From the Root -
Zendaya Coleman Responds to Giuliana Rancic’s Comments About Her Lock Extensions Looking Like They Smelled ‘Like Weed’
The actress gave the fashion host a lesson on hair politics.
Zendaya arrives on the red carpet for the 87th annual Oscars Feb. 22, 2015, in Hollywood, Calif. VALERIE MACON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Over the last couple of weeks, Zendaya Coleman has been experimenting with different hairstyles. She’s worn a short pixie cut, which people clamored over, and during the Oscars she decided to opt for long dreadlock extensions. Although she received her fair share of compliments, Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic said she felt like “she smells like patchouli oil and weed.”
Way to go with the stereotypes, Rancic. Apparently, Rancic feels that anyone who chooses to wear their hair in dreadlocks is dousing himself or herself in patchouli oil and smoking weed 24-7.
In response to Rancic’s comments, Coleman posted a lengthy and intelligent response about her hair:
“There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful. Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe,” the actress posted on Twitter.
“There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful. Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe,” the actress posted on Twitter.
“I was hit with ignorant slurs and pure disrespect. To say that an 18-year-old young woman with locs [dreadlocks] must smell of patchouli oil or ‘weed’ is not only a large stereotype but outrageously offensive,” Coleman continued. “I don’t usually feel the need to respond to negative things, but certain remarks cannot go unchecked.
“There is already harsh criticism of African-American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair,” she added.
Coleman listed notable people who also choose to wear locks, such as her own father, her best friend, Ava DuVernay, Ledisi and Harvard professor Vincent Brown. She went on to state that none of these people smell like marijuana.
Rancic eventually issued an apology and claimed that her comments had nothing to do with race.
Sure, it’s never about race when people make comments about a black person’s hair (sarcasm). Rancic’s half-assed apology proved that she’s sorry, but not sorry. I’m quite sure if Rancic saw a white person wear the same, exact hairstyle, she would immediately label the style “high fashion.”
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