Wear your hair any old way you please and any old way you can without getting fired.

That should go for everyone. Why single out whites. If a person is dirty, no matter what race, I don't want them serving my pizza. Not everyone wears dreads for the resons that are listed. People need to live their own lives and not be concerned with how someone else is living theres. Unless it affects you directly then mind your own business

I am not an expert on dreadlocks. However, why should they only symbolize Africa or Jamaica? Dreadlocks are referenced in the Bible in Numbers 6 where the nazarite wouldn't cut their hair as part of a vow they would take for holiness. There's a story about a nazarite who had all his miraculous power in his hair and when it was cut off he was weakened.

I see dreadlocks as a major decision. They are a burden to make and take care of and anyone who has the patience for them is someone to respect. Restricting a certain hair style to a certain skin tone doesn't get rid of the notion of race, it encourages it.

Saving water from taking showers sparingly does make a difference in the world. The kind of dirt that you find on the human body is not the kind that is going to ruin a pizza. It might make it taste better. Our hygiene standards in this 1st world country are ridiculous and selfish.

I am sorry for the past, but it isn't happening now. What do you think of the phrase, "all healing is release from the past"?

I had to look up the word iconoclast. That is a person who breaks popular ideas or traditional institutions. When a graduate student, such as my roommate, teaches her undergraduates something in her TA section with her dreadlocks but also with her intelligence, I do think that is breaking some old ideas and institutions. She is doing it with her body, the thing that a lot of people refuse to look past. The culturally constructed problem of race is the refusal to look past the skin. Perhaps because my roommate's hair is something you wouldn't expect and contradictory to her role in society, it forces those who wouldn't otherwise, to look past her body in order to understand her.

white ppl should not wear dreads!!!

What is "white?"

If there is any one thing everyone should learn from the Race exhibit it is everyone on this planet (regardless of skin color) is originally from Africa; therefore we all can whatever we want.

I look at dreads as a way of self-expression, or take it just as the person is. You either don't have the means to wash your hair and comb it everyday. Or you choose to have it look that way for whatever reason that may be. But I think as far as what it means and what it stands for is up to the individual to seek out. True, some people who walk around with dreads don't really grasp what it stands for, and others have an idea. But rather then reprimand them for not 'looking past your own nose' just come out and tell them the history if they don't already know. Whether they choose to heed it or not as completely up to them. Self-expression can either go as far your body or as far your mind. Let it be to that individual to make whatever statment they wish.  

After reading this article I totally disagree with the author, Olivia M. I knew before reading the article that I strongly disagreed. The article on the other hand should read White. People. Should. Be. Able. To. Wear. Dreads. I do believe wearing dreads is going back to the natural state of things. Wearing dreads may not look liberal, but it definitly does not look stupid.

I do not view wearing dreads as an excuse to not bathe. People who wear dreads can be clean people of any race. White or black anyone should be able to wear their hair the way they please. Why should Jamacain or African people only be allowed to wear dreads? People who look down on others who wear dreads are not ending racism, they are favoring racism. The author of this article does not answer this question. From my own experience I have been served pizza or any kind of food from dirtier people without dreads. Wearing dreads does not make you a dirty person. Getting rid of your cell phone does not make one feel as if they are going back to the natural state. Wearing dreads may not be in the natural state either in some opinions. The person wearing their hair this way is their own decision. After reading other comments regarding this article I would have to say Jennifer Wolfs comment about her TA wearing dreads and not taken seriously left me thinking. I may not have a TA or a professor who wears dreads, but I certaintly would not belittle their intelligence and teachings.

I don't agree with that at all. If you want dreads, then you have every right to have them. By saying that only certain people can have dreads and others can you are simply creating one more separation between people. Isn't the whole point to realize that we are all one in the same??

People, have you ever lived in a community full of white people and dreads?  It's disgusting because it's so self-satisfying.  And I have yet to meet any white person ever with dreads who wasn't so over privileged that it was beyond ironic.  

Why would having dreads, as a "white" person or otherwise, exclude you from doing great things?  If hair, as you say, is not the best way "to subvert the dominant paradigm" then why are you using it as a symbol for a number of assumptions about the wearer.  Judging what people DO and how they THINK is more complex than judging the way they LOOK.

Locking your hair is a religious, cultural, and/or political statement.  Black people created the cultural and religious movement of Rastafarianism.  Bob Marley was a Rasta and ended up popularizing dreadlocks (It wasn't always cool to be Jamaican in the US, and Dreads weren't always respected in Jamaica).  So when people of another background wear their hair in dreads, black people have the right to be offended by the appropriation of their symbols.  

You can't act like dreadlocks have no historical setting.  Dreadlocks symbolize among many things a way of life in resistance to society at large which kills black people in fast and slow ways.  For a person of the oppressor class (regardless of their character and actions) to lock their hair, looks like false solidarity with only visual knowledge of the person.  (And we tend not to engage beyond this level because we have so many stereotypes in our unequal society.  We join in on the misguided frameworks of discussion started by the media and let people divide and conquer us.)  For the oppressed, racism has given them wounds and an acute understanding of the way society works.  The oppressor has the luxury of discussing race theoretically with very little pain involved or repercussion.  

So if you're saying a way for us to connect now is by sharing symbols, sharing ways of life, that's not enough.  There has to be justice before we can do that.  There has to be respect for the culture, not romanticism.  

If you have the impulse to lock your hair, first work to dismantle the racist systems in our society by affecting the people in your life, by  organizing...  

This site was created to show that people of all colors, white or not, are not made differently. We are all made out of the same substances with the same origin. Therefore, if one is white, black, latino, asian- whatever, the way people do their hair is a way of making themselves unique. So if you are offended by the way a person tries to make themselves unique, you are practically advocating that certain people can't be unique because of their skin color. It doesn't make sense. Hopefully, Olivia M., you do not really believe this and just posted this for the sake of pushing readers to actively participate in the blog.

What if people want to wear dreads because it looks good on them or they think it's cool not because of awareness of a certain race. Anyone is free to express themselves anyways they want to. I do agree that people should be more open and willing to travel and learn about another ethnicity or race and their culture. I also agree that everyone should be able to give and lend a helping hand to the less fortunate. I do however disagree with getting rid of the cellphones because cellphones are extremely necessary now. There are no payphones anymore. Besides what if there is an emergency and you are stuck in the middle of nowhere? What are you going to do???

You are putting way too much weight and meaning in a hair style. If dreads mean anything then what does a braid mean? What does a bun or french twist mean? And if some group of people get together attach a meaning and all wear their hair in buns does that mean no one else outside that group should wear their hair that way? Out of respect? Please. Dreads were present in every race and every time way before the rastas existed. You are the one who is selfish and not looking past your own nose. There's a global world out there and it's no longer possible for anyone to do anything that hasn't been done before by someone else. No one owns a hairstyle. IT'S JUST HAIR!

This "white people can't wear dreads" is just as rascist an idea as "only black people can wear dreads". Tell that to the celts, vikings, indians, asians, egyptians, aboriginies, and pacific islanders. All these people wore dreads WAY before rastafarianism was concieved.

Also dreads don't equal dirty and it's not a dirty hairstyle. If anyone's dirty with dreads it's cause they don't bathe not because they wear dreads. You talk like a person can take a shower, sit down, and have dreads put in their hair, and as soon as they stand they are filthy. That's not logical thinking. That's prejiduced ignorance. Don't talk about people not educating themselves before doing or saying something when you yourself obviously know nothing about it.

Also I have seen very filthy disgusting people around and in restaraunts and not a single one of them wore dreads.

So, the initial comment that started this entire session is ludicrous.  I'm sure you think that blacks shouldn't wear relaxers.  Of course you do, I'm sure you wouldn't want to risk the chance of being a hipocrit.  The origin of dreads dates back as far as numbers 6:5 in the bible when the Nazarites of the biblical days refuse to cut their hair because they dedicated themselves to a seperate life and to pure and holy living.  Then you go over to Japan and you have the Rasta Buddhists who sucribe to the belief systems of both ancient buddhism and modern Rastafarianism, which are two philosophies that we would with our American underlying seperates way of thinking would never imagine could be combined.  The idea that only one group of people should not embrace not only a idea but a outlook and a conviction is like saying only Europeans should have access to Christianity.  Sure, maybe they exposed other cultures to it, but it doesn't prevent me from relating and embracing the perspective.  I believe that when something is powerful, truly powerful such as wanting to return to the unsophisticated way of creation living then it can be imbraced by all people.  

I think people say white people should not wear dreads or white people that wear dreads are in someway dirty, don’t really know much about the history of locks.  Dreadlocks can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and India, and it is even said that early followers of the Celtic religion wore dreads, as well as Vikings, Greeks and Aztecs.  To say that white people that wear dreads are trying to identify with African or Caribbean traditions is not necessarily true; they could just be trying to identify with their own cultural traditions.  I think that when most people see locks they automatically think of Rastafarians who wear dreads because of religious reasons and most Rastafarians are Jamaican, so most would take this as white people trying to identify with African or Caribbean  culture.  

In all honesty I think most whites that wear dreads, wear them because they just want to follow style and trends.  I mean most people look to music and media for the next big thing in clothes, hair and just fashion in general, locks became really popular in the seventies and the eighties when reggae music became popular, because most reggae singers had dreads most people just wanted to be like their favorite singer, also dreads have become popular among punk rock bands.  Like I said I don’t think most people are trying to Identify with any cause I just think they are trying to be trendy, weather or not you agree with the trend is your choice.  

I feel that there is too much weight being put on a hair style, but looking at the history of the hairstyle it is unfair to say that whites that wear dreads are trying to be this or trying to be that.  I also feel that it is a stereotype to say that all white people that wear dreads are dirty and use having dreads as a reason not to bathe.  For the white people that wear dreads to try to identify with something that they are not, they should try to learn the origin of and history behind the hairstyle and the culture that they are trying to represent.  Everybody should remember at the end of the day its just hair cut it off, wear it short, wear it long, whatever you want I just feel hair is an expression of creativity.

“Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person? Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Does way I wear my hair determine my integrity, I am expressing my creativity.”  

-India.Arie

It seems that hair is such a big deal to people and I don't really understand why. Dreads can be worn by anyone and it is ridiculous to think that people have them so they do not have to bathe. It makes me sad to hear stories about people not getting jobs because their hair is worn a certain way. Who decided that the “normal” way to wear you hair is actually the norm. Everyone is born with different types of hair and yes you can alter your hair by perming and coloring, but why?

The question, “Should White People Wear Dreads?” goes much deeper than whites wearing dreads. It shows how stereotypical are nation really is. Any race can wear dreads, but there is always going to be people who feel otherwise. If Einstein wore dreads, would that have made him any less intelligent?

Dreads are not african. They where a jamaican burrowing from INDIAN (India) culture - like ganja.

By that account, the black man could be accused of thieving too...

The white man is not the lone one there.

"There has to be justice before we can do that."

To everybody defending the "right" of white people to wear dreads, re-read the above sentence.  Then, re-read it again.  And again and again.

people should be able to wear THEIR hair however they want.  there are bigger issues in the world than worrying about how someone else wears their hair.  who is to say that dread locks are just for people of color.  in that case straight hair should only be seen on white people. i don't see white people making an issue about people relaxing and straightening non-white hair.

 Ok what does anything have to do with "WHITE PEOPLE"? Everyone borrowed the style.Its a hair Stle get over it.How would any of you guys like it if yall were singled out thats like saying African americans cant wear Hollister .....Hello its called self expression! I dont care who you are where your from or care about your skin color....Yall need to grow up and face it that white people are going to wear dreds...Its not a black thing or yellow or blue thing. People like to express  themselfs with dreds so yall can just chill out with that segragation...and let people have any type of hair they want...

isn't this supposed to be about being against racism? Besides, you are what you make yourself, not what others make you. Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, Asian, whatever you may be, it shouldn't really matter what you are as long as it makes you happy. The only people that really care about how you look is the people who don't even know the real you that you, your friends, and your family know of.

Why do people think the way you have your hair has to relate to your religious or cultural background? Is that like saying black people can't straighten their hair? Seriously. Dreads look good, i say go nuts and do whatever you want with your hair.

this blog is pure ignorance, i don't have dreads and i don't care if anyone has dreads but most people i know who have dreads arn't dirty and bath daily. Also dread locks actually need to be washed at least once a week. So they actually are not dirty. Its just a bunch of knotted hair. This just proves that people should do a little research before they slag something they have no real knowlege of.

Saying that dreadlocks formed in Jamaica or Africa is also foolish. Dread locks are knotted hair and they are formed by not COMBING the hair rather than not washing thus dread locks would pre-date combing thus dreads would've been seen across the ancient world not just in one geographical area.

racism i find is that crippling thing which is sooner or later going to result as a devastating factor for humanism.had ever mankind thought that we will fall to such an xtent where we will draw boundaries on the name of colour,caste or sex. but we had and still i find a whole lot boasting on it.we get such sort of examples during football matches or other form of sports.we in the 21st century are at the best stage of peace making process but still we witness constant struggle on the name of racism. a lot is needed to be done by us for its eradication.hoping for the world to become a better place to live in i m signing off.

Ya... OK... Maybe you should just remind yourself it is a HAIR STYLE. I can't even believe I have to say this. I can't believe you've posted this for me to respond to. Dreads don't belong to anyone, any culture, anything. Sure they originated with Egyptians and have been adopted by peoples such as Rastafarians (which at first they even considered dreads to be against the style of Haile Selassie I), but who is to say that this limits the hair style to being worn by them?  Like I said... it's just a way of wearing your hair. Who says you need a reason to have dreads? Who says it must be a part of your religious beliefs? Well, some people are just open-minded enough to realize that you can wear your hair how you want simply because you like the way it looks.

if a person wants to have actual dreads, they must wash their hair at least once a week. why? because hair gets oily if you dont wash it. if its oily, it wont lock. then you just look nasty and dirty with lank, oily hair.

it's hair get over it...

I am from Jamaica. I grew up there and London, and i now live in the US. I used to get upset when i first moved to America because when people found out where i was from (mostly white kids), they would make stupid and ignorant references as "Oh, your dad must have dreads and smoke pot right?" or my favourite "You must have been smoking pot since you came out of the womb-ha!" And so, I have mixed feelings about people (i dont CARE what colour you are) who wear dreads without knowing the significance and meaning it holds for a people who have been oppressed and are still oppressed. In Jamaica, our motto is "out of many, one people", so please don't try and imply that I am being racist, socialist - if anything call me proud and people-ist, or stretch it even further, Jamaicanist.

It holds alot of meaning as 'Helen Blodgett said on February 1, 2007 10:05 AM:' stated. And as long as i am not offending or being rude to anyone i can say that what she eloquently stated above is more or less how i feel. SO, when i do see someone who I KNOW is not from my heritage, yes i get defencive and wonder what is their motivation? Is it spiritual or are they doing it because they think it's cool. Alot of hippies of all walks of life do it for various spiritual and commonality reasons and that's cool. BUT dont pretend that there arent those people (regardless of cultural background or "race") that do it because "What monkey see, monkey do". There are, and of course it bothers me, and those who are like-minded because it HAS special significance to us, and they walk around as if it is the latest fashion statement. Just like the kids i went to Uni with who had Bob Marley posters in their room depicting him smoking pot. That would upset me too. Because that is, for the majority of people throughout the world (and you see this in movies too), all they associate him with. He was a political spokesman, and a musical revolutionary for his people, who before he became "famous" had already travelled the world to share his views. But, it wasn't until he created a new way so that those who originally ignored his music, started to listen, that it became cool to like Bob Marley, cool to wear dreads and smoke pot.

The poster/author of this post went about it a "racially" charged and "awkward" way, but she is only stating how ALOT of us feel.

No one who isnt associated with the significance and spirituality of what it means to have dreads, should wear them. Regardless of race.

What is the difference between a white person who wears dreads and a black person who wears? It should not be about color, but about their personality and the kind of person they are. Who are we to judge a person by the color of skin?

I am white (On my fathers side, my mother is mulatto) have dreads because I like them, and it works well for my hair type. I wash my hair often. I shower daily or every other day (I'm a father, sometimes I'm a little busy or tired to fit it in). They look quite good actually. I work for a newspaper, I have to be presentable, and I have no problem with that. Saying white people are not allowed to have dreadlocks is considered a "double standard".

Well, most of these comments are awesome, pointing out truth and facts about dreadlocks, cultures, societies, and history, now here's my opinion, and that's all THIS really is, is an opinion, a rather ugly and condemning one, but does it change anything? Does it make dreadlockers stop dreadlocking? You know, if you're located in America and you have multi-cultural people, you're going to share hairdos, just like you share clothes and food. Now, it's a free country, extended to all nations of this country that came here to be an American citizen, and so if white people want to wear their hair oddly, like a mohawk or a dreadlock or a cornrow, they should and they do, and there's nothing stopping them from it. By the way, I live the Bohemian lifestyle and I do not concede to society, *bleep* society. It can kiss my ever loving rump. As for this article, this person is narrow minded and should win the Ken Schram Award for stupidity.

what about braids? I'd be curious to hear how people of color feel about white folks wearing braids/"cornrows". if I was to do that as a white person, it would be for the sake of convenience, not to make any kind of a "statement". but I'm curious as to whether it's offensive to some?

I have dreadlocks, and I'm white.  I have thin and curly hair, so I used to backcomb it up in order to acheive volume.  When we had the big power outage here, and I was unable to wash my hair for 5 days, it ended up locking.  I tried desperately to comb it out, because of fear of "co-opting" another culture.  I brushed and brushed, but hair just kept breaking...and breaking...and breaking.  The dread would not unlock.  I thought, oh hell, keep the dreads.  The more hair that locks in, the thicker your hair will look.  Well, two years later, and my hair is finally fully dreaded.  I didn't approach it as a spiritual experience, but the experience has been absolutely spiritual.  Not combing your hair and watching it twist and turn and lock and shrink at its own pace is fascinating.  I guess beyond all this, I should just say that if any black person approached me about my dreadlocks, I would be more than willing to engage in dialogue with them about how it makes them feel, and why I have them, and what I think it represents, and on and on.  Rather than yelling across a computer screen, I think we need to talk to people who we feel are "different" from us.  Thanks to the person who quoted India.Arie earlier!  Now I'm thinking of lyrics from "Better People", also by her...  :)  This blog makes me rather uncomfortable as is, because I hate the idea of offending anyone...  But sadly, I'm not ready to cut my dreads.  I've watched them grow so much, and they're a part of me.  I'm also insecure about my face, and I can't deal with cutting off my hair, because then I can't hide my face.  Haha.  But yes, I will probably cut them one day.  I'm not necessarily attached, but I do like them.  Sometimes when I pull and twist on them, I feel little feelings of shock, and tingles up and down my spine...  I think it's awesome to not brush your hair, and think of all the power that's contained in that hair...  It's sucking up and locking in all the crazy energy of the universe, and that s*** hanging from your head.

Isn't there some Hindu (?) goddess whose dreadlocks possess all her sexual power?  

Here's some really good advice:

"Be an iconoclast – travel and learn a new culture’s mores – not just the symbols.

Express your solidarity – finance a potable water supply in Sudan.

Support unity – fight the American penal system."

Great, thank you Olivia M.  Now eat your words.  There are several references to the origins of the hairstyle we now call dreadlocks in the above comments.  This would be a wonderful example on going beyond the symbolism of dreadlocks.

Are you funding a water supply in Sudan?  Does this entitle you to have dreadlocks?  Are you rastafarian?  Do you think the American penal system targets ONLY black people?  Do you think black people are the only poor and oppressed people in your country?  Do you think this has anything to do with us over-privileged whities sporting a hairdo adopted by rastas in the 1930's?

The popularity of Bob Marley in the 1970's brought dreads into style through music and they have since become a style worn by North Americans for various personal reasons.  Considering that rastafarianism is a Jamaican movement, I am going to assume that that majority of black dread wearers in the states are not rasta, yet they don't seem to get much flack for locking their hair.  You can say it's a cultural thing, but that's a pretty fine line between a 'cultural' thing and a 'racist' thing, if neither 'cultures' are practicing a movement of a people intent on the liberation of Africa and freedom from slavery.

"The messages expounded by the Rastafari promote love and respect for all living things and emphasize the paramount importance of human dignity and self-respect. Above all else they speak of freedom from spiritual, psychological as well as physical slavery and oppression." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasta)

On that note, I'm going to slip on my birks, slap on some sunscreen and take a walk with my dreaded head held high above the oppressive views of those who judge me based on the color of my skin.

I can empathize with the author.(Dread)locks have become a "trend" and have lost their meaning. It used to be a sign/ symbol of black consciousness but I feel that because of hip hop and the growing number of rappers that sport them, young men have reducd it to just another fad. This is what I am observing in the black community. The whole point of wearing locks is to embrace "natural" hair. Most blacks have a tight curl pattern. I know that if I don't touch my hair it locks up on its own pretty quickly, but when you have to go to a salon and fry your hair and tease it and load it with beeswax, then guess what? It's not natural anymore and you're forcing your hair to do something that it wouldn'y naturally do thus defeating the essence of locks! A lot of white people go to these extremes just for dreadlocks. Personally, on the white people I've seen with them, it doesn't look "locked", just like a matted-up rat's nest. However, the more compact and tightly coaled they are, the more traditional they look. I have seen photos of locks that look very traditional on whites, but usually this is not the case. Olivia M., thanks for having the courage to voice how you feel, keep speaking and writing your mind.

Sarah might be considered "white" and wears dreads. She is quite clean. She has had the hair style for 10 years. She believes in the spiritual reason for dreads and that is why she wears the style. I was disappointed to see this topic on a site that is trying to educate people that there is only one race the human race. Sad.

I am white. I am a rastafarien. My tribal name is Iccsher. We all come from "mother Africa" no matter what skin color you are. I belive everyone should just see skin colors as differnt shades of gray.

You could make the point that dreads are a symbol of "black" culture that overpriveleged "white" people should not appropriate- at least not without first contributing a serious investment to changing real racial stereotypes and hatred in our society- without insulting people's hygeine and values.  Couldn't you?

By the way, Olivia, you are trying to police people with your anger on a website where you can not actually see the color of people's skin.  What paradigm are you trying to subvert here?  If you feel so strongly about it why not direct your insults to that pizza maker's face?  I'm sure he'd understand.

A racially hairy related issue, courtesy of the Village Voice:

http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0613,hunter,72673,15.html

While the term "white" is a bit difficult to define, I think it could easily be said that blond people should not wear dreads.  

However, this is not necessarily due of the reasons listed above, but rather because dreads look appalling in blond hair.  Do yourself a favor and do not commit this egregious fashion faux pas.  

While aome people cannot get away with wearing the color red, some cannot pull off wearing dreadlocks.  It has nothing to do with race, only aesthetics.  

i am a white woman and i have had dreads for almost eight years.  i used to get alot of heat from folks when my hair was making the change...now that my hair is fully locked i only get compliments...and i didn't put a pound of beeswax in my hair...and i didn't go to a salon either....what i did do was forget my hairbrush and my hair knotted up into dreads...and it feels really good to have them.  they make me feel really grounded and connected.  i am a clean person i bathe and wash my hair...i need to be clean as i am a licensed massage therapist and a reiki practitioner.  i am not a rasta but i respect their beliefs and culture...as i do all living beings.  i try to walk the healing gentle path of love and because of this i find it reflected back at me more often than not.  i guess that's why when i met toots hibbert in person he gave me a big hug and called me queen love.  

"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,

None but ourselves can free our minds."

~Robert Nesta Marley

love and light to guide us all

shanti

Well, I think people should where their hair any way they want. However, the author of this original blog makes a few valid points, although some of you may not like her tone.  The European establishment has a way taking away aspects of minority culture and appropriating them for their own use. Rock and Roll, was originally a "black" art form. Most people don't know that "Ain't nothin' but a hound dog" song does not belong to Elvis. It was sung by a black woman first. But America wasn't ready to see a black woman, or any woman for that matter gyrating on stage. That being said, many "black people" also wear locs to appear socially conscious, self-accepting and enlightened. Many of them don't know the history of dread locks and how they came to be know as dread locks in the first place. Locs are more of a fashion statement period, no matter who wears them. Ultimately I say, each person wheres them for their own purpose, fashion, politicts, self-acceptance or whatever the case may be. All cultural values aside, its just hair.

Why do people feel in this world where racism is so rife already that more segregation should be made between white people, black people and any other race? yes, dreadlocks are very significant to many religious people, rastafarians to name one but who is to say that dreadlocks arnt significant to that person whos wearing them whetther their black, white or multicoloured? how can one judge straight away someones reasons for having dreadlcks just by the colour of their skin or first appearences? yes these peopel who at first appearences seem to have their dreadlcks for superficial purposes might be doing it for fashion reasons, but you are basing this pureley on the colour of their skin, which in itself IS RACIST! my advice to everybody is to concentrate on the bigger picture and leave people to live their lives how they want to live them, wheather in your eyes this is right or wrong beacuse evrybody has a different opinion, and evrybody should respect that- Regardless of colour.

It's a very valid point of view.  I am white, I do have locks, and they are for a spiritual reason.   I have been questioned many times over the 'motives' of my locks.  I invite this.  We all must question the motives of one another to get to the truth.  This is fact.  There is nothing racist about it what so ever.   In a society in which the African Culture has been stolen time and time again, it's very hard for me to see that everyone here screams racism when someone questions the motives.   I am Rasta.  Which is a hard path to trod.  I am a white skinned Rasta which is even harder.  This is to be expected.  Time and time again have I been questioned about my reasonings to follow this path.  Time and time again have I been accepted through 'reasonings'.  The only way to overstand is to question.  Quit throwing the racism card out and start educating oneself.  To be quite honest, it saddens myself as well when I see someone wearing locks as a fashion statement.  Why?  Well, you see if you would do you're homework you would get that it is not a hairstyle, nor should it ever become that.  Pop culture has indeed pushed it towards 'style'.  Style is no better than vanity.  

"He who seeks in only vanity and has no love for humanity shall fade away...fade away..."

Bless.

Who exactly are you to say what is and what is not? Why would you spew out a few random worldly issues for the "stupid" to go attend to? You name a few vague things and give no information on how to go about doing it, so you aren't really helping anything are you? Do you honestly believe you are the revolutionist? You speak of white kids with locks as throwing themselves into a place of oppression intentionally, do you not realize you are the oppressor? Yes you in all of your so well thought out ideology are the oppressor, the enemy. How do you think you're possibly helping anything? If you want to stereotype then shouldn't the people "like you" or at least who you think you are be for freedom of expression and of life and choice. The people who are actually doing things to help the people on this earth aren't wasting their time whining about their completely ignorant "idea" of all these neo-hippies running around with false and uneducated ideas... and this is such a plague to you isn't it? Well it's in your own head along with miles and miles of even more ignorant thoughts I'm sure. Also, I don't understand why you would be naive enough to honestly believe that people think they are standing for all these things you say just by having dreadlocks. It's just untrue. You don't know what is going on in other peoples heads. Anyone who thinks they know how a person works or knows what they are thinking is a dumb son of a ***. It's the most arrogant thing you can do to believe you really know something like that. Also implying that you are superior. Which is also wrong.

Now if you actually are out there doing all those things you want everyone else doing to be more "cultured" and possibly someday be as intellectually enlightened as you, then I have to ask why are you spending your time cutting down hordes of good people who aren't harming anything but your precious thought process. Which essentially is your own fault.

For everyone else who semi agrees with this person, what makes you all think that if someone has something they automatically have to be a certain thing? Do you want people picking you apart because you wear boat shoes and your not a sailor? No, you wear them because you think they're cool.

In his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Julius Caeser went into detailed descriptions of the Celts, some of which included "hair of snakes" meaning dreadlocks.  Also there are Scandinavian manuscripts depicting the wearing of dreadlocks.  Both of these cultures predated the Rastafarian movement by thousands of years and both of these cultures are white.

I have Dreadlocks, as a result, it's my nickname, and I'm white.  I wear dreads for none of the reasons you put.  I wear them because I want to, not for any particular reason.  And.. get this... I wash and bath regularly! *gasp*

I also wear mostly custom leather.  Got anything hateful for that?

I agree wit rachel's post, Feb. 6th. "No one owns a hairstyle. IT'S JUST HAIR!" I've seen white women with finger curls and oiled hair....to me it looks ridiculous, but it is your choice to express yourself in any way you want. For instance;  I am polish and I were Henna, a body art from the Middle East, I am certainly not mocking Middle Eastern culture or exploiting it. It is an art form and a form of expression that I myself have fallen in love with and I wear it on my body proudly.

Dreads are not originally from Africa, nor Jamaica.  They were co-opted by the Rastifarians from the India settlers who brought with them their Sadhus, or Hindu Holy Men...much like their food (Curry, etc) which is all over the place masquerading as "West Indian food."  Indians have had dreads for eons....so why are Blacks from Jamaica laying claim to them?  Interesting that Jamaica Rastas don't follow the tradition of burning cow dung....

HAHAHAHA locs and wearing locs wasn't created by black people.  

Helen Blodgett said on February 1, 2007 10:05 AM:

Locking your hair is a religious, cultural, and/or political statement.  Black people created the cultural and religious movement of Rastafarianism.                You have got to be kidding me!  Im sorry, people were wearing locs before people were keeping track of people who wear locs.  Before there were books and before there were wheels, tools, and idiots worried about what part of the world you were from in order to have a uncombed locked up hair.  I have locs and have them because I want them.  I am black, filipino, german, american native, and spanish from spain.  To say somebody cant have dreads or locs because of race is the wrong term to begin with.  Lets get something straight, there are only 3 different "races".  They are Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid.  There was "race" before nationality.  Now if you are looking into race in biological terms to say ya or nay to dreads or locs.  You need to start looking into blood types because race lies with more than the color of skin.  So what would you people say to albino with dreads or locs.  Or better yet what if you were blind from birth? Would it matter to you what color of skin somebody had with their hair style?  NO!  To be so worried about another persons "Ethnicity" or lets even go further, how about somebodies "ancestral origin" to determin their right to have a hair style is beyond me.  So if you are going to say only this group can have dreads or locs, well hell who gets to have a shaved head?  Who gets to have long or short hair.  You people need to get a grip on reality.  Dreads were created by people who didnt comb their hair before their was a comb or a tool to comb out knotts in your hair, before fashion, before vanity. Yes there was dreads or locs before ignorance.

As an anthropologists I'm not naive enough to think that cultural symbols don't matter; especially when it comes to body hair. Hair, whether on the head or the body, is one of the most common and important symbols used to express oneself in a society; be it not shaving, a Mohawk, dreds, a shaved head, long hair, a head scarf, etc...

This being said, if people here where actually learning from AAA Race Project, you would know that skin color and hair type are given relevance by culture only, and by nothing inherent, as even our phenotypes, or how we look, aren't inherent, but environmentally determined as well.

I have a close friend who has dreads, and they look good on him. His ethnic identity is Japanese and American black. He's from Corpus Christi, Texas and his choice to have dreads has more to do with being a surfer and that subculture than to any African or Jamaican background. Yet, I'm sure the author of this blog would give him a pass and not a white guy who grew up next door to him.

Dreads are also very popular in Japan right now, and they look good on them.

So we should say that the sensitivity towards seeing people express a culturally coherent symbol, like dreads, on people who don't embody those cultural values is understandable, but just because someone has dark skin and has dreads doesn't mean they embody those values anymore than a light skinned person does.

Getting to know individuals is a tedious pain in the ass sometimes, but it is still the only true way to know what cultural values a person actually embodies.  

ha ha ha if u knew anything about dreads u would know that they have to be clean to dread together, u need to wash them one or twice a week, ohh and im white, shock horrah! xx

that might be the stupidest thing i have ever read online. all people should have dread locks because nnobody has ever said to wash your hair but babylon. dread locks are the most natural form because if u do not wash your hair then yout hair will naturlly dread its self. its people like you who make this world so corrupt

Hi. I'm African-American and I've lived in 7 different countries and have traveled thru at least 30. My dreads are to my knees and I've seen young white people all over the world wearing dreads... My point and only point is, I've not ever seen a white person over 30 years of age with dreads. The norm is to cut them and blend back into white culture and having dreads are not appropriate. To me, whites wearing dreads is a mere fad, a search for identity, a way of being cool, no different then wearing a patch on the sleeve. However, everyone can wear their hair however they choose. The question is: Will a white person that wears dreads ever be a true 'Dread'? No.

People can wear their hair whatever way they want. If we cant put dreads in our hair, then being white, we can also not get tattoos, because thats not a european traditon.. and in fact not everyone white looking is european per say. Personally I dont even really see people as race I see them as human.

dread locks are gross and nasty. period

Ironically I was fired from a restaurant that serves pizza last night because I decided to dread my hair. Prior to doing this, I had mentioned it to the Husband of the Owner who said that it was "completely alright to have dreads." After I dreaded my hair, the other Owner (the Wife) disagreed with my having dreads and I was let go because of it. I can guarantee you that my dreads are clean, as I just put them in and take great care of them. I also wear a Tam to contain and keep them clean. A person can clearly have dreads and keep them clean. As far as religion or culture, you are on your own.

I am quite guilty of judging individuals in this World. I am a Southerner and was conditioned from a very early age to live in a Do and Don't society. I was raised in the kind of sad environment where you keep your curtains closed if you aren't an Ivy League Graduate, Attorney or Physician. Everyday I try very hard to be more open minded about the differences of this World.

One might think that I would frown upon dreadlocks but I actually find them to be interesting. I also want to point out that I would much rather be served pizza by a person with dreadlocks who keeps them contained in a wrap of some sort than someone who allows their hair, long or short, hang down in my food while they are serving.

Enter into any restaurant in this World and take a look. There are servers everywhere who allow their hair to hang. Guys with short hair also have a much better chance of contaminating my pizza with loose hairs on their head, rather than a "dready" who has his/her hair contained. Why do you think sanitary restaurant workers have netted hair?

Gosh, I must wonder about you. If I, of all people, can accept dreadlocks, I worry about an individual who can post so harshly.

i actually really, really want dreads.

but are you talking about anglo saxons, or anyone who isn't black? that's the question to ask here. i am half latino, but i look completely white. but the mayans and incas would dread their hair as a cultural thing, and they would donn their locks with shells and feathers and such. so why is it only recognized as an african thing? and if it is also a latino thing, should only blacks and hispanics wear dreads?

i think this argument is pretty silly, actually. and it's not the first time i've heard it. wear what you want.

Arguing over this isn't really going to help much, honestly. Because all of your points are valid in some way. I understand fully that some people will be offended by people who only do it to "look cool." I also understand that you cannot lump all "white" people into a group here because, honestly, I know a few of my good friends who have dreadlocks and for good reason. Everyone has to make their own road through life. In the end, the only person we have to answer to is ourselves and whatever higher being we believe in.

I'd be considered pretty damn white. My father is Irish and Scottish and my mother is Irish and Cherokee. I've always thought about having dreads. I've looked into it in-depth lately and I strongly believe that EVERY individual makes up their own unique reason for wearing dreads. It's like religion: a lot of people are Christian.. but does that mean they all believe exactly the same thing? No. Everyone makes up their own religion when you really think about it.

I'm still not 100% sure if I am going to get them because, unlike some silly people, I choose not to be ignorant about things I throw myself into. And dreadlocks are a lifestyle... not just a hairstyle.

Or maybe people (Not just whites) have dreds because they WANT TO. Im thinking about getting dreds and if so I wont care about ANY comments made about them because it is something I want to do! And dreds look dirty but a little bit after you get them you can wash your hair, plus if I worked at some place that serves food I could use these awesome little things called HAIRNETS.

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You mean you claim ethnic privilege with this hairstyle?  GOOD.

Claim marks of your heritage and differentiate yourselves.

That's what we white people have been doing all along.

Dreadlocks can be worn by anyone!

Whites look just as attractive as Blacks. Remember, ... it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Express yourself...