Film star Zac Efron is in a bit of hot water after posting pictures of his new dreadlocks on social media. Many Instagram users are calling out the former Disney star for what they see as cultural appropriation.
In the black-and-white photo, the Greatest Showman actor’s short and truly dreadlocks are on prominent display. The caption reads “just for fun,” and it was posted to his 36 million followers’ feeds on Thursday (Jul. 5).
One commenter wrote, “You have been afforded so much privilege and world experience that should also inform you that dreadlocks on white people are cultural appropriation.” Another wrote “This is a hairstyle SPECIFICALLY ENGINEERED for people whose hair naturally tangles and knots easily and NOT for white ppl who have a movie role coming up or are just doing it ‘for fun.’
Of course, there were many people defending the superstar. “This isn’t cultural appropriation y’all, so please stop screaming that it is,” one user wrote, while another commented “Guys it’s hair lol does it really matter. it’s 2018 and a huge amount of people are wasting their time [arguing] about Zac Efron‘s hair.”
While the actor has pretty much been scandal-free since emerging on the scene in High School Musical, this wouldn’t be the first time he’s appeared to be culturally insensitive. On Martin Luther King Day in 2016, he reportedly put a picture of the civil rights leader next to an update of his Instagram follower count.
What do you think?
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