The New York Times published an article by Alyson Krueger that can be summed up simply as: 'Travis Kelce is so popular right now, people are copying his haircut'.
That's it. That's all it says, with a lot more words.
Some on Twitter/X decided the article was an affront to the black community.
The NYT thinks that Travis Kelce invented the fade 🤦🏾♀️ When you have zero cultural competency on your staff, this is how you end up with stories like this, and explaining swag surfin,’ which is at least 15 or years old. pic.twitter.com/EgqZ1vJmBN
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 2, 2024
Keep in mind that nowhere, anywhere, does the NYT article claim that Travis Kelce 'invented the fade' or even suggest that Kelce's haircut is a novel hairstyle.
Jemele Hill wasn't the only one to overreact to the article.
This is how cultural appropriation works.
— Ameen (@Ameen_HGA) February 3, 2024
Same thing happened when white women got braids & cornrows & these folks called it “new” & “bold” when black women did it for centuries!
Travis Kelce’s haircut is a simple “fade” that black men have worn FOREVER. pic.twitter.com/hoEZJbwy3m
Let's take a little stroll down Cultural Appropriation Lane, shall we?
It doesn't take much research to find many sources claiming the fade emerged with the invention of electric clippers in the 1930s and then became the standard for military personnel in the 1940s and 1950s to comply with strict standards for grooming.
And doing this during Black History month is crazy! Lol
— Ameen (@Ameen_HGA) February 3, 2024
It wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that cultural icons such as Nas, Malcolm X, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Will Smith) elevated the cut's popularity among black Americans.
According to the article (and the barbers they spoke to), with the 2023-2024 NFL season and Travis Kelce's hookup with Taylor Swift, Kelce's specific version of the cut gained newfound popularity among white Americans.
bruh @tkelce did NOT invent the fade 😂 @ShannonSharpe @ochocinco pic.twitter.com/wPwxIUPWPj
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) February 2, 2024
Just to recap: The U.S. military appropriated electric clippers from a white guy named Leo J. Wahl and gave soldiers fade cuts, black Americans appropriated the fade from the military, and then Travis Kelce appropriated the fade from Black Americans.
Nonsense.
A haircut was worn by some cool people and other people wanted to look like them. That's all there is to it, and The New York Times article didn't imply otherwise.
(A pox on the houses of all those who made us defend The New York Times.)
I think kids are just asking for a haircut that looks like Travis Kelces
— Russell (@Drred1989) February 3, 2024
It can't be that simple, can it? Yes. Yes, it can.
I don't think they are saying Travis Kelce invented the "fade" haircut which was quite popular in the 90s. https://t.co/vqD3TLgMxP
— Sarcastic Cupcake (@SarcasticCupcak) February 4, 2024
Correct. The NYT article said nothing of the sort.
People worked themselves into a fade frenzy over an untrue claim that The New York Times said Kelce invented the fade haircut.
It's really all quite insane. Of course, he didn't invent it, and yes, black Americans popularized it in the 1980s and 1990s. Travis Kelce is now popularizing it with other people. So what? Chill out, people.
Huh? I don't see the claim that Kelce invented this haircut anywhere in the screenshots...nor do I see why we need cultural context digging into the hairstyle when it's a piece about a recent fad https://t.co/7iR8qHcBCN
— Quetzal Writes 🇺🇲| 🇬🇹 (@QuetzalThoughts) February 3, 2024
You don't see it because the claim is not there. We read the article so you don't have to.
Let me add: My issue isn’t with Travis Kelce because he didn’t write this story nor has he ever claimed to invent this particular haircut. My issue is with the NYT for giving zero cultural context and failing to explain that fades have been popular for a very long time and it has… https://t.co/Bp6ihKtvOL
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 3, 2024
I hope folks recognize that what I said really has nothing to do with Kelce. Kelce didn’t do anything wrong for having a bald fade. White men have bald fades too lol.
— Ameen (@Ameen_HGA) February 3, 2024
This has everything to do with how the NYT represented the actual haircut. Kelce is not this issue. The issue… https://t.co/pAIt36fQNs
Nobody wanted to take issue with Travis Kelce, of course. They just wanted to pummel the strawman they'd created about the NYT article.
Twitter/X was teeming with cries of 'How dare the NYT say Travis Kelce invented the fade!'
Mission accomplished, we guess.
You are such an absolute clown.
— LibertyJ (@LibertyJen) February 4, 2024
Take a giant seat from Ebony mag. pic.twitter.com/uXLzxhh7Qo
Look, if people want to ramble on for five minutes about 1980s and 1990s black culture, military hygiene standards in the 1940s, and the intention of electric clippers because someone likes Travis Kelce's haircut, more power to them.
We're not going to do it. Most people don't have time for that, and it's not because they're being insensitive or looking down on people of other races.
This is the best troll I’ve seen in a month.😂
— Tandy (@dantypo) February 4, 2024
LOL. We wish.
That haircut is not cultural appropriation. This is. pic.twitter.com/k8hPzYDnb9
— mareeo (@ree_reeo) February 4, 2024
Ha!
Wait til they see Tay’s new look https://t.co/bjpNRKrRTj pic.twitter.com/ONRS6oOjfY
— Magills (@magills_) February 4, 2024
Why would you do this to us? LOL.
Here's Gene Hackman twisting the nuts of a local cultural appropriator in Mississippi Burning: https://t.co/wzTHUV8VsJ pic.twitter.com/W0RyAw0Z3i
— NeverTweet (@LOLNeverTweet) February 4, 2024
Get 'em, Gene!
And is this also how cultural appropriation works? https://t.co/F6l8bp8mfe pic.twitter.com/lBd56L1lyW
— IKET- Me & Julio/Jamal down by the schoolyard (@IKantEvenToday) February 4, 2024
Nah. We're pretty sure 'cultural appropriation' is just a way for liberals to complain about white people liking stuff.
This instance of haircut hysteria is no different. Some people thrive on pretending large segments of the American population don't like each other.
So, this guy's upset that young people are referring to a "fade" as a Travis Kelce haircut instead of naming a black man that they may not even know of. Imagine your life being so pathetic that your Twitter hill to die on is excoriating kids over what they call their haircut. https://t.co/IssDZmV2xR
— G (@TCC_Grouchy) February 4, 2024
Thankfully, most Americans, regardless of their skin color, don't care which haircut a person chooses or their reasons for doing so, but somebody has to keep the pilot light lit on racial division, so here we are.
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