I get it that pretending to be Black, as Krug and Dolezal did, could be insulting. Blacks try to pass off as White - Blacks have used Whiteface, without being attacked. But blackface is/was almost always used in a pejorative and demeaning way, which makes it unacceptable and differs from other forms of imitation. I get it that this kind of activity is really offensive and unacceptable.

But when a person wears the dress or does their hair in a way that mimics other cultures, why can't it be seen as a positive? It used to be accepted that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. Barack Obama dressed and coiffed himself in White style, yet never was slammed for it. Michelle straightened her hair and kept it in White style. But neither ever waivered from their identification as Black or African American.

People have been adopting and absorbing parts of other cultures for thousands of years, including Blacks appropriating parts of White culture. Parts of Black culture, such as dress, hairstyle, music, and even language and dialect are popular and imitated all over the world, not just the US, particularly hip-hop culture. This imitation is sincere and flattering, and shows admiration. Why can't it be accepted by Blacks as such, the way other cultures do?