as a Black fan of fob for over two decades atp itās so wild for me to think about Pete frying his hair for SO (!!!) many years to maintain his image. non-black fans donāt even realize the amount of effort heās put into maintaining his white adjacent/scene look throughout his career. his hair has told a tale of the perception of Black hair in the entertainment industry and alternative spaces for decades atp. seeing him over the past few years grow his hair out, which can be so hard for some of us, itās been so cool. i do wonder how often he uses heat on his hair? if his texture has just changed over time with so much manipulation? now heās just at the point where his press outs are like almost Queen Latifah level. i literally wondered for years what products he was using and what the fuck he was doing to upkeep frizz with all the sweating that happens during performing. as a Black fan iāve also always wished he was more vocal on his experience as a rare, Black, front runner in this specific scene. iāve always wondered if Pete claims his Blackness, in the way that Black fans who are aware of his identity, claim him regardless? his presence as a Black man during this time is a pillar of Black Alternative representation if you ask me. just thinking
this post is gaining traction so I want to add, fobs lack of voice during the initial BLM protests was very noticeable and I remember being put off and disappointed with them for some time after that. Their responses, to rightfully angry fans and supporters who were looking for more vocalization of support for the Black community at the time, were kinda dismissive. The band could have actively done more donating and raising awareness, if it was a cause they legitimately felt passionately about. Thatās just my opinion.
Pete could have been much more vocal from the jump if it really bothered him, which has been an ongoing theme throughout his career. I remember the braids he got done, and I remember how quickly they came out of his head due to fans telling him he wasnāt āBlack enoughā to wear the style. I am aware that he spoke up and was met with serious backlash from fans and deleted his post back in 2020. But thatās the problem.
Black presenting people donāt get to choose whether we experience racism or when we have to stand up for our rights due to civil unrest. Black people were fighting for their rights way before the BLM movement. If he wanted to be apart of the movement or speak for Black lives, he very well could have. Many Biracial and mixed race celebs were speaking up at the time, getting flamed and still standing for what they believed in. Halsey and Jason Aalon Butler come to mind for me.
Pete has a huge platform and could have continued to speak out for his community if he really made that stance. His unabashed advocacy and stance with Black people at that time would have said a lot. I donāt know if he himself seeās his own experience as āBlack enoughā to truly have a voice in conversations within the Black community. Thatās very common for many white passing, mixed race, Black folk. Iām not holding him at fault. Not calling him a bad dude. Just curious. Just stating my opinion and what I remember.
Heās very much on the bandwagon once itās been co-signed by the mainstream. And I think that has a ton to due with the anxiety he feels trying to identify as Black, as it has not gone well for him in the past. Hence why I wonder how he feels about his Blackness? He has faced real backlash from Black fans who feel his support for certain things is hollow and performative, i.e. the braids he got done in 2020. When I first saw him embrace his Blackness, I felt seen as a long time fan. When he took the braids out a few days later, I felt sad for him. I wish he stood firm in his Blackness. I think press and fans alike would be less hesitant to attack him for it if he stood on it, ten toes down. Because who is literally going to check you??? That being said as a huge fixture in the emo scene, who is white passing to most, it would be interesting to hear his perspective on it all.
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