Coachella, Halloween, hairstyles, Kendall Jenner's 818 tequila brand, New York Fashion Week 2017, Dior, Instagram Influencers. What do these have in common? All of them have been under attack for cultural appropriation.
Without a doubt, the debate between appreciation and appropriation is not something that was "invented" during the 21st century. If you are not familiar with the meaning of "cultural appropriation" it is "when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way." (Britannica) Long before these terms came to use, in 1865, the term "cultural diffusion" was used by the anthropologist Edward Tylor to illustrate how different societies were exchanging cultural elements. Furthermore, the roots of the topic go back to colonialism, when colonizers appropriated and commodified aspects of indigenous cultures for their own benefit. This could include art, artifacts, and cultural practices.
Going now to the present days, most individuals enjoy the fundamental right to freedom of expression, allowing them to voice their thoughts, opinions, and perspectives. And often they might defend their actions with this basic human right. People often find inspiration through other people's works of art, style of clothing, and way of talking. However, the line between respect and disrespect and inspiration and imitation can be really thin. At what point do braids become from a beloved hairstyle to being controversial? Or at what point thinking about what costume to wear to a Halloween party becomes a topic of a heated debate?
The most important things to consider are your intentions behind the decisions that you make. Do you respect the idea or are you mocking it? And fundamentally, do you understand it enough to appreciate it? Many brands and celebs have been under attack for cultural appropriation. In 2013, Katy Perry was dressed as a geisha at a VMA performance. In 2012, Victoria Secret dressed Karlie Kloss in clothes with Native American motives. In 2019, Gucci started selling a headscarf dubbed "Indy Full Turban." After receiving backlash, all of them apologized.
Research is at the heart of understanding what you want to incorporate to your life. As professor of philosophy at University of Victory and author of Cultural Appropriation and the Arts, James Young, said, "If one understands a cultural product, one is unlikely to use it in offensive or otherwise objectionable ways. For example, one will be less likely to misuse something that is considered sacred if one understands it. Permission may be required in some situations. Deference to and respect for the experts in a culture is essential. This involves not presenting oneself as an expert." To avoid cultural appropriation firstly start with research, then make sure you understand fully the concept, context and implications of the idea. Ascertain you have given proper credit and what you are doing will not inadvertently cause hurt feelings and offense within a culture.
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