To think wearing clothes from a different culture is NOT cultural appropriation

[MrsMystery]

When I'm at home, I'm regularly in a salwar kameez, they are pretty, comfortable and lightweight. I'm not Asian btw.

SIL has pointed out to me that what I am doing is cultural appropriation

AIBU to think she's nuts?

Wtf! Stupid phone.

It's appropriation if you take something with significance and use it inappropriately - wearing a Native American headdress for Halloween, as a pp mentioned, is wrong because that's someone's culture, not a costume. You would (presumably) have no idea of the significance of particular feathers, patterns or adornments, and you would be having fun by dressing up in a way that has got millions of people slaughtered and systematically oppressed.

If you were dressing up 'as an Indian', blacking up and talking in a cod Indian accent for reasons of hilarity or novelty, that would be appropriative and gross. Obviously. Wearing a perfectly common piece of clothing, widely available in the UK and worn by people of numerous nationalities, is completely reasonable.

Same difference between eating sushi and dressing up as a Geisha!

It's ridiculous at the minute because of 'social justice warriors'. I used to love Tumblr until I got a load of abuse for dressing up as Mulan one year and posting a photo! Apparently it was offensive for a 'CIS' woman to 'imitate' an Asian.

what is a CIS woman nursey?

CIS means comfortable in skin and it's used as a derogatory term for white people who are okay with being white.

gosh and i thought i had heard it all! thanks nursey.
Lst year on dress up day at my dd's school a teaching assistant dressed up as a Chinese person, and went around pressing their hands together and bowing and putting on a fake Chinese accent.
dd and I both thought that was offensive actually.

In DSs school there was a lovely little lad - very pale blond hair, big blue eyes, etc who always dressed up in traditional Chinese gear on the various dress up days at school. I wondered if he just had a thing about China.

It wasn't until I met him mum and his grandparents that I realised that his grandparents were actually Chinese. Was this misappropriation too?

I have a shalwar given to me as a present by an Asian friend, she made it herself. It is beautiful and so comfy. I wear it round the house (and occasionally to the shops). My friend would be hurt and baffled if I'd said I couldn't wear it on the grounds of cultural appropriation...!

I work in Asia, and often am dressed up by asian friends for various events. It never occurred to me to even think about this. Another (white) friend wears salwars most days - the Indian staff think she's brilliant.

Hi,

No SIL is not Asian, she is white british. She is a big tumblr user though and her latest causes are 'social justice' 'exposing cisgender privilege' and 'cultural appropriation'

Nicename it wasn't my DS was it ? . He had several Chinese style outfits and he loved them. I have also bought him some Thai (I think) style sets as they were made of loosely woven cotton, simply made with not a lot of seems excess pockets and trimmings so therefore cool.

OP I don't get what your sister meant, at all and I'm still baffled by the concept of "it's culturally inappropriate to wear clothes of a different culture".

wear what you like, if it makes you happy, comfy, beautiful etc.
have a great day!

I do wonder if she has ever used henna to dye her hair, or dresses in cotton from India or silk from China. And I do believe that ancient Britons never wore knickers, or proper shoes for that matter.

You could also argue that high heels are akin to Chinese foot binding (the hobble and small footsteps), so shouldn't be done either. Kohl - ancient Egyptian? Does she ever wear a tartan scarf in winter, or anything with paisley patterns (Indian via Glasgow).

And writing, mathematics, poetry... all 'stolen' from other cultures! That's the last time I do the 'who can make up the best Haiku game' with DS.

if it feels good, wear it. if it looks good as well, even better. and sew some sequins on it. i like them.

My Sister brought me the top half of one of these back from India at Christmas. I'm short so it goes almost to my knees. I love it and wear it with tights, boots and a cardigan. It just looks like a quirky dress. I suppose your sister in law would say that I am misusing a piece of cultural clothing!

YANBU

What the hell is you sil on about I am black brrish and I wore a sari to me white bristish friends wedding I got so many compliments I pretty much wear it out all the time I love it

It's not per se inappropriate or cultural appropriation to wear clothes of a different culture. It might be, it might not. It depends a lot on intention, what you wear and whether you are trampling specific cultural or religious sensitivities or practices by wearing it.

I liked your link Euphemia.

fusedog the white sari was traditionally worn by widows about to commit suttee....AFAik (sits back and waits for someone to tell me i am racially stereotyping/wrong)

Yes, it does depend on context, intention etc. Having said that, I went to uni in Scotland and my male Pakistani Muslim flatmate went off to every end of year ball in full kilt, sporran, ghillie brogues etc. Deconstruct THOSE semiotics! [grin}

Does your SIL eat or cook curry? Wouldn't that be just as 'bad'?

YANBU, BTW!

I wonder too whether there is an extra layer to it when a dominant privileged culture is wearing the clothes of an oppressed or minority culture....

Tell SIL she can't eat fish and chips either - according to Claudia Roden this is an Irish/Portuguese Jewish concoction, which, OK occurred in London. But, still. Not on really, is it?!?!

I could just do with some chips... Crisps are American, Curry is Indian (amongst others), Chocolate is from S America, Cornflakes are American, Baked Beans are probably American (although anything by Heinz is 'technically' German I suspect), Hot dogs are God knows what.

Aren't modern bras also American? Bikinis have been seen on ancient Roman wall paintings.

When I was pregnant, an Indian friend went home to India and bought me back some sequinned Indian tops. Imagine my horror to learn that she was misappropriating my baby bump.

Bagels are Jewish.

I have no idea what sort of rules I break when I eat them with cream cheese and crispy bacon

Zing - if you eat them next week when it is Passover and we don't eat bread, you can 'break' another rule .

Pizzas and spaghetti may (or may not, depending who you talk to) be Italian.

Tomatoes aren't native to the UK. Nor are turkeys. Kiwi fruit, avocados, citrus fruit, tea, coffee...