Kim Kardashian is being accused of "cultural appropriation" because of her baby hair
29 January 2019, 12:22
"Why is Kim Kardashian so simple minded? Kim, *whispers* you know you're not black right?!"
People are accusing Kim Kardashian of appropriating black culture… again. The Keeping Up With The Kardashian star posted a video of herself modelling gelled down "edges" or baby hairs, a hairstyle which is generally attributed to the black community.
In case you didn't know, baby hairs are those small, finer hairs that sit along the hairline. Styling baby hairs is thought to have started in the '70s, before a revival in the 90s with R&B stars like Missy Elliot and Chilli from TLC. However, the style has always been considered by some people as 'ghetto' and 'low class'.
Now, people – like Kim – have tried to make them high fashion. Katy Perry received backlash when she attempted to rock baby hairs in her "This Is How We Do" video in 2014. Meanwhile, the style has also been used on the runway by luxury brands like John Paul Gaultier, DKNY and Givenchy.
Kim posted a video on Snapchat in the car with her daughter, North West. "Alright guys, look at these edges," she said, showing them off for the camera. Little North also appeared to have a similar hairstyle too.
Of course, this isn't the first time Kim has been accused of "cultural appropriation". From her exaggerated curves to her "Bo Derek" braids, Kim and her sisters are always being slammed for stealing and capitalising off of black culture.
People were pressed that Kim was at it again, especially because she had no baby hairs to speak of. In fact, they were full blown adult hairs.
This is what she looks like pic.twitter.com/ISrc5kQHaG
— vee . (@vee6ixx) January 28, 2019
Why is @KimKardashian so simple minded? KIM you did that baby’s edges backwards. ALSO, you don’t have edges. ::whispers:: you know you’re not black right?!
— .::toni::. 🇵🇷 (@o0Antonia0o) January 28, 2019
I’m surprised it took her this long to do this shit pic.twitter.com/W11HUOStvr
— Zoey (@zoeyy227) January 28, 2019
— positiveVibrations✨ (@biancatatum_) January 28, 2019
Oh Kim Girl... pic.twitter.com/DZvGKOG3om
— الذهاب تألق (@Trilly_Ano) January 27, 2019
However, some thought it was an overreaction.
The fact that the media is tripping because Kim Kardashian styled her edges... y’all cannot be serious 🤯
— . (@shighanigga) January 28, 2019
So Kim Kardashian not allowed to do her edges ?
— Finesse Goddess 🦄 (@_kayepee) January 28, 2019
Stay woke, we have women who wear edge control ; dissing @KimKardashian for wearing edge control ; probably just water pic.twitter.com/mXeaboyU8n
— The Celebrity Writer, Boatswain 🔥👁 (@TheEliteSoulGod) January 28, 2019
I’ve now noticed black peoples complain about shit too much . Y’all really having a crying meltdown about how kim Kardashian did her edges . I have to scream
— ✨💛 (@iamteeiam) January 29, 2019
lollll let Kim Kardashian have the swirly baby hairs if she want em, hell half you heffas edges be manufactured anyway
— Dominique (@Mr_InjeanYus) January 28, 2019
Ironically, Kim actually lasered off her baby hairs years ago – anything for fashion - however, she actually regretted her decision. "I lasered my baby hairs off years ago, because my forehead had all these little baby hairs, and I would always break out because of them," she wrote on her website kimkardashianwest.com, back in 2016.
"I also lasered my neck because I had such a hairy neck. Every photographer would photoshop them out anyway, and I thought I looked better without the baby hairs, but now I miss them."
She added: "I think they look youthful! So ladies, you can always laser your hairline, but I miss mine."