Watch Lupita, Karrueche & More Discuss Braids & Cultural Appropriation

Very recently, there was an uproar all over social media about Kim Kardashian referring to her braids as 'Bo Derek braids' and you can imagine how everyone felt about it. If it's not clear to you why that was such a problem, this documentary by Elle titled Braided on braids and cultural appropriation will do the trick

Elle gets Lupita Nyong'o, Karrueche Tran, Young M.A and other renowned celebrity hairstylists to unpack the issue of cultural appropriation in America and why it's such a problem in this documentary. They discuss how Bo Derek entirely whitewashed cornrows in a bid to seem different and gain more popularity as an actress, which is similar to what we face with the Kardashians today. 

Speaking about the importance of braids as black cultural identity, Ayana Byrd said:

"For black women in particular: however we look, we are not going to look white which is always the ideal in pop culture, in the media and in political debates.

Everywhere you turn, the ideal is not what we look like. So to have this as something that is ours and that we own is amazing."

Braided presents an entertaining, political and historical look at the braids. It explains that there is more to braids than just a hairstyle, and why appropriation is so annoying. In today's world, it is imperative that one is super careful about their actions because everyone is sensitive and angry - and rightfully so.

You can watch the informative documentary right here: