I just read an article claiming that by having dreadlocks as a white person, others will see locks and think "black", and so that person's "whiteness" will be emphasized. It also pointed out somewhat of a double standard: black women can get weaves that resemble European hair without judgement. Personally considering backcombing my own head, I have come across similar things online several times. Many blacks still dislike seeing white people with dreadlocks. In this post, I would like to address those people.
Every person has their own reason for locking their hair, be it spiritual, aesthetic, or both. Yes, white hair is much more difficult to lock than black hair, but that should not dictate who should or should not have a certain hair style. Many transgender people feel as if they were born the wrong sex, why is it so hard to believe that there are people who feel they were born the wrong race?
While dreadlocks are largely associated with Rastafarian beliefs, they have also been worn by Sages and Yogis in India, Ancient Egyptians, Celts, Greeks, and Vikings. While we know of these ropes of hair as dreadlocks because of Rastas, they were not the first to wear the hairstyle. Surely, having dreads does not necessarily mean that you are a Rastafarian, or a "wannabe".
On a related note, the Rastafari belief system emphasizes the oneness between us and God, and the equality between all people. According to science, our skin color is determined by varying amounts of melanin according to how our ancestors adapted to their climate. More sun exposure causes skin to produce more melanin, which makes skin darker. There is also much evidence that the human race migrated originally from Africa some 50,000 years ago. So then, are we all African?
Regardless, to claim that dreadlocks are a hairstyle only for black people is to ignore the very beliefs of the people who popularized them in the first place. It is to overlook the reality that we are one.
In case you're interested, here are some of my sources:
http://www.theroot.com/views/blacks-get-weave-why-cant-whites-get-locks?page=0,0
http://www.dreadygirl.com/historyofdreadlocks.htm
http://www.religionfacts.com/a-z-religion-index/rastafarianism.htm
http://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/for-kids/about-skin/what-gives-skin-its-color
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070718-african-origin.html
