cultural appropriation: a white person's guide

The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is a very, very thin one. It can be very difficult for people to grasp. It is kind of like the difference between "sampling" a song in one's own creative work, and simply stealing it. It is, however, something that is very, very important to understand. Cultural appropriation is one of the main weapons used against minority cultures and people since the beginning of time, and has only magnified itself as we become more globalized. Now, let me explain what it is and why it sucks, and how to avoid it.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines appropriation as the "unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority". Stick the word "cultural" in front of the definition, and booyah. In short, cultural appropriation is when somebody of a different culture steals aspects of another culture without appreciating its significance just because they can.

You're probably asking yourself, "So what? I like headdresses because they look cool, and you're telling me I can't wear it just because I'm not Native American? That's racist." Okay, you're sort of right, but mostly wrong. Lets say you're at a Powwow with a Native American friend whose tribe wears headdresses. With your friend's consent, sure thing! Throw that headdress on and experience the culture. This is OK because you aren't stealing anything and you understand the cultural significance of the headdress. Now, lets say you're at Coachella, and you decide to bring along this same headdress and wear it around the festival. This is NOT OK. Taking an item of religious and cultural significance and wearing it as a prop for "fashion" is completely disrespectful to the culture. It is obvious that you don't understand the true meaning of this headdress if you wear it at an event like Coachella, and therefore, it is cultural appropriation.

Now that was just one example. Cultural appropriation happens on a much larger scale too. From white musicians sporting cornrows and fashion bloggers wearing bindis to the entire movements of art and genres of music, ideas have been stolen from people without the means to defend themselves for centuries. Its not hard to understand why this sucks for the people these things were stolen from. Their culture, their heritage, has been taken from them and used for a purpose they were never meant to be used for. It is incredibly dehumanizing and disrespectful to so many people.

But this doesn't mean you can't rap because you aren't black or celebrate Holi because you aren't Indian. This doesn't mean that your art can't have African influences if you aren't African or that you can't add Yiddish trumpets to your song if you aren't Jewish. It is about understanding who you took it from, what it means to them, and allowing these people to present themselves how they wish to be known, not how you declare their culture. Make sure that the things you "borrow" are authentic and respectful to the people you take it from. Different cultures should never be used as props for your own gain. It is crucial to understand the difference between respectful exchange and stealing.

As said by 16 year old Hunger Games actor Amandla Stenberg, "[a]ppropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves."

I highly recommend this video by Stenberg on cultural appropriation specific to black culture. Her eloquence and clarity when explaining such a controversial topic is something I greatly admire.

As usual, I strongly encourage debate and (respectful!) conversation in the comments or online.

Thanks for sticking with me, and see you soon!

xx camille