cultural appropriation

[nceccoli]

Just had a discussion. aibu to say that cultural appropriation works both ways? A number of black bloggers and models have slated Kim Kardashian and Kylie jenner for wearing "boxer braids". But I have yet to see anyone commenting on Beyonce culturally appropriate Indian culture , hairstyle, dress and adornment for her song Hymn for the Weekend?

Just realised actually.

Dd braids her hair for kick boxing, so is she exempt from this as she is using 'boxer braids' for actual boxing.

Not as fashion statement.

Pogmella.. Yes..

Someone up thread said that white people with dreadlocks have helped black people with dreadlocks become more accepted.
That is the very essence of cultural appropriation, why should it take white people wearing a hairstyle for fashion that for black people is an affirmation of religion so that black people to gain acceptance for representing their own heritage and culture. Why is that it always takes white people doing something to confirm legitimacy.

Beyonce has copped it for the Indian thing.

I think women get slated more often for it.

No one turned a hair when Marky Mark started rapping.

I don't have to give up curry, do I?

So would you say my hair is CA then Awadebumbo?
I'm not being goady, I genuinely want to know if you saw me in the street would you assume it was insensitive of me?
I have very shaved sides (nearly skinhead!) and dreadlocks in the middle. A "dreadhawk" if you want to google, but I hate that term and don't use it myself!

Lanark The OP used that as a possible example of CA, which is why that's relevant (not an avid Kardashian follower as a rule...)

Lanark2 I will admit: I laughed right in the middle of the office...

Regarding braids, almost every culture have them. Different sizes, shapes, lengths, etc... I will be damned if I cannot braid my hair as I want and as is the most convenient for me because some social justice warrior has decided it is offensive.

so this is a post slating black people for slating the Kardashians basically?

there are so many racist threads here . YUK

ooh why are so people soo offended by Gollys etc. etc.

fuck off

Someone up thread said that white people with dreadlocks have helped black people with dreadlocks become more accepted

I think there should be a law against white people having dreads, its THAT bad a look

they are nearly always middle class stoners that think sitting in a corner banging a bongo is a meaningful value added activity

Bluemoonrising The Pagan star is a pentacle/pentagram- five points. The Star of David has six points, so while it may be used occasionally in certain types of ritual it's certainly not the norm.

Baddogooder, yes I would think you had appropriated a cultural and religious affirmation as a fashion accessory.
I was brought up Rastafarian although I would say I am a lapsed Rasta locks are an affirmation of the commitment to the teachings of Menelik and a symbol of the Lion of Juddah.
Do you subscribe to any of those teachings Bad? do you know the history of the tribes of Juddah and the people that Rastas hold up as prophets and saints within their own church.
Or do you just see it as fashion? How would you feel if you saw something that you hold dear taken as an item of fashion by others and treated as a novelty?

aka trustafarians

If 'boxer braids' are indeed 'French plaits' then it isn't cultural appropriation in any way whatsoever. Western European women have been plaiting their hair for a couple of thousand years. I'm guessing someone with the name Kardashian is Eastern European, Caucasus area? The Vikings (known plaiters of hair) moved into the Caucasus in the middle aged, probably around 1300 years ago, so if it was a cultural appropriation, it was done dozens of generations ago.
Wearing First People's headdresses is an entirely different matter, because that is religious garb, and numinous for them.
Is there something inherently wrong with cultural appropriation, if it is done without harming, patronising, or disadvantaging the culture/people it is taken from?
Should I not sing Polish folk songs my neighbour teaches me? Is it offensive?
Does my tea consumption offend people from Asia?
Appropriating religious symbols or rites seems far more insensitive and inappropriate, but if I become converted, is that wrong?

If that's aimed at me not sure how acknowledging a mother might wish to be a positive role model for her daughter slates either party.

I rest my case

Awadebumbo Dreadlocks, the hair style, not the name, are not the monopoly of Rastafarian culture. Asian and East-Asians have it also as a religious symbol, and various cultures in Central America, Egypt and Africa had or have this hairstyle. Let's not hog hairstyles, that would be rude.

To expand, I know quite a number of WBRI people that profess to be Buddhist. Some are more Buddhist than others, IYSWIM, but there are many branches and flavours of Buddhism in Asia, so perhaps they see themselves as following a specific tenet/branch of Buddhism.

We've always done French plaits in the UK so don't dare anyone suggest these are not white hair styles! As soon as women were able to use their hands in our very very ancient history we will all have done french plaits surely?

Also some other cultures are very bad and wrong and it is almost a moral duty to point them out and indeed wear the clothes or mock Jesus and Mo etc for the comon good. If people are offended that is just tough - there are plenty of countries where you are now allowed free speech and have to follow a one party line. We are lucky we don't live in places like that.

SilverDragonfly1, just because the pentacle is more commonly associated doesn't alter the fact that the six sided star is used in paganism and has been for longer than the Jews have used the star of David.

The six sided star is also found in the Quran (although it is a slight variation) and in Hinduism and Rastafarianism (although I don't know how far back that dates) and probably others.

It can't be claimed to be a solely Jewish symbol, nor can it be claimed to stem from Judaism.

See hair instruction videos which are quite fun to watch

Exactly stop: The Kardashian's get butt implants to look more like, have lip fillers to look more like black women and when black women have something to say about it, they're basically told shut and you get lots of sarky comments and eye rolling about it.

Most white people with dreads actually do my head in acting like their so cool and alternative with no knowledge of the struggle people have had to go through just to express their religion. White rastafarians with dreadlocks I have no problem with.

Oh can we please have another thread about Golliwogs because there hasn't been one for the last few weeks.
This place rightly deserves the post about it on Everyday Racisim tumblr.

people seem to spectacularly miss the point

To be of a race that is oppressed (especially in the US), with higher rates of police shooting, arrests, imprisonment, unemployment, death penality, limited access to healthcare, employment prejudice etc.

and then have the group that oppressed you "nick" your look/hairstyle- even though its often what gets people victimised against

its galling!

its not about bloody French plaits and who did em first

Ah thanks for answering.
I specifically held off describing the fact that the last time I had this conversation with someone and I asked that question, they laughed and said no actually, you look more like this......