Box Braids , Dreadlocks, and Cornrows and why it’s not “just hair “ . A thread *remake* since my original acc @xziondestinyx got s worded .

Hair braiding began in Africa . Its roots can be traced back to ancient Egypt. They are a significant part of black/African Diaspora culture

Braids have also been used as maps to escape plantations during slavery . The first picture is blurry I know I tried so hard to find a clearer pic but I couldn’t . We straining our eyes today folks.

Braids are also protective hairstyles for black people ( they help our hair grow ) and forms of self expression for us . However when we wear them we face discrimination . When nonblack people wear them , they are praised .

When Salem Mitchell modeled for Vogue while wearing braids , she received a discriminatory comment under this photo that said “What is with these ghetto people Vogue has been showing lately is not Vogue at all” Article Credit : Devon Abelman

Meanwhile nonblack celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner have been praised for wearing our hairstyles . Kylie got called out by Amandla Stenberg in the second pic.

Back in 2015 Giuliana Rancic made discriminatory comments about Zendaya’s dreadlocks . “I feel like she smells Like patchouli oil or weed”

It’s extremely unfair that black people face discrimination for wearing hairstyles that WE created while nonblack people wear them and it’s “fashionable” and they get praised . We even lose job opportunities and get kicked out of schools for wearing them .

In 2017 Destiny Tompkins was told by her Banana Republic manager that her box braids were “too urban” for their store image and wouldn’t schedule her shifts until she took them out .

I’m that same year two black girls in high school got numerous detentions that turned into suspension from school , prom, sports eats etc. because they wouldn’t have their box braids removed . Here’s the link to the video bc it wouldn’t upload

Yikes *In , *teams but you get the point .

Even in South Africa black schoolgirls are discriminated against for wearing braids .

Our hairstyles are seen as ugly , ghetto , unprofessional etc. and that’s why we have a problem with nonblack people wearing them . IT’S NOT FAIR . The blatant racism reeks.

Now nonblack people reading this thread might be thinking “but black girls straighten their hair /die their hair blonde “. Lemme shut that tired argument down .Straight and blonde hair aren’t part of any cultures. They’re genetics that ANYONE can have , including black people.

And historically , black women have been FORCED to assimilate to Eurocentric beauty standards so that we can get jobs , get an educations and be respected . And that STILL takes place today .

I’d also like to add that our hairstyles REALLY ARE NOT for nonblack people’s hair . This white girl took out her box braids and look how much hair she lost . Watch the vid if you’d like

PLEASE as a nonblack person don’t let your take away from this thread be “So I can wear them as long as I respect and love the culture/black people” NOPE . That ain’t it. Until black people stop facing discrimination for wearing our own hairstyles, nonblack people wearing them

will NEVER be okay , no matter the reason . And that’s on PERIOOOODT

and to all the black people *cough* coons *cough* that are probably gonna be under this thread like “I’m black and I don’t have an issue with it “ you don’t speak for every single black person and you’re not doing yourself any favors by trying to appeal to culture vultures

and that concludes my thread . I’ll have my DMs open for a while if anyone has questions .