pop •
Halsey instantly solves racism by bravely tweeting about hotel shampoo for people of color
Check your privilege, girl
by Ari Bines
Last night, allegedly Black pop star Halsey vented some of her frustration on Twitter, discussing how hotel toiletries alienate people of color and stating that the products offered to guests are only targeted to white people:
"I've been traveling for years now and it's been so frustrating that the hotel toiletry industry entirely alienates people of color," she wrote. "I can't use this perfumed watered down white people shampoo. Neither can 50 percent of your customers. Annoying."
Her tweet, however, enraged Black Twitter
Halsey has been known for discussing issues on mental health, feminism, and sexual abuse, but now chooses to talk about how white hair care reigns in America.
I hate to say it, but Halsey is hella late to the discussion on white hair care being the standard. She's bringing up old shit that many people of color with bigger (4C) hair problems can’t empathize with because we don't and won't ever relate to her passing problems. Her input on the conversation only washes out the Black voices.
In an old interview with Blavity, Halsey talked about her race and how she's always felt Black, but never tried to insert herself in the conversation of Black issues. "I'm white-passing. I've accepted that about myself, and have never tried to control anything about black culture that's not mine."
The one drop rule is now null and void. It's defined by Wikipedia as a racial classification "asserting that any person with even one ancestor of sub-Saharan-African ancestry ('one drop' of black blood) is considered Black."
The issue of Black hair has been addressed for ages and it appears as though her addressing it in this day and age is for her own political and social gain.
Where was Halsey when Shea Moisture, a haircare brand well known for catering to natural hair, aired an ad that was dominated with white women talking about their hair hate? Where was Halsey when Pantene launched an entire line dedicated to Black hair types?
The discussion on Black hair is alive and well, but her speaking on the issue is not one that us 3C and 4C natural fully Black women will be listening to because of her passing privilege.
She's not quite the right person to be inserting her commentary into the conversation despite being a passing Black woman. It's there and we know it exists, but allow someone who actually represents the hair struggle speak on it, because Halsey's "kitchen" comes more correct in the eyes of White America than the niggas continuously being told theirs is unkempt.
And did we forget Halsey is rich?
Halsey is a successful it girl pop singer, probably staying in the most luxurious five star hotels. That's not to say that people of color don't live lux during their travels, but let's be as real as possible—not too many of us do.
And if Halsey was in desperate need of hair products, wouldn't some underpaid assistant would get it within minutes anyway?
Related stories recommended by this writer:
● ‘But you look white!’: What passing privilege means, and why it matters