Aita for only going to black salons

A 30-year-old white woman shared that she has struggled with her thick, curly hair and has been going to a salon specializing in black haircare after her black friend introduced her to the right products and treatments. During a dinner conversation, some friends called it cultural appropriation, arguing that she, as a white woman, shouldn’t take advantage of services meant for black people. She is now questioning if she’s in the wrong for going to these salons. Read the full story below.

‘ Aita for only going to black salons’

Hi there, this is my first post and this is a throw away. I am a 30 year old white woman with thick curly brown hair (3c if you know what that means). I have always struggled with my hair and was adopted into a family of people with straight hair who couldnt care for my hair properly leading to huge knots and regularly get my hair massacred by scissors to make it short to be easier to deal with.

When i went to uni i met my best friend who is black and has a similar hair type to me and when noticing my struggle helped me out. She showed me hair products from brands intended for black people that really helped with my hair quality and even took me to the salon she went to that catered for black hair types. My hair has been amazing ever since, theyve been the only people to understand how to care for my hair and make it look nice.

Well onto the actual argument, me and some friends from work went out for dinner and we were talking about our hair and i commented that i go to a salon that specialises in black haircare. One of the women ( also white) commented that it was inappropriate for me as a white woman to take advantage of black products and services that should only be used by black people.

When i asked why she said that its kind of cultural appropriation. The others there agreed with her and i felt uncomfortable ever since. I dont know if she is right and if i am in the wrong, i dont even know what id do if it was wrong as i dont want to go back to the salons that butchered my hair before.

See what others had to share with OP:

sert965 −  NTA, black woman here with 4c hair. You use the products and resources that best suit your needs. It wouldn’t be a black vs white issue if the beauty industry recognized the need and taught students how to do all types of hair.

GoldenFrog14 −  NTA and as a black dude, I really wish white people would stop speaking for us in this manner. It’s not helping in the way they think it is

[Reddit User] −  I wonder who would be a better arbiter of whether this was cultural appropriation; the black women who style your hair, or your goofy white friends? NTA.

snowdude11 −  black products and services that should only be used by black people. Your friend is trying so hard to be woke that she is actually r**ist! Shouldn’t she be happy you are supporting a black-owned business and black products? NTA

inthe801 −  NTA, people take the “cultural appropriation” thing way too far, and this is a good example. My wife is black and my kids are mixed race. I can’t tell you how many times my son’s hair has been butchered by someone who didn’t know how to work with tight curly hair. It’s about your hair, not “race”. You’re supporting black-owned businesses too.

LeReineNoir −  NTA. Your coworkers do not understand what it takes to take care of curly hair, nor do they understand cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is Rachel Dolezal pretending to be black for years and running her local NAACP.

Cultural appropriation is fashion designers who are not indigenous/Native Peoples using indigenous or native designs in their fashions without knowing or acknowledging the significance of those designs.

Black hair products were formulated originated for black hair care because for a long time there were no products that worked well with our hair. The bonus is it works great for all curly-heads. So continue going to the salon, continue being beautiful, rock your glorious curls, and thank you for supporting black businesses.

Edit: Well, hey! Thank you kind anonymous Redditor for the gold!

DarkRogus −  NTA – This is the reason why people laugh at woke people. Seriously, “cultural appropriation” for going to a black salon and using black hair products that works for your hair. Here’s the thing, I can practically guarantee you that your hair stylist and the owners of the production don’t care that you’re white, they care that you’re a paying customer.

Peace_Love_HappyHour −  NTA! Many non-Black hair salons won’t even know what you mean when you say, 3C and start talking about porosity. Supporting Black-owned business is the opposite of what you’re friends are accusing you of. They are idiots!

DumbStupidBrokeBitch −  NTA. Perhaps I’m a little biased, but licensed stylists do not need to know how to properly care for and maintain Black hair, aka kinky curly hair, in order to receive their license.

So going to the stylists that DO already know how to work with your hair type is the logical solution. It just so happens that the predominant demographic of people with hair like yours are Black. Don’t listen to their performative allyship, Black stylists know why you go to them.

Brickolas75 −  NTA – that sounds like a bizarre argument to make, particularly from a white person. What you’re describing is not cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is *mis*use of a culture’s custom(s) for reasons like entertainment, mockery, etc.

You are literally using the products and services as intended. To suggest that you are r**ist here is actually r**ist, it assumes that black people need protection from white saviors to enforce some sort of defensive barrier for their products and services.

When it comes to haircare and culture, where should the line be drawn? Is it okay to use services that cater to a specific cultural group if it benefits you, or does it cross into cultural appropriation? Share your thoughts below!