Chris Drew (PhD)

Yes, if a white person wears box braids, then they are likely to be accused of cultural appropriation. This is because the hairstyle has deep roots in the cultures of enslaved people and black people who wear them these days often wear them as an expression of cultural identity. For white people to adopt this […]

Hairstyles, especially braids, walk a thin line between being fashionable and being inappropriate. Hairstyles like cornrows and box braids are inarguably parts of black culture and wearing them if you aren’t a part of that culture is considered cultural appropriation. However,wearing Dutch braids is usually not considered cultural appropriation.  Since Dutch braids are so similar

No, waist beads are not usually considered cultural appropriation. However, this depends on several factors. For one thing, it depends on whether or not the wearer understands the culture and history behind the beads. Along with that, if the waist beads have been purchased from an African business and the wearer supports black businesses, then

Yes, dreadlocks are often seen as cultural appropriation when worn by Caucasian people due to their deep connection to African culture. Extensive scholarly research[1,2,3,4] demonstrates how, in the American context, dreadlocks have been worn as a symbol of black resistance, and the wearing of dreadlocks has been punished accordingly by the white majority against the

It is generally not considered cultural appropriation to wear a kimono as a non-Japanese person. However, this answer does depend on the circumstance in which you are wearing it. Kimonos are a great example of the fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation –how you wear it will be the main factor in determining

Simply practicing basic yoga is not likely to make you the target of accusations of cultural appropriation. However,some aspects of the spiritual practices surrounding yoga may cross the line into cultural appropriation if done insensitively. In the West, the term “yoga” is often only considered to be a routine of poses and stretches aimed to