Kim Kardashian hopped onto Snapchat on January 28 and revealed that she got a new hairstyle over weekend: thin, long, blonde braids with beads attached to the end of each. Kim likened the hairstyle to Bo Derek‘s ‘do in the 1970s flick 10, and there is a definite resemblance. The problem here is that Bo didn’t originate that hairstyle. It was, and is, an appropriation of Fulani braids, or cornrows, a hairstyle worn by black women.
Obviously, Kim is not black. That’s why many women on Twitter are frustrated by Kim wearing the braids and crediting them to a white actress whose hair was considered problematic when she did it. Some women found Kim’s decision to rock the braids offensive, saying they believe she’s tone deaf and ignorant. They also pointed out that she has a black husband (Kanye West), and three black children.
“Can someone tell her to stop appropriating our culture cause Kanye clearly ain’t,” one woman tweeted. “Kim Kardashian on snap talking bout her Fulani braids are “Bo-Derek braids”, while she got 3 black children I CANT tonight,” tweeted another. More pointed out that black women are often discriminated against in the workplace and elsewhere for wearing their hair in braids. If a wealthy white woman like Kim does it, it has no effect on her.
This is far from the first time that the Kardashian/Jenners have been accused of cultural appropriation. Kylie Jenner once flaunted cornrows on Instagram, while Khloe Kardashian had a phase where she wore “boxer braids.” Both Kim and Kylie have been accused of allegedly darkening their skin in photoshoots, Kylie for a 2015 shoot, and Kim for a KKW contouring promo. Even if not her intent, you would think that Kim would stop before wearing any controversial hairstyles at this point.
Kim Kardashian got on Fulani braids and called them “Bo Derek” braids. These why culture appropriation trash. Also, how many times is that family gonna get dragged for them to stop appropriating other people’s culture. This why Beyonce don’t like her stiff lips ass. pic.twitter.com/Nd2NHt7aOB
— im LITRALLY BLACK 🇭🇹 (@babesofyolo) January 29, 2018
first of all, fuck you @KimKardashian for wearing cornrows and calling them "Boderrick braids". second of call fuck you again for crediting the creation of "boderrick braids" to a white woman who was culturally appropriating cornrows to begin with.
— poet (@poeticsoulinme) January 29, 2018
https://twitter.com/oluwablk/status/957156632236052480
Kim Kardashian on snap talking bout her Fulani braids are “Bo-Derek braids”, while she got 3 black children I CANT tonight 🙃😑
— Eliza Bennet (@smASHing_hearts) January 29, 2018
At this point … they know what they’re doing. They know it’s wrong . They don’t live under a rock. And btw @KimKardashian , they’re called Fulani braids . https://t.co/yIIZ9eF1Ya
— Á🕷🕸 (@_a_pearl) January 29, 2018
im so tired with the whole kim kardashian does something ignorant, black women tell her, she feigns innocence and apologizes, and repeats the whole cycle 2 months later IM T I R E D pic.twitter.com/LWe8r2IyUa
— ricky minaj says to #EndSARS (@queeneeks) January 29, 2018
YOU CANNOT TAKE SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER CULTURE GIVE IT A NEW NAME AND ACT LIKE YOU INVENTED THATS NOT HOW IT WORKS pic.twitter.com/75LFkNjlus
— ricky minaj says to #EndSARS (@queeneeks) January 29, 2018
braids are very important part of black culture and black women are literally persecuted for it in the workplace every. fucking. day. don’t tell us it’s not that serious when it literally costs us our livelihood. pic.twitter.com/OAAvGaMIdN
— ricky minaj says to #EndSARS (@queeneeks) January 29, 2018
They are called Fulani braids or some may even say corn rows. You could of called them either one but you called them "Bo derek" giving credit to a white woman for a black style knowing you already catch heat for culture vulturing. #KimKardashian #culturalvul pic.twitter.com/aIF4NzJ9rw
— ✨💁🏽♀️Stay Woke💁🏽♀️✨ (@Teenagenature) January 29, 2018
Fucking Kim Kardashian and her braids….. g o o d b y e
— keke (@mtvkyle) January 29, 2018
Kim Kardashian said she got "Bo Derek braids." She is 100% out here trolling Black women. You can't convince me otherwise. pic.twitter.com/LZeh4f8BqH
— Tina Vasquez (@TheTinaVasquez) January 29, 2018
HollywoodLifers, what are your thoughts on Kim’s hairstyle? Let us know!