

Amazing. We're amazing for this, actually.

they were so funny for this

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Viewing this post made a click in my head over something earlier today.

Basically, it was a drag queen (a white one, specifically) talking about a recent situation, where a black braid maker would willingly box braid a white girl's head (it is worth remembering that this situation occurred in Brazil, a country where the work of braid maker is not as valued, due to its black origins).

In short, she took away all the racial context of the cultural appropriation discussion and just said that cultural appropriation only happens when it comes to media/corporations (which is something that the braid maker also said).

And I knew that something about that video wasn't right, something was off and I couldn't tell what was it, specially because many people were agreeing with her in the comments. But your post, thank you lord for your post.

In many cultures, ethnic groups, and nations around the world, hair is considered a source of power and prestige. African people brought these traditions and beliefs to the Americas and passed them down through the generations.

In my mother’s family (Black Americans from rural South Carolina) the women don’t cut their hair off unless absolutely necessary (i.e damage or routine trimming). Long hair is considered a symbol of beauty and power; my mother often told me that our hair holds our strength and power. Though my mother’s family has been American born for several generations, it is fascinating to see the beliefs and traditions of our African ancestors passed down. We are emotionally and spiritually attached to our hair, cutting it only with the knowledge that we are starting completely clean and removing stagnant energy.

Couple this with the forced removal and covering of our hair from the times of slavery and onward, and you can see why so many Black women and men alike take such pride and care in their natural hair and love to adorn our heads with wigs, weaves, braids, twists, accessories, and sharp designs.

Hair is not just hair in African diaspora cultures, and this is why the appropriation and stigma surrounding our hair is so harmful.

@cin-tim @michaelsfavgirl

man.