Is Cultural Appropriation Taken Too Far?

If you know me, you may have read this title and been shocked by the approach as typically my views are more progressive and this argument tends to lean into the conservative spectrum. However, I believe that this is a topic that people are simply not fully educated on, leading them to misuse or overuse the term “cultural appropriation.” This article is simply a further look into the true definition of the term, a gathering of testimonies from today’s media, and a study on how dress can audit such powerful emotion. These words are by no means intended to offend anybody but rather inspired a contemplation about the topic as a whole. Hope you enjoy it!

The phrase "cultural appropriation," which gained popularity in the 1980s, was initially used in academic contexts to talk about topics like colonialism and the interactions between majority and minority groups. However, cultural appropriation eventually left the academic world and made its way into the public arena. It has infiltrated conversations in the media and arguably become overused/misunderstood by the masses. Today, many beg the question of has cultural appropriation been taken too far? In today's world, the internet is filled with faceless users that spend the day continually attacking one another without cause. Influencers getting called out for controversial statements or acts has become far more common than it was in the early 2000s, and the internet community as a whole has grown extremely cautious in trying to avoid offending people. It only takes one click to start a conflict over whether a certain group of people should take the action seriously and whether the person who clicked should be "canceled." Thus, the key point question that remains is this: Is it acceptable for people to cancel anyone who exhibits any evidence of ignorance about a certain culture, or is the Internet these days simply too sensitive?

To understand how cultural appropriation may be exaggerated or taken out of context, it is first important to understand the real meaning of it. Cultural appropriation is described as members of a majority group adopting cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. Modern examples of this concept can be seen when large sports teams and corporations use Native American tribal names or mascots. This is considered cultural appropriation because people who are not from the original culture wear jewelry or clothing that features religious symbols and do so without having such right nor acknowledging the cultural significance. In these cases, members from the majority group oversimplify or mock the traditions of a minority group. In separating these elements from their proper context and failing to value their sacred meaning, cultural appropriation takes place. We must, however, be sure we have a working definition of culture in order to fully comprehend its consequences. Defining culture has never been a simple task. By definition, culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and arts. Culture may also be defined by shared patterns, behaviors, interactions, and socialization. Put into simpler terms anthropologist Cristina De Rossi said: "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones and a million other things.” It is possible to pinpoint specific shared beliefs that have an impact on people's thinking, but these common concepts foster interpersonal understanding. Culture is thus a developed idea that occurs both within an individual and as a social activity amongst people.

The definition of culture may not make it immediately clear why incorporating aspects of another culture can be detrimental, however. There is a distinction between respecting a culture, which could mean tasting cuisine from another nation or wearing something culturally significant, and appropriating it. Let's explore a modern example in which cultural appropriation can be perpetuated. In the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the line named “Road Ahead” employed classic Chinese designs to create belts, thigh-high boots, high-neck crop tops, and flowing capes. Shortly after the show was aired, the line blew up in the media taking fire from social media users, celebrities, and even large magazines such as Cosmopolitan which released an article under the title “Why Can’t Victoria’s Secret Stop Designing Racist Lingerie?” The article was written by Helin Jung, the former executive lifestyle editor of Cosmopolitan magazine. In her article she argues that Victoria's secret is “a sexist, patriarchal, mostly white corporation [that] continues to take what it wants for its own gain” (cite). The article continues to call out the blatant disregard for Chinese culture as the traditional garments were modified into skimpy lingerie looks. Jung continues “Stripping of cultures aside, the emblems that stood out most were the ones that came from Asia — specifically China. The dragon that Elsa Hosk wore wrapped around her body, the embroidered stiletto boots seen on Adriana Lima, the tail made of flames worn by Kendall Jenner.” The article was quickly taken down because of the large controversy that surrounded it, but criticism of Victoria's Secret still remained. Many believed that the symbols used were condescending and minimized Chinese culture. Similarly, the media was bothered by the attempted Chinese pieces being worn by little to no Chinese models. Whether the original intention or not, Victorious’ Secret’s 2016 line is a perfect example of cultural appropriation. The models wearing attire representing Chinese culture, such as the large dragon around Martha Hunt's neck, Adriana Lima's embroidered stiletto boots, or the tasseled jewels draped on the angels, are essentially a fruitless attempt to appeal to the rising Asian market. But because the firm is more interested in attracting new customers than actually having a meaningful debate, the clothing falls under the "appropriation" category. These examples demonstrate how widespread the effects of cultural appropriation may reach. But ultimately, they're all a product of a more powerful person's lack of considerate, courteous interaction with others—a situation that's damaging whether it's done purposely or not.

Conversely, cultural exchange is inherently a good thing. Information about someone's beliefs, history, and way of life can be shared, and this sharing might help you appreciate/comprehend viewpoints and customs that are different from your own. Yet, as anyone with a basic concept of social norms would know, sharing and taking are two different things. Though many individuals aren't entirely clear on the distinction, admiring another culture and adopting elements of that culture are actually two very distinct things. Cultural appreciation can be described as a way of honoring another culture through exploration and seeking an understanding as a way to honor that culture, beliefs, and traditions; it requires curiosity and interest in learning about another culture. Perhaps the largest culprit, then, for the controversy of this topic is the very thin line between Cultural Appreciation and Cultural Appropriation. Consider the significance of the object and how it should or shouldn't be used before buying art, clothing, or other products. For example, purchasing chopsticks to use to eat a meal is perfectly acceptable, however using those chopsticks in your hair as an accessory is not. In taking the time to learn the meaning of the item, one can avoid offending the culture they are trying to learn about. A similar scenario is a non-Muslim receiving an invitation to a Muslim wedding. The non-Muslim would do some research on what would be appropriate to wear and based on research learn that a head covering shows respect. This respect for another's culture is a simple but effective way of demonstrating how one can partake in another's culture without appropriating it. The use of components from other cultures is acceptable as long as you are aware of the original meaning, according to some, while others strongly believe that cultural appropriation has become too mainstream. In keeping with that theme, Halloween has become worldwide as the primary venue for cultural appropriation. “My culture is not your costume,” a Twitter trend, calls out mindlessly inappropriate costumes. Black face, for instance, might be one of these. It is crucial however, to avoid misinterpreting these campaigns' goals and to avoid exaggerating trivial details when identifying offensive costumes. For example, the past Halloween there was buzz on Twitter concerning whether it is cultural appropriation for children to dress as the Disney Characters they do not share culture with. Examples of these characters include Moana, Aladdin, Mulan, Tiana, and the list goes on. Auli’i Cravalho, the Hawaii-born actress who voiced Moana, stated she had no issue with fans of all ethnicities dressing as her character for Halloween. The actor encourages the costume saying “I think it's absolutely appropriate. It's done in the spirit of love and for Disney and for the little ones who just want to dress up as their favorite heroine, I'm all for it.” The actresses have the right idea when it comes to addressing Halloween costumes that involve ethnic background, which is that it can come from admiration. Growing up my favorite princess was always Mulan. I admired her strong will, fearless attitude, and the elements of her culture that were so different from mine. I watched the movie repeatedly, ordered figurines, and was fascinated with Chinese culture. As a result, I dressed as Mulan for Halloween when I was in 2nd grade. At the time, I received no backlash for the costume, but in today's media landscape I'm afraid I may have. This is an absurd reality, as intent is a huge factor in determining whether an action is cultural appropriation. Had I painted my face to change my skin tone or altered the appearance of my eyes in a disrespectful way, then that would have been a very different circumstance. My costume, however, was purely a show of my admiration for my role model, who just so happened to be a different race than I am. If the wearer's intentions are to mock or sexualize aspects of the culture, that is appropriation. However, in this case, children dressing as their favorite Disney characters is nothing short of appreciation and respect for the character and their culture. In fact, dressing as a child in cultural aspects that may differ from theirs can be a learning opportunity on the importance of cultural sensitivity. Asian author, Diana, of her blog “Forever my Moon”, shares her perspective on dressing as Chinese princess Mulan saying that it absolutely is acceptable for the white child to dress as Mulan as long as the character is recognizable. She goes on to further explain how implementing Chinese culture can be done respectfully and can actually be very positive

Another personal experience I have run into concerning cultural appropriation is queer culture. This past summer I invited a couple of my college friends to attend pride with me. All of my college friends are straight but I saw no issue with bringing them to the parade as they have always celebrated me for exactly who I was and embraced my sexuality. Excited, I told some of my queer friends that my college friends would be joining us at the parade. To my surprise, some of my queer friends had an issue with my straight friends attending as they viewed it as appropriating gay culture allowing my straight friends to “dress up as gay for the day.” I can recognize that my straight friends being in the majority group could represent the negative hardship that comes with being queer such as fetishization, transphobia, homophobia, rainbow washing, and more. However, similar to, the Halloween costumes, appropriation is about intent. My friend's intention for attending the pride parade with me is to celebrate my sexuality and the obstacles I have overcome being queer. As long as allies remain respectful of queer culture and use pride as a celebration rather than a spectacle, I think it's more than ok for them to attend and in fact, encourage it. Part of the LGBTQ+ community is accepting people as they come and excluding straight people would go against those morals.

To deny that cultural appropriation is not real or prevalent within our society today would be ignorant and simply wrong. The taking or borrowing of culture, without the knowledge or respected intent, can be harmful to many minority groups. However, has the media taken it too far? Have we surpassed identifying harmful behavior, and moved into oversensitivity? Is telling children they can’t dress as their favorite heroine because they don't share their ethnicity crossing the line? Have we become so empathetic that we are offended when the culture is not even our own? But the phrase "cultural appropriation" has its limits. It is simple to spread the ludicrous notion that people of various cultures shouldn't ever exchange, adopt, or borrow anything from one another. It is a discriminatory practice to forbid any kind of cultural appreciation or interchange, whether done in jest or not, for fear of possibly offending someone, somewhere. This argument has a fundamental flaw: if we start dictating what individuals should or shouldn't wear, we invite a social environment in which nothing is ever entirely appropriate

xoxo,

Amelia's Closet