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Justin Bieber looks unrecognizable now, and his shocking new look is stirring up some serious controversy. Bieber debuted his new hairstyle on Instagram, but not everyone was happy to see the transformation. In recent photos, Bieber is sporting dreadlocks, leading to many accusations of cultural appropriation.
This is not exactly a new conversation. Writer and speaker Feminista Jones explained the significance of dreadlocks and how they tie into cultural appropriation to CNN back in 2016. “Cultural appropriation is about the power dynamic. When people with power and privilege decide to ‘validate’ customs and traditions that oppressed people have long been marginalized for by saying ‘This is the hot new thing,’ then we have serious problems. Or when they refuse to credit the people who innovated those styles or traditions, but claim them as original ideas, then we get into appropriation,” she said.
Jones continued, “Showing love for something awesome and doing so with respect to the culture is appreciation and I don’t see problems with that, for the most part. I do think white people have to be mindful of their privilege, though, and think twice before hopping on the newest ‘trend,’ especially if it clearly borrows from disenfranchised people.”
With that in mind, check out the latest photos of Bieber below:
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Fans did not hold back when commenting on his latest look. One on Instagram wrote, “This one could’ve stayed in the drafts.” Another replied, “Oh noooo honey, that ain’t gon work.”
However, some felt the situation was being blown out of proportion. A comment saying “omg let him do whatever he wants with his hair” racked up over 3,000 likes from similarly-minded fans.
