Justin Bieber sparked outrage this week when he posted a picture of himself wearing dreadlocks.
In response, people have been taking to social media to accuse the pop star of cultural appropriation, and being "offensive". The singer is, of course, a white man, and this is the second time he has sported the hairstyle.
Commenting on Bieber's controversial decision to sport dreads, the editor-in-chief of Black Beauty and Hair magazine, Irene Shelley, says that we should not demand that the 27-year-old cut his locs off. But he does need to do better.
"We should not gate-keep dreadlocks," Shelley tells VT. "They have been worn by different cultures like the Indian Sadhus, despite now being acknowledged as a hairstyle of Black people. But I would say that he should do some reading so he understands the background around Black hair, and how we've been made to suffer for something that grows out of our heads."
Dreadlocks became popular in the West following the rise of the Rastafari movement in the 1960s, and popularity of reggae musicians such as Bob Marley. While the hairstyle has a rich history, and has been worn by nearly every culture at some point, these days dreads are primarily recognised as a Black hairstyle, and they are also associated with counterculture or "hippie" movements.
"Justin may be wearing dreads because he wants to be more spiritual," Shelley comments. "When people decide to get dreadlocks, it can be part of a spiritual journey that puts them in touch with themselves. If you start from baby locks, it's a journey — you learn about yourself and about patience as the hair starts forming itself into dreadlocks."
But there is a fine line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Shelley says that when white individuals choose to wear dreads, they must understand how Black people have had their hair policed, and how differently we perceive black people who have dreads from white individuals.
"Black people have had a lot of discrimination over our hair, and how we choose to wear it — especially if it's natural," she explains. "Certain styles are deemed unprofessional or not 'corporate' enough, so you often have women needing to conform and straighten their hair to work in businesses. Students too are sent home for wearing natural hairstyles, and in the US army they used to ban having locs."
Just earlier this month, students at Pimlico Academy in London, staged a boycott over their concerns over a "racist" school uniform and curriculum. The school had banned hairstyles that "may block the view of others", which was seen by students and parents as an attack on Black afro hairstyles. The principal, Daniel Smith, also said that hijabs should not be "too colourful" and that they "must completely cover the hair".
The school has now stripped the rules from the dress code, and an apology has been issued.
Shelley says that this kind of treatment means that young Black children are not able to "appreciate" the hair they were born with. "They start using chemicals as soon as they're old enough, they start coveting their friend's hair texture, and not having pride in their own. It creates an internal battle where they feel like they're not good enough on account of their hair, which does a lot of damage to someone's self-esteem."
So when it comes to celebrities like Bieber, Shelley encourages them to acknowledge where the hairstyle comes from. "What people object to is when they see a celebrity rocking a style as if they invented it," she explains. "They don't give props to the culture that it comes from — we've been doing it for years and years and it's just gone under the radar. When a shiny new celebrity wears the look, it becomes cool, edgy and urban.
"We don't use those words with Black people, or talk about their hair with a sense of admiration or appreciation. It's almost like our beauty isn't recognised, acknowledged or lauded."
The magazine editor also states that it would have been better for Bieber to post some kind of note about his choice of hairstyle. "Oftentimes, celebrities just post something on Instagram because they love the way they look, but they haven't thought much about what it means. We're not asking Justin to spout off Black history, but to maybe say something about his decision and why he chose to get dreadlocks.
"Social media is a very reactive environment, so if someone doesn't acknowledge where something comes from, that's where the upset comes in. He can treat dreadlocks like a trend, but they're a commitment — my own ones are 10-years old now."