Pal Justin Bieber Says Kylie’s Cornrows Don’t Make Her “Racist”

Justin Bieber is sticking up for Kylie Jenner over the reality star's controversial cornrows. Jenner has been facing backlash, most notably from actress Amandla Stenberg, including claims that her adoption of the traditionally Black hairstyle is cultural appropriation. Bieber waded into the debate by posting a comment underneath Jenner's drama-inciting Instagram photo. "Guys leave her alone, were all trying to figure it out and she happens to be under a microscope!" the pop star wrote. "I’m the first to know this. But saying she’s being racist because she has her hair in braids is ridiculous. Let’s focus on the bigger picture and instead of fighting over something stupid let's do something about equality, but it doesn’t start here blasting a 17-year-old kid for wearing braids." Bieber, who was himself accused of racism after a video surfaced of the star using racial slurs, no doubt relates to his friend's situation. He's right in that Jenner's choice of hairstyle doesn't make her racist, though one could argue that it might prove her uninformed. Yes, hair may seem like a silly thing to argue over, but sometimes it's tangible things like these that spark heightened awareness and difficult dialogue about racial identity, cultural appropriation, and where to draw the line on what's appropriate. We don't need to attack, necessarily, but we do need to discuss.