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Zendaya Is Over the 'Boxer Braids' Chatter in White Media

"Black women have been wearing braids for a long time," she said.

The "boxer braids" trend has been gaining major traction online and on the fashion circuit as of late. While some are eating it up as the next big thing, those who know better see through it, and Zendaya is one of the latter. During an event for her #REALisBEAUTIFUL campaign, the young starlet shared that cornrows have been a part of the Black community since the beginning of time.

"Braids are not new," she said, accoridng to Clutch Magazine. "Black women have been wearing braids for a very long time. We've been using that as a protective style, as a hairstyle."

The new Covergirl went on to explain how unfortunate it is that it took non-minority faces for the style to be recognized as a mainstream trend.

"Another problem is it became new and fresh and fun because it was on someone else other than a Black woman," she said. "You know what I mean? So that is the frustration. That's where the [cultural] appropriate element comes into play."

Earlier this week, the New York Post likened one of the first daughters, Sasha Obama — a Black young woman — to a slew of white figures like the Kardashians, Blake Lively, and Ronda Rousey, who they say recently popularized the trend.

"The first daughter joins a raft of high-profile beauties sporting a version of the now-ubiquitous boxer braids," the article reads. "Fueled by celebrities and the popularity of UFC fighters, the center-parted reverse French-braids style has surged back into fashion."

BET.com always gives you the latest fashion and beauty trends, tips and news. We are committed to bringing you the best of Black lifestyle and celebrity culture.

(Photo: Victor Boyko/Getty Images)

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