Brooke Shunatona: Don't make mistake by wearing headdress

It wasn't my intention to look like an insensitive asshole, but that's what ended up happening.

I'm a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, but I spent the better part of my youth uneducated about my Native American heritage. I knew that my last name meant "big horse" and my grandpa was the treasurer of the Otoe-Missouria tribe, but that was about it. My dad and grandpa have always been involved in the traditions and practices, but I didn't take part because I didn't want to be different from my friends.

So a few years ago, I put on a headdress and took a photo. It belonged to my great- great-grandfather, but my dad has it now. It's the most incredible piece of art I've ever seen in person. When I held it for the first time, I was in awe of the intricate beadwork and embroidery, and how delicate the spotted and golden eagle feathers were. I saw it as a family heirloom, so I put it on for a minute and took a picture. I had no idea at the time that by doing so, I was disrespecting my own heritage, culture, traditions — and gender.

From cultural appropriation to the reinforcement of stereotypes, there are countless reasons why people shouldn't wear headdresses, but what most people don't know is that, by tradition, women do not typically wear full warbonnets. These are reserved for respected elders and men who have earned the right to wear them. This is probably a shocker to you because lately in pop culture, women tend to wear them more often than men. Whether it's on runways, magazine covers, or music videos, the imagery of sexy women wearing headdresses is everywhere. But a woman wearing a headdress is offensive. A woman dressed as a "sexy Indian," as costume shops market headdresses, and wearing a headdress is extremely offensive. I would soon come to learn this.