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Model Winnie Harlow is comfortable in her own skin, vitiligo and all. Having been diangosed at only 4 years old with the rare skin disease, Harlow has openly spoken about her struggles with fully embracing herself. However, today, the 21-year-old is confident as she struts down fashion week runways. So when Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr starting buzzing with photos of White women putting on “black face” to mimic the model’s striking beauty, her response was one that most weren’t expecting.

Comments ranging from “this is disgusting” to “ridiculous” exhibited a number of individuals distaste for White people trying to look more “urban” and once again appropriating Black culture.

In a recent Instagram post, Winnie responded to those that were upset:

My response to this is probably not what a lot of people want but here it goes: every time someone wants fuller lips, or a bigger bum, or curly hair, or braids does Not mean our culture is being stolen. Have you ever stop to realize these things used to be ridiculed and now they’re loved and lusted over. No one wants to “steal” our look. We’ve just stood so confidently in our own nappy hair and du-rags and big asses (or in this case, my skin) that now those who don’t have it love and lust after it. Just because a black girl wears blue contacts and long weave doesn’t mean she wants to be white and just because a white girl wears braids and gets lip injection doesn’t mean she wants to be black. The amount of mixed races in this world is living proof that we don’t want to be each other we’ve just gained a national love for each other. Why can’t we embrace that feeling of love? Why do we have to make it a hate crime? In a time when so much negative is happening, please don’t accuse those who are showing love and appreciation, of being hateful. It is very clear to me when someone is showing love and I appreciate these people recreating, loving and broadcasting something to the world that once upon a time I cried myself to sleep over #1LOVE 💋

Apparently, the Canadian model see’s no harm in other races who want to partake in such activities that many would call cultural appropriation. Do you agree with Winnie’s response?

 

 

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