Video: Woman Harasses White Student for Wearing Dreadlocks: ‘It’s My Culture’

A video posted online shows a black women blocking the path and pulling the arms of a white student at San Francisco State University (SFSU) for wearing dreadlocks, accusing him of cultural appropriation.
Jonathan Zhou
3/29/2016
Updated:
3/30/2016

A video posted online on March 28 shows an African-American women blocking the path and pulling the arms of a white student at San Francisco State University (SFSU) for wearing dreadlocks, accusing him of cultural appropriation. 

“You’re saying that I can’t have a hair style because of your culture? Why?” the man said.

“Because it’s my culture,” she said.

The uploader of the video alleges that the woman in the video was a SFSU employee, which the university has denied. 

“The two individuals involved in the incident are not San Francisco State University employees,” SFSU said in a statement. “University police were called to the scene of the incident when it occurred.”

SFSU said that it was investigating the matter, and that no one had yet been charged yet, according to their knowledge. 

The verbal and physical scuffle apparently began after the woman blocked the man from going up the stairs. The man responded to the accusation of cultural appropriation by arguing that dreadlocks were part of Egyptian culture. 

“Are you Egyptian? Nah, man, you’re not,” the man says. 

“Wait, where’s Egypt?” she shot back. “Tell me.”

“You know what, girl ... you have no right to tell me what I cannot wear,” he replied. 

The man tried to go up the stairs but was pulled downward by the woman before finally breaking free. 

“San Francisco State University promotes the rights of the campus community to engage in free speech, but does not condone behavior that impedes the safety or well-being of others,” SFSU said in the statement.