Cultural appropriation

[Londonerlove]

AIBU to be totally annoyed by cultural appropriation.
I read this today and though wtf!

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/newsbeat-44572555

I’m not a fan of kim but if she wants her hair in braids she can have her hair in braids?

Shouldn’t this be praised rather than attacked?
Is eating pasta cultural appropriation?

claire it’s not gaslighting. Are you gaslighting me by claiming that it doesn’t exist?

When someone profits, or gains in some way, from taking something from another culture, whilst the culture that the thing belongs to is looked down upon - is that not cultural appropriation? Or do you think this is made up drivel?

@downthestrada yes but do you not think an over exaggeration of cultural appropriation would set us back rather than move forward?

@eebymum so I need to downplay my experiences as I’m white, So that I don’t offend a black person. Seriously???

I think discussions about it are good and, of course, there will be a range of opinions within that. Better that then ignoring it and everything carries on in the same way.

Through people taking about it, many people choose not to wear Native American clothing or headdresses as fancy dress. I think that’s a good thing and I say this as someone who has photos of myself as a child, dressed up by my parents in this way. They wouldn’t do that now because they have moved forward.

cultural misappropriation is a well known thing

No it’s a recent silly fad among the chattering classes looking to be offended usually on behalf of another culture who don’t actually give a crap

The Sikh man in the kilt is Scottish so of course it’s not cultural appropriation - Scottish people can be any religion you know.

@Tacolover I just wanted to say I’m in awe of your patience and eloquence on this thread. I was losing the will just reading everything that’s being thrown at you.

ohmydays I’m mixed race with black and white family. I give a crap on behalf of my own race and culture.

Bingo! @StrongMummy just replied to me using the phrase "women of colour".

Londonerlove what experiences are you downplaying? Not being goady, I’m just trying to understand your point.

You know, I’m sure I’ve read lots of articles written by black women about cultural appropriation where they were describing their own offence or annoyance or thoughts. I’m not sure it’s a silly fad made up by the chattering classes getting offended on other’s behalf’s.

I braid the front of my hair when I go camping for convenience. Am I guilty of CA? If so I presume I should stop. What would stopping achieve?

downthestrsda

Of course you should give a crap about your culture and anything else you find important to you but if that included telling other women what they cannot can’t wear or berating other women on their hair styles then no you overstep the mark and should mind your own business.

The Sikh man in the kilt is Scottish so of course it’s not cultural appropriation - Scottish people can be any religion you know
But "English people" means white people according to Strongmummy...
There is no logic or consistency to this pomo drivel.

I will not be blamed for something that uncle John did hundreds of years ago

But you need to own the benefits which have accrued to you as a result of those actions.

You may not have been born with male privilege or social-economic privilege but the simple fact of being white means you are more likely to get access to a wide range of jobs and opportunities. If you have a "white name" your CV is more likely to get you an interview. Those are the benefits of what uncle John did.

Have you never worked in an environment where black women spend a fortune on making their hair look "more professional" (aka white style because natural hair is somehow intrinsically unprofessional!) whilst white women are free to rock up with braids? Or maybe it just wasn't something you noticed.

You don't get to dictate what PoC find offensive or racist any more than men get to dictate what women find offensive or misogynist.

It's all very well saying that white people shouldn't wear saris because it is cultural appropriation, but some white people are mixed race.

You don't know and cannot judge by the colour of someone's skin how culturally aware that person is. Or what their heritage is, or their claim on that culture.

No one could tell from looking at me that one of my parents was Indian. Look at a family photograph however and it is obvious.

Should I have less right in the eyes a stranger to wear a sari because I look white? No, it is none of their business.

Do I mind any other people, whatever their colour (or heritage) wearing a sari? No, it is none of my business.

@Tacolover - admiring your patience, particularly with some of the willful misrepresentations of your words.

Many many things annoy me and I could also write all these instances down but it doesn’t make my feelings and thoughts so powerful that I have the right to stop other women living the lives they see for regards dress abs hair.

Jesus we have fought this battle with men for centuries are we now fighting each other!!

Who needs the patriarchy.

When someone profits, or gains in some way, from taking something from another culture, whilst the culture that the thing belongs to is looked down upon - is that not cultural appropriation? Or do you think this is made up drivel?
Yes, because if we extrapolate out this logic I'm committing a thought crime if I like pad Thai. I benefit from eating pad Thai, my friends admire me because I make it with belacan, so I profit from it emotionally.
Shoot me now.

ohmydays I’ve said earlier that I have no problem with people choosing whatever hairstyles they like. I have a problem with how people react to things and this is the aspect of cultural appropriation that we should not be ignoring. If a white woman is praised for her braids whilst a black women is berated - that is the aspect that we should be paying attention to. Not just ignoring it and pretending it doesn’t exist like many people would prefer to because it’s easier for them.

99% of women are never happy with their hair. They are always changing it and trying something new. Straighten it, curl it, colour it, braid it, cut it, grow it.... it's just life! Whole heap of meaning being "appropriated" here which is in all likelihood meaningless to the real situation.

you don’t get to dictate what Woc find offensive

What is offensive is you telling all woc they should be offended.

What is offensive is you telling any other woman how they should think feel dress and style their hair.

notmeohno but in your example do your friends look down on Thai people? I’m not sure that your example works in the way that I mean.

99% of women are never happy with their hair.

Whoosh!

If anyone is praising anyone else or indeed berating then for hair braids they need to get out more and stop reading trashy magazines.

Any incidences of racist or sexist behaviour in the work place should be reported to the appropriate people.

No-one really gives a shit how you wear you hair or what dress you wear. People get annoyed when the reactions to that hair or dress are positive for a white person & negative for a black person. I dont believe in CA per se but I can understand this. What i dont understand is why the fuck arent you aiming all your resentment at the racist people who are treating black people different from a white people rather than attacking the white person who has her hair in braids/wearing a chinese dress etc. etc. Thats where its going wrong. Aiming your anger at some innocent person whos doing nowt wrong makes you look like what dm readers would call a triggered snowflake libtard.