"Why do you feature non-black couples with dreadlocks?" The answer is complex...

"Why do you feature non-black couples with dreadlocks?" The answer is complex...

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I'm a new reader, and what drew me to Offbeat Bride was how wonderfully inclusive it was. You feature LGBT+ couples, plus size people, people of color, and people of different religions (or no religion at all).

I'm honestly a little surprised to see you feature non-black people sporting dreadlocks for their wedding day. I won't go into why this is racist, but let there be no question that it's racist no matter the intent. I just wanted to express how jarring it was to see on such a progressive site.

Thank you for your time and understanding, I look forward to reading your response.

Thanks so much for emailing. You're absolutely right that we work hard to be inclusive on Offbeat Bride, and we've talked for years on the site about cultural appropriation:

That said, I'm also extremely cautious about playing cultural appropriation police on the internet:

As a publisher, I don't see it as my place to look at a picture of a person on the internet, and assume I know their cultural or ethnic background and therefore can make judgments about how they're choosing to express themselves.

This issue is complex, and I remain conflicted as to whether the choice I've made is the best one. I appreciate your feedback, because it helps me keep an eye toward my editorial policies evolving.

Most importantly, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I love having readers who are invested in our site, and who share our values around inclusivity and social justice. If you have further thoughts, I'd love to hear more.

What are your thoughts on this issue? We'd love to hear them!

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