Marc Jacobs, Do Not Speak About Black Women'S Hair
After he was criticized for sending his models down the runway with locs, Marc Jacobs attempted to argue that Black women straightening our hair is akin to cultural appropriation. Kim (@KimberlyNFoster) explains why that's completely untrue.
So let's talk about Marc Jacobs. Right now, we're in the middle of Fashion Month and last week in New York, Marc Jacobs sent his models down the runway in his Spring 2017 garments and multi-colored locs.. There were a handful of black models in the show, and actually the show was pretty diverse by fashion standards.. Still, people were not having it. Folks charged him with cultural appropriation and Jacobs made the fatal mistake of clapping back loud and wrong.. In response to comments on his Instagram, here's what he wrote.'' All, who cry'cultural appropriation''' or whatever nonsense about any race or skin color'' wearing their hair in any particular style or manner-'', funny how you don't criticize women of color'' for straightening their hair.''. I respect and am inspired by people and how they look.'', I don't see color or race-. I see people.'', Honestly, sir. That'S where you fucked up. One black women get criticized for every damn thing, including when we choose to straighten our hair. Two: that's not relevant.! That is not relevant to the cultural appropriation conversation.. What Marc Jacobs was trying to do right. There was some classic white nonsense.. He was looking to evade the genuine legitimate criticism by deflecting the scrutiny onto black women., So for Marc Jacobs and anybody else who thinks that us straightening our hair is akin to cultural appropriation. Let'S get something straight.. There are plenty of reasons why a black woman might choose to straighten her hair., Since the slave trade, African features and bodies have been denigrated. In order to maintain white supremacy. Black women learn to be ashamed of our hair.. While enslaved, we were often forced to cover it because white folks deemed it unsightly. Since then, we've been conditioned by virtue of living in a white supremacist society and with the help of mass media images, to abhor our hair texture. Words like kinky and nappy are used As pejoratives to signal that our natural features are unfeminine and not beautiful., And when you recognize that beauty confers societal advantages and you understand that beauty is linked to whiteness, you might look to mimic white aesthetics., But even reducing a black woman's choice to straighten her hair Down to a desire for whiteness oversimplifies the issue. For many black women choosing to straighten your hair is absolutely about. Survival. Life is hard for black women.. We do what we can to try to make it less. So. Black women still face personal and professional discrimination for wearing their natural hair texture.. Just last month, teenagers at an all girls' school in South Africa protested because they were told to straighten their afros., And so many employers still try to say that hair that doesn't lay down perfectly flat is not appropriate.. In fact, the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled that it is legal for a company in Mobile Alabama not to hire a woman, because she has locs. So yeah. We might choose to practice what scholar Noliwe Rooks calls the politics of acceptance, knowing that wearing your hair, a certain way allows you entre into certain spaces., Not to mention that a lot of black women just find straight hair easier to manage, or maybe they don't want To be subject to the personal invasions that having natural hair seems to invite the touches and the comments and the questions. Black women choosing to straighten our hair is not the same as white people wearing locs, because straight hair is not a part of white people's cultural Identity. And the same is not true for black hair. Johnson and Bankhead, explain it like this.'' Throughout the ages, ,'' from the ancient Nile Valley, civilizations'' to the movement west'' and the establishment of western African empires. ,'' hair has maintained a spiritual, ,'', social, cultural and aesthetic significance'' in the lives of African people.'' Cultural appropriation. Conversations have picked up steam because black folks are fed up.. Not only are we tired of being attacked, maimed, harassed and killed, but we're tired of being stolen. From. Everything black folks have we've had to fight to build and maintain.. That includes our cultural identities. And honestly, if it hadn't been for that piss-poor comeback, I mighta been okay with it.. This woulda been just a little blip on the radar if he could've just kept his Instagram fingers to himself.. But don't you dare try to pathologize blackness, with no understanding of our history or our current struggle and then turn around and try to use black hair? For your personal gain., At the very least, you need to have some humility about the culture that you're exploring. And don't even fix your mouth. To start talking out of turn about an experience that you don't know., Really Marc, Jacobs, really. Get yourself together.
Comments
Brie Stoll: I love when people say black women don't get criticized for... Yes. We get criticized for straightening our hair, not straightening our hair, along with anything and everything.
AshleyNicole: People don't realize black women straighten their hair because they CAN. Our hair has a versatility others don't have. We can literally do ANYTHING to our hair. And I mean anything. We are not mimicking white hair or whatever, from what I see everyone is mimicking black hair. Just look back at the tribes and cultures of Africa going back to ancient Africa. Look at all the braids, weaves, extensions, colors, and styles they did to their hair. It's is our dna. Even when a black woman straightens her hair it's still not "straight" by white standards. And that's great news! I encourage every one to look and feel their best and do EVERYTHING you want to do to your hair. That's why God gave us such versatile hair in the first place.
Andri R: everything you says in this video is spot on when i was 10 i made the choice of perming my hair bc i was bullied for my natural hair , i wasn't trying to appropriate white culture i did it bc so many people where making fun of me most of which had damaged hair.Now im rocking my natural hair 10 years later no apologies
BlyssfulStorm: I can't clap hard enough.
Earin Wells: They called it unsightly to deflect from the fact that it was beautiful and something they could never achieve so it had to be ugly they couldnt have it
Glam Fiend (Nail Design): Commentary on point. Yes ma'am!
Eunice N: Your videos are so soothing for my soul. I love to hear the TRUTH spoken definitively and without any mincing of words. Thank you<3
krystal thomas: I just subscribed to you today already feel enriched
Joshua Peoples: Preach sista ✊
Nuuur!: To me, the fashion industry, and its shows, are very unimportant and have no bearing in my life whatsoever, I can exist without fashion, but I need clothes. The industry has always been about taking ideas from different eras and cultures to renew itself. My reality: it has never been White people with dreadlocks, cornrows, or Afro ethnic attire that spat on me, called me evil slurs, or physically assaulted me: as a matter of fact, they have been the most likely to offer help, or smile, in hostile situations. If they have changed their lifestyle by rejecting Western fashions and culture themselves, and being ostracized by their own for it, my problem is not with them. Now, they expect hostility from Black people...We need a better strategy in pinpointing the 'enemy', and stop over-intellectualizing the superficial whims of the fashion industry.
Aliah C: There are plenty of black women that naturally have straight hair so.... his ignorance can miss me.
Nibiru The Cat: A bit of topic.... i was in subway about 6 months ago. The lady who served me told me how much she loved my stretches. I was wearing tribal glass spirals. I was very honoured by the compliment and told her how much i adored her beautiful box braids and how i loved the little silver tubes she had attached. They were stunning! Her face dropped and demeanor changed instantly. "You aren't aloud to comment on my hair" she said handing me my spare change and turning away. A few days later a woman passed me and mocked me " oooo my god ! I looove your hair" insert mocking voice. It must have been her mother, and she must have recognised me because of my ear jewellery which is very uncommon in Northern Ireland. Her daughter was clearly so offended by my compliment she went home upset....My question is.....how is it offensive to give someone a compliment on something you think is beautiful? I was taken a back. So many women say we were forced to change our hair to fit with white culture, we were berated. Well I got berated for telling you how beautiful you are...... CONFUSED!
Trice G-#blackwomenmatter: Marc Jacobs is reducing us.
Kay E: Keep the commentary coming Ms. Kimberly! Thank you.
Cierra L.: I just found your channel and I am so glad I did! love this video
Sherese Nicole: Girl.... Im binge watching all of your vids! ❤️
Ashley Daniels: We can be fired for our natural hair
sirblkalot: #righton #spoton truly one of the most consciously sound responses that i have heard thus far surrounding this issue.
Chirimoya08: YES! Everything you said!!!
MeeLuu MeelOO: Well said!
MD SALMON: #BOYCOTTMARCJACOBS. This shows how entitled he feels to his white privilege. He did the same thing last year calling the bantu knots he put on models mini buns!
margaret G: the conversation on dreadlocks is for both Africans and Asians actually. The representation of various deities in India Hinduism...krisha, ram etc they were donning dreadlocks; the Holy men/spiritual healers at the Ganges river. dreadlocks was more than a fashion statement. it was a statement of one's stature in society and was usually worn by the spiritual leaders in Africa and Asia. now dreadlocks is a commercial hairstyle
BROSE BUD: I love your channel sooo much!! I am subscribed!!
lmarichardson1: Great channel. I subscribed. Keep the videos coming :) Also, loving your lipstick in this video. What is the color?
Taylor the natural: hold up though, I use kinky to describe 4c hair, my hair.
Petite bantu: brilliantly said!
MS SAVANNAH: I loved this.
Isii: Slapping slowly... u right. I am a new YouTuber and I just did a video on black women and mental health and I know it's not same as this topic here, but when u have time do check it out Thanks
Gabe Supe: Youre right. Hair is important and so is the truth.
Enas Abdalla: You look beautiful!!!! Love that Lippie. Thank you for the video !!!!!
Samaritan's Lessons: Agreed!
MsZhelin: Slow Clap, YAAAASSSSS
smarathi1: All I'm saying is screw what society thinks how we women wear our natural hair I'm saying is it's our human right to wear our hair how ever we want to wear it and other ppl should mind their own buisness I think it's about time we women stand as a united front a stand up to those who appose if our lord and Father in heaven gave us our natural hair weather it's naturally curly wavy straight we all should be proud of it and let loose and wear it al natural we women are not slaves to What ever society thinks how we should wear our hair and Guess what it's ok to wear your hair natural I've done it many times and don't give a rat ass what ppl think of my natural hair it's my hair I'll do what I please with it no matter what stand your ground sisters we are not toys to play with we are human beings with feelings and emotions so I say screw society . I love my frizzy curly hair and sometimes it's great to Let loose be free and not give a rat ass what society thinks
The Mission Of Submission: Who cares what Marc Jacobs does... honestly?
davistl0119:
blacksmartie: Late to the party. But I had to point out the fact that black people CAN and DO have naturally straight hair. So his comments are doubly ignorant.
Shane B: Hispanics, Indians, asian and Africans all can be born with straight hair lol
Alexa Reynoso: This is off topic but what lipstick are you wearing
Monique Hill: Im sorry, I DO NOT WANT STRAIGHT HAIR. And for the record, THERE ARE BLACK WOMEN THAT HAAAVVVEEE STRAIGHT HAIR. We grow ALLLL KINDS OF HAIR, & black people that do not know this STUDY YOUR HISTORY, do research! Blacks have many shades and YES, we have different HAIR TEXTURES AS WELL
Louisa Chalarca: The moral toddlerism in the comments
kimberry2010: *Holy Ghost Dance*
Lordpraisethe: NEW SUBSCRIBER
CofeWithCream: BW love to b offended at EVERYTHING, he is going to do something else and believe me he is going to b ready with a response.
ghost q: Marc jackobs is Jewish his culture met Africans 4000 years ago when Queen sheba came to his ancestors land israel. What slavery r you talking about?
*The Wild Mochi*: Do dreads belong to blacks? My guy friend who is Mexican American ( really really curly hair) was growing out his hair and assuming this part came from him being a guy was only brushing the top of his hair so the hair on the nape of his neck dread naturally! Umm is that cultural appropriation? Like what if he liked it and stopped brushing the rest of his hair, he can’t let it naturally dread cuz he’s not black? Is a legit question, is dreads ok only for blacks?
El Chefe: Who, exactly, are you to decide the topics on that Mr. Jacobs is allowed to speak?
Daystop Pol: You're the reason facism grow atm , focus on real issues.
BIBBO: Dreads originated in Northern Europe and Icelandic Tribes, then the hair style eventually made its way to middle eastern and African countries through trade. And don’t get me wrong, don’t claim something is yours if it isn’t, don’t claim to be something you aren’t and don’t treat people differently just because they aren’t the same as you and your culture BUT braids are in a lot of cultures not just African Culture, People thinking that only African Cultures and communities can have braids of some sort stop other people from embracing their own culture because they get cancelled and berated(which shouldn’t happen to anybody)(from my own experience) because people don’t believe them when they say it’s apart of their cultural identity and history
dave rockbne: This is why black women stay single.