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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To understand cultural appropriation and still think this story is a bit ridiculous

39 replies

IbizaLovesSundays · 30/04/2018 17:24

The article I am referring to is linked below
Prom dress prompts 'cultural appropriation' row - www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-43947959

I totally understand cultural appropriation and why and how it is offensive to people (although I'm sure some of u will disagree as I've asked the question), I would never dream of blacking up or wearing native American tribal clothes as a fancy dress, I'm also uncomfortable with 'chav and toff' fancy dress. But AIB completely U to think that this girl is just wearing a nice dress to her prom and there's nothing wrong with it?
I'm sure many of her Asian friends wore 'American' dresses to prom (ironically probably made in China!!)

OP posts:
Original poster
IbizaLovesSundays · 30/04/2018 17:25

www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-43947959

OP posts:
vitara · 30/04/2018 17:27

Hippy BS.

Ohmydayslove · 30/04/2018 17:27

Well until someone explained to me properly why a man can put in a dress and culturally misappropriate my spaces and try to monopolise and belittle and erase my experiences as a woman I am inclined to think it all utter bollocks.

The dress is fine. Stupid seems to be taking over

ferntwist · 30/04/2018 17:29

Totally agree OP. Snowflakery of the highest order. Beautiful girl in a lovely dress.

blackteasplease · 30/04/2018 17:31

I think cultural appropriation can be something it's very important to understand but if you start extending it to people wearing the everyday/ reasonable for the occasion clothes from another culture then it's gone too far.

Ohmydayslove · 30/04/2018 17:31

Seems to be a man bullying a woman over her choice of clothes!

Same old same old.

Whiterabbitears · 30/04/2018 17:32

What a load of hoo- haa over nothing! The dress is fine, I can't see any offence meant towards Chinese culture.

GummyGoddess · 30/04/2018 17:34

Are you sure it's just the dress and not the dress combined with people bowing oddly?

Butteredparsn1ps · 30/04/2018 17:35

Seems to be a man bullying a woman over her choice of clothes!

This.

Again.

Pickleypickles · 30/04/2018 17:36

I agree OP completely crazy.

WickedGoodDoge · 30/04/2018 17:37

I was going to say that I don’t mind when non-Scottish men wear kilts, but then I remembered I’m foreign. Grin So I’ll say that DH doesn’t mind and I don’t see that much of a difference between the two examples.

Ragusa · 30/04/2018 17:38

That is what I though, about the man bullying woman thing.
Absolutely ridiculous IMO.

PerpendicularVincent · 30/04/2018 17:38

I completely agree, OP. It's utter bollocks. All i see is a happy woman wearing a lovely address, yet someone has chosen to pursue a personal agenda as a result.

Original poster
IbizaLovesSundays · 30/04/2018 17:41

OK I'm so glad it's not just me. And yes the hand symbols they are making in the photo are a little bit odd, but the guys are all making weird symbols too so it could just be something to do with the school they go to.
If there was anything to object to it would be the hand gestures!

OP posts:
SillyJelly · 30/04/2018 17:42

Spot on @Ohmydayslove

DuchyDuke · 30/04/2018 17:42

That dress is associated with the women’s rights movement in China and now across East Asia, which is still more lip service than not. The man objected it being worn as a prom dress; I’m sure had the girl the brains to associate it with women’s rights & wore it at a rally she would have been lauded for it.

ShaniaTwainAndTheRubyKitKat · 30/04/2018 17:43

I think the posing in the pics was just an unfortunate coincidence because they were copying a YouTube video apparently according to people on twitter but I’m not totally sure on that

RavenWings · 30/04/2018 17:48

I'm nearly sure I read earlier that the hands thing is linked to a DJ Khaled video that's a bit of a meme among teens. So it isn't just bowing oddly.

ShaniaTwainAndTheRubyKitKat · 30/04/2018 17:50

^^ that was it!!

GummyGoddess · 30/04/2018 17:55

@RavenWings I'm clearly too old to know what that is Grin might ask my 18 year old sister!

TawnyPort · 30/04/2018 17:55

This is such a load of bullshit. The idea that no-one should wear, use, eat or like anything from a culture other than their own is literally the exact opposite of what we need to be doing.

Its just attention seeking snowflakey wankness...ooh look at me and how offended I am by a dress! Go fuck yourself.

RavenWings · 30/04/2018 17:58

Mind you I say nearly because I don't know - there's also a singer Khalid who it could be too, this hands thing is all news to me Grin

BrokenWhiteStripes · 30/04/2018 17:59

I think most people from ethnic minorities take issue when white Americans in particular ‘appreciate’ specific aspects of their cultures whilst turning a blind eye to blatant systematic oppression that affects ethnic minorities.

Just as she has the right to wear the dress and put it on social media, people have a right to be offended and express that. I’ve always found that the people who are quickest to dismiss these types of sentiments are the people least impacted by racial inequality.

bettytaghetti · 30/04/2018 18:03

If we all stuck to whatever dress was 'culturally appropriate' for our heritage what a bloody boring world the place would be. And the fashion industry would probably be wiped out. Why on earth can't we all be flattered by imitation instead.
Given my completely mongrel family tree, god knows what I'm allowed to wear! Sackcloth probably. Grin

ReginaBlitzkreig · 30/04/2018 18:06

Who is to say that what Jeremy Lam said about the qipao is a consensus view?

I find his criticism rather weird: this isn't mocking fancy dress or stereotype. The girl wore the dress in full awareness of its Chinese origins, because she thinks it is beautiful. I don't know if simply wearing the national dress of an ethnic group or nationality to which you don't belong always counts as cultural appropriation. I do think this isn't an insult or act of exploitation.

If it is a wrong, it is a minor one that does not justify being criticised on social media.