Justin Bieber charged with cultural appropriation over his new hairstyle
Dreadlocks are traditionally linked to black culture and identities, and wearing them is seen by some as cultural appropriation. On social media, black women called Bieber's hairstyle offensive and disrespectful and urged him to change it and apologize.
CNN has reached out to representatives for Bieber for comment.
“Cultural appropriation is about the dynamics of power. When people with power and privilege decide to "validate" the customs and traditions that oppressed people have long been marginalized by saying "This is the hot new thing," then we have serious problems, "the writer. and speaker Feminista Jones told CNN in 2016.
The new criticism of Bieber's hair is just the latest cultural controversy involving the 27-year-old Canadian singer, long accused of racial insensitivity. Bieber apologized in 2014 after videos surfaced showing him using the n-word and making a racist joke.
His new album, "Justice," includes a track titled "MLK Interlude" - nearly two minutes of a speech from Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. King's daughter, Bernice King, tweeted his approval last month, after Bieber has expressed support for social justice organizations, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.
Bieber said he was just trying to amplify the civil rights leader's message - but people on social media criticized the album's use of King's words.
"I know I can't just solve injustice by making music, but I know that if we all do our part by using our gifts to serve this planet and each other, we are that much closer. to be united, ”Bieber tweeted before the album's release.
Bieber is certainly not the only celebrity to have been accused of cultural appropriation of her hairstyle. Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner have also faced criticism for swinging the cornrows.
In 2015, "Fashion Police" host Giuliana Rancic drew criticism when she said that Disney star Zendaya Coleman's dreadlock hairstyle "smelled of patchouli oil ... or weed." She apologized later.
Critics at the time said the incident underscored how white celebrities are sometimes hailed as being edgy for wearing ethnic hairstyles such as cornrows and dreadlocks, while women of color are degraded to wear their hair down. natural in similar styles.
