Anger erupts after magazine uses white girl to model Afro hair
A fashion magazine has come under fire for using a white skinned girl to model an Afro.
The August issue of Allure uses Marissa Neitling from TNT’s The Last Ship in the article called “You (Yes, You) Can Have An Afro.”
Readers reacted with anger on social media to the article saying that the article was a 'missed opportunity' to represent the black community.
If one more mainstream mag gives a tutorial on how to be black without that pesky side effect called "racism"... pic.twitter.com/H8JN1eeAAz
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) August 2, 2015
What a missed opportunity by @Allure_magazine to actually talk about afro hair...to girls who actually have it. pic.twitter.com/qO6kOLoUDW
— Eileen ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@MissWhoeverUR) August 3, 2015
This is an Afro. Not....this. @Allure_magazine pic.twitter.com/hkdsMdNG1t
— Brandy with a Y (@BtSquared2) August 2, 2015
Neitlng's post on Instragram was also criticised by social media users.
Hey, @Allure_magazine technically her style is called a Twist Out. #CulturalMisappropriation. #afro pic.twitter.com/RL8olFkWRZ
— Angela (@angieadoptee) August 3, 2015
The magazine also took to Twitter to defend itself and the editorial decision.
We wanted this to be a celebration of self-expression. We hear your feedback & we'll make sure our future stories reflect all perspectives.
— Allure (@Allure_magazine) August 3, 2015
An Allure spokesman also told BuzzFeed: "The Afro has a rich cultural and aesthetic history.
"In this story, we show women using different hairstyles as an individual expressions [sic] of style.
"Using beauty and hair as a form of self-expression is a mirror of what’s happening in our country today.
"The creativity is limitless — and pretty wonderful."
RELATED VIDEO
