Selma Blair is firing back against accusations of cultural appropriation after she posted two photos of herself wearing a head wrap on Instagram.
Blair, who first announced that she had multiple sclerosis last year, explained in the caption of one of the photos that the head wrap was a solution for alopecia, or hair loss.
In the comments of the first post, some users accused Blair of cultural appropriation, citing the headwrap's significance in Sikh culture.
“You are so wonderful and I know you mean no harm, but this is serious cultural appropriation,” one person wrote. “I’d be happy to have a private conversation about how this is hurtful to Sikhs if you’re open to it.”
"This is not brilliant and is not cool," another commenter said. "White people have scorned Sikhs for hundreds of years, and now we wanna appropriate and make it trendy? No. Just no. We dont get to do this."
"this is not a ritual Sikh wrap," Blair wrote in response. "And I don’t know a Sikh who would mind this example."
She also responded to several other comments on her Instagram, denying that she was partaking in any cultural appropriation.
“Covering one’s head is not appropriating anything but warmth and a wig alternative," she wrote in one of her comments.
“This is not at all a Sikh turban or imitating one,” another one of her comments read. “And funnily enough, Sikhs absorb negativity, diffuse it. Tolerance. So none of these comments hurt. They may be not knowing what they write. A head wrap can be useful and beautiful in all cultures.”
Since revealing her MS diagnosis, Blair has been open about health struggles caused by the illness and its side effects. Hair loss and hair thinning is not directly associated with MS, but studies have suggested that some MS treatments can cause hair thinning.
Last month, she said in an Instagram post that her eyelashes were also falling out as a side effect.
A few weeks ago, Blair shared an update with her fans on the status of her health, writing, "Here’s a truth. I feel sick as all hell. I am vomiting and all the things which are not polite to speak of. My son ran away. From me. I have to get him to school. The medical treatments take their toll. I am going to get through this. We do. This will pass."
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