What’s the deal with cultural appropriation, anyway? Isn’t it a way to honor other cultures? Many people think that borrowing styles or customs from other cultures is a harmless way to pay homage. But it’s not so simple. Treating precious traditions as fashion trends can cause pain to others. Let’s explore the tricky topic of cultural appropriation.
What is Cultural Appropriation?
Picture this. You’re a young child who takes your red backpack to school daily. It’s the same one your older brother used and features patches sewn on by your grandmother. Some of the patches are your brother’s interests: his favorite sports, music, and games. You’ve since added some of your own. It helps you feel closer to your brother, who has gone away to college. You were so proud when you could use it and proudly strap it to your back each day.
Your heart sinks when classmates start bullying you for the backpack, which isn’t as new and stylish as theirs. You have to choose between fitting in or staying true to yourself. The stress becomes too much to bear, and you worry all the classmates’ tugging and pulling will damage the treasured item, so you switch to a designer-brand backpack in plain black.
A few months later, one of the popular, wealthy jocks at school, Taylor, starts wearing a backpack similar to your family's. It’s red with patches sewn all over it. Soon, other kids are using similar knockoffs. The trend takes off.
Taylor uses a nearly identical backpack and is praised and copied. But when you used your original, you were ridiculed, shoved, and teased. It makes no sense, and it seems unfair. This is a very simple comparison to the unfairness of cultural appropriation.
How Cultural Appropriation Can Hurt
Perhaps one of the patches on your backpack is of a soccer ball, your brother’s favorite sport. Seeing the patch reminds you of sitting in the bleachers with your parents, watching him play. Summer afternoons spent in the backyard where he tried to teach you all of his moves. It’s not just a soccer ball patch to you. It’s a reminder of special times with your family.
It stings to see Taylor’s backpack with a similar patch, knowing he doesn’t have siblings or play soccer. It’s simple mimicry. Worse is that he is celebrated while you were attacked.
People of Historically Racially Marginalized Groups (PHRMG) go through comparable experiences when they wear clothing, sport hairstyles, use speech patterns, or practice traditions different from the dominant culture.
As discussed in a previous
blog
post, Black women experience discrimination in the workplace for having natural Black hairstyles. Many feel pressured to alter their hair to align with the dominant white culture. This forces them to abandon tradition and work against their natural hair type so that they can get or keep a job. Further, white celebrities are praised for wearing the same hairstyles that Black women are chastised and prejudged for wearing.
For example, claims of cultural appropriation plague the
Kardashians
as they sport hairstyles and physical attributes long celebrated within the Black community but ridiculed by the dominant culture. Kendall Jenner faced backlash after wearing an afro-like hairstyle on the cover of
Vogue. Readers pointed out that Black women had been scorned and faced discrimination for the same hairstyle. Subsequently, many Black women resorted to chemical straighteners to avoid criticism for their natural beauty. Frustrations mount as members of the Kardashian family continue to appropriate traditional Black features by donning cornrows and lip fillers, seeming not to learn from public outcry.
What is Cultural Appropriation?
So what qualifies as “cultural appropriation”? How do you know if you’re doing it?
If you, your family, or your ancestors have lived through experiences that led to adopting styles or customs, then it’s probably not appropriation. Ask yourself if you know the history or reasoning behind the style you want to adopt. It may not be yours to take if it has nothing to do with you or your roots.
And borrowing from other cultures can be disrespectful. Surely, it won’t be well received if you’re in a dominant culture that doesn’t experience discrimination. You’ll be like Taylor, wearing the red backpack with patches, celebrated after the original owner was bullied.
If you’re still unsure, here are some examples of common cultural appropriations.
- Sports teams or school mascots named after native tribes
- Cosmetic procedures to alter physical appearance to appear more like those in traditionally marginalized groups
- Adopting speech patterns or slang invented and used by traditionally marginalized groups
- Wearing hairstyles that are neither traditional nor natural to you or your culture that have been subject of discrimination for PHRMG
- Dressing up in costumes that depict the traditional wear of other cultures (e.g., headdress, face paint, clothing)
- Profiting from the adoption of practices, styles, or customs that are not your own
But what if you want to honor other cultures? Halloween costumes are certainly not the best way to do so. Let's look at the subtle difference between appropriation and appreciation.
Appropriation vs. Appreciation
There is a fine line between appropriation and appreciation. However, there is a way to honor other cultures without adopting and tainting their traditions. According to
Greenheart, “Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally. Appropriation, on the other hand, is simply taking one aspect of a culture that is not your own and using it for your own personal interest.”
So, what is your motivation? Are you interested in trying new styles and keeping up with trending fashions? Or are you trying to learn more about other cultures?
For example, sugar skull face paint has become popular, with photos of people proudly posing in sugar skull-painted faces on social media. But how many of those people know the sacred significance of the practice to Mexicans? Regina Merson, Mexican-American beauty entrepreneur and founder of
Reina Rebelde, tells
POPSUGAR, "It is not a holiday about fantasy or horror, but rather something that is meant to be soulful and uplifting and positive. One of the most offensive things is when people paint a Catrina and make the look intersect with something scary and bloody. That Catrina represents your dead relative, not a comic book character."
Henna tattoos (mehndi) are another tradition that’s been adopted by the majority culture for fashion purposes without considering its sacred meanings to the cultures from whom it’s been taken. Henna artist, Mangala Bühler-Rose of
Mehndi NYC, tells
How Stuff Works, "It's important for clients to note that symbolism in many henna designs is sacred. Some communities even consider the substance itself to be sacred. Thus, henna and symbols are used respectfully, sensitively and knowledgeably. For example, placing an image of the deity Gaṇeśa on the feet would be considered disrespectful."
According to
Sadia Islam, an independent henna artist in the United Kingdom, it’s surprising how many people are interested in the designs but unaware of the background. “I noticed that I would talk about henna with people who were unaware of what it means to us. Even teachers who used to teach me history were clueless about the cultural significance.”
Perhaps if more people learned the significance and meanings behind practices, they would know how to respect rather than merely copy other cultures.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Find Out What It Means to Me
In the confusion between appropriation and appreciation, how can we know what is okay and what might be harmful?
Check your motivation. Is your Halloween costume really about appreciating another culture or are you just trying to have fun?
Look further by asking yourself how you would feel if someone adopted a part of your family traditions or religious practices without fully understanding. It can be offensive to turn a belief into a passing fad.
First and foremost, seek understanding. Read books and blogs about other cultures to immerse yourself in their history and experiences. Knowing the significance of items and practices will help you appreciate what you mean to borrow. Find out what it means to the culture to truly respect and honor them.
If you have questions about race or cultural differences, we’re here to help.
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