Cultural Appropriation by definition is the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture. The topic of culture has been quite the hot topic for years. Black Culture has evolved passed the saggy pants and gold chains. And we, as black people, are quick to lash out at anyone who would do things like we would. Especially if they were white. If a white person were to get dreads, wear cornrows, or lay their edges down in a fashion that mimics our own, we would accuse them of stealing our culture. However, how could we do such a thing when you see more black girls with long straight wigs more than natural hairstyles? I’ve seen black women with long straight blonde hair and blue contacts instead of the curly afro they were born with more than I’ve seen white people with braids or dreads.
While I am not knocking weaves, I just find it hard to believe that we feel we have the right to say they are stealing our culture when we don’t even use it ourselves. Until I see a white person purposely putting on black face makeup, I cannot find it in myself to call them out on it. We as a people have fought for equality for hundreds of years. If we continue down this road of false accusations, we are undoing the work of our ancestors before us. We wanted inclusion. We wanted equality. We wanted to break the boundaries put between us and everyone else of other cultures. Now that we have made progress, we want to go back on our word? Honestly, this doesn’t make us any better than them. When I hear someone who is a minority talk about how they hate white people or don’t like them for whatever reason, I honestly feel sorry for them. Just because of how one person acts, you judge the entire race on someone else’s integrity. Now, you are no better than their ancestors. You are no better than the whites during Jim Crow. You are no better than the Americans during WWII. You are no better than the men you swear oppress us or the policemen who have slaughtered us. You are no better because just like them, you are wedging gaps and building barriers where there should be bridges.
