{"id":21370,"date":"2021-05-04T14:01:15","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T14:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=21370"},"modified":"2021-05-04T16:12:59","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T16:12:59","slug":"justin-bieber-hair-appropriation","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/justin-bieber-hair-appropriation\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Bieber&#8217;s Latest Misappropriation Isn&#8217;t Just About Hair"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_21662\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21662\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignfull -width\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignfull-width size-large wp-image-21662\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/05\/justin-bieber-locs-hair.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber \" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-21662\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber (Photo: Hollywood To You\/Star Max\/GC Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/justin-bieber-hailey-baldwin-marriage-trust-issues\/\">Justin Bieber<\/a>\u00a0unveiled his brand-new hairdo <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> brassy brown and black-colored locs <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> alongside his wife, Hailey, in an Instagram post (captioned &#8220;Back in action&#8221; at that), it didn&#8217;t take long until he was called out for cultural appropriation. Locs are <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a hairstyle that is culturally significant to the <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/documentaries-films-black-history-month\/\">African American community but<\/a> this isn\u2019t his first foray into appropriation\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COGUsXenlYx\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COGUsXenlYx\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COGUsXenlYx\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dreadlocks are culturally known as a symbol of spiritual asceticism, socio-political resistance and Rastafarianism, but previously, in 2016, The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Peaches<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> singer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/nylawissa\/justin-bieber-calls-his-dreadlocks-weird-and-im-over-it\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">responded to backlash over donning the style<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by noting, \u201cbeing weird is fun.\u201d Subsequently addressing fans who accused him of capitalizing off of Black culture, Bieber told Big Sean <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion\/2016\/apr\/05\/justin-bieber-dreadlocks-cultural-appropriation-black-pride\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in a now-deleted video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u201c\u2018You want to be Black\u2019 and all of that stuff people say. I\u2019m like, \u2018It\u2019s just my hair.\u2019\u201d The exacerbated privilege yielded to white celebrities allows racial identity theft to casually roam in their insular bubbles of elitism with little to no impact on their lives of luxury. Even after years of appropriating and being called out for it, the Kardashian family still touts <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/04\/09\/business\/dealbook\/kardashian-skims.html#:~:text=Kardashian%20West%20said.,to%20%24300%20million%20this%20year\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a lucrative billion-dollar business<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fashionista.com\/2016\/03\/kylie-lip-kit-traffic\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">record-shattering brand sales<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and a seemingly formidable <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/khloe-kardashian-unedited-photo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">empire built on social acclaim<\/a>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COIWzT9nb5Y\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COIWzT9nb5Y\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/COIWzT9nb5Y\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What the pop star remains obstinately callous to is the disparate experience people color face \u2014 namely, Black people \u2014 when wearing ethnic hairstyles, and unfortunately at the intersection of racial discrimination and oppression, they aren\u2019t able to casually say, \u201cIt\u2019s just my hair.\u201d In Texas, Black high schoolers with locs were barred from graduation and faced indefinite in-school suspension over <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2020\/08\/18\/texas-school-dreadlocks-ban\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">school district grooming policies that banned their hairstyle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. An Alabama woman, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2018\/4\/18\/17242788\/chastity-jones-dreadlock-job-discrimination\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chastity Jones<\/a> was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlabor.org\/fighting-workplace-hairstyle-discrimination-an-explainer\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">penalized in 2010 for her locs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> after wearing them to a job interview that would later rescind her offer over the common misbelief that the style \u201ctends to get messy.\u201d Even, Zendaya faced racially-charged comments on her waist-length faux-locs after gracing the red carpet at the 2015 Oscars and hearing then-<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">E! News <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">host<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guiliana Rancic candidly point out the style looks like \u201cshe smells like patchouli oil and weed.\u201d With blinding examples of the stark contrast in experience, the 27-year-old simply still may refuse to understand. Years ago, he <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elle.com\/culture\/celebrities\/news\/a29304\/kylie-jenner-instagram-justin-bieber\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">fiercely defended Kylie Jenner against Amandla Stenberg<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> who pointed out her cornrows and overlined plump lips. But hey, I guess birds of appropriation flock together, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">righ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">t?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bieber\u2019s younger years in the industry flaunt a large Black standom and Usher acted as his mentor, so his inability to comprehend his wrongdoings while in such proximity to Black culture only heightens the severity of it all. Over the summer reckoning of 2020, the musician promised to use his platform to amplify marginalized voices and earnestly fight to dismantle structural racism in the nation. In a poignant Instagram post, he wrote, \u201cI am inspired by Black culture. I have benefited off of Black culture. My style, how I sing, dance, perform and my fashion have been influenced by Black culture.\u201d He continued, \u201cI am committed to using my platform from this day forward to learn, to speak up about racial injustice and systemic oppression, and to identify ways to be part of much needed change.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CBHAQiUn1MV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CBHAQiUn1MV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CBHAQiUn1MV\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now, with the revival of his locs, these vows feel as toothless as press statements from brands who made empty statements with aims to &#8220;do better&#8221; with no tangible actions to follow. This thread of shallow activism has even followed Bieber to the release of his sixth studio album <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Justice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in March. The pop album, filled with lustful ballads, opens to the civil rights luminary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reciting one of his most lauded quotes: \u201cInjustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.\u201d Later in the album, \u201cMLK Interlude,\u201d a truncated version of King&#8217;s sermon, &#8220;But If Not,&#8221; is wedged between wistful tunes of love. Listeners of the album <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/articles\/columns\/pop\/9548831\/justin-bieber-addresses-mlk-interlude-justice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">critiqued the MLK snippets<\/a> as an exploitative use of the legacy of a leader who endured civil strife to lazily tell his audience that he aligns with \u201cthe movement.\u201d In her Pitchfork review, music pundit Rawiya Kameir <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/justin-bieber-justice\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">writes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that in an era of turning Dr. King into a \u201cconvenient accessory\u201d it is \u201cespecially jarring to hear King\u2019s exhortation for radical sacrifice juxtaposed with a song about being horny enough to walk through fire.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bieber later <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/articles\/columns\/pop\/9548831\/justin-bieber-addresses-mlk-interlude-justice\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">explained<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that it was all in an effort \u201cto continue the conversation of what justice looks like so we can continue to heal.\u201d However, in the grand scheme of the intergenerational healing that the Black community shoulders, a one minute and 44-second interlude does for more Bieber\u2019s personal gratification than the movement at large, just like his coif. The ability of non-POC to purport a commitment to the betterment of marginalized folks while simultaneously participating in behavior that reflects the direct opposite is a phenomenon that will exist until repercussions are immediate and long-lasting. Justin Bieber\u2019s appropriation leaves no one aghast, and the reality that it is undoubtedly here to stay is a hard one to adjust to.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29094,"featured_media":21662,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[30,38,16],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.5 (Yoast SEO v20.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Justin Bieber&#039;s Latest Misappropriation Isn&#039;t Just About Hair<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Justin Bieber is being called out for appropriation for wearing his hair in &quot;locs,&quot; but this isn&#039;t about a hairstyle \u2013 this is bigger than the singer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/justin-bieber-hair-appropriation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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