That was the question brought up in the following video which was filmed in the Cesar Chavez Student Center at San Fransisco State University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAwSFv8e8K4
And a followup interview with one of the people in the above video.
Have you seen the movie “Ten Things I Hate About You”?
Most objectors to cultural appropriation could stand to be more cultured.
To appropriate one has take from someone who owns something. Fashions, foods etc are owned by no one. The issue really is, or should be, whether a culture or group is being mocked, which I would hope no one would agree with.
@artie1 The weird guy with the dreadlocks certainly wasn’t mocking anyone. He’s just weird.
All of us “appropriate” things from other cultures in terms of food, fashion, language, and just life itself. Those who see things associated with their group being used by others should be flattered, not offended.
I always thought that adopting elements from someone else’s culture was a compliment. I mean, people wouldn’t do it if they didn’t like the cultural element they were adopting.
What are we supposed to do, stop eating pizza because it’s of Italian origin?
So what if someone thinks you should stop eating pizza because it’s Italian? Why do you care what they think?
The very idea that only people of (X ethnicity / race) should (eat a certain food, wear certain clothing, adopt a certain hairstyle, listen to certain music, etc) is racist at its core. That’s kind of the whole concept right there - that there are “approved” and “disapproved” actions based on race.
Cool. Don’t use the telephone, then, unless you’re white like Alexander Graham Bell. No one owns copyrights on these things.
If your hair is naturally curly and you straighten it, is that cultural appropriation?
I am going to leave this in the Parents Forum because I am not sure this is ever an issue except on campuses. If that is wrong, I mean except for the occasional time or two, let me know and I will move this to the Cafe.
BTW, I saw one of the college basketball coaches celebrating after a game by doing that Russian dance where you squat and kick your legs out. And unless his name was very misleading, there was no way this coach was of Russian heritage. It shows how far we have gone down the rabbit hole that the first thing I thought of was that someone would complain of cultural misappropriation.
In my majesty, I decree that wearing dreadlocks is not inappropriate cultural appropriation, unless they are hair extensions. (See, e.g., Adam Duritz of Counting Crows).
@fallenchemist, this isn’t just a thing on college campuses. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts had an exhibit of a 19th century painting displaying a Caucasian woman in a kimono. The MFA then provided a kimono for visitors to try on and pose beside the painting. There was a massive uproar and the kimono was removed from the exhibit. People (of many cultures) were offended because they felt the exhibit mocked the Japanese. I personally felt there could have been an interesting discussion about this, but the MFA chose instead to shut down both the display and the dialogue.
I watched both videos. I think the female crossed line by more or less insisting that he “admit/confess” to appropriating from another culture…and to what point? The male, well he just likes having his dreadlocks and now feels obligated to defend himself. In my opinion…I have seen better looking dreadlocks.
Rastafarians take them seriously, it’s the biblical injunction not to cut hair that some religions share. But dreadlocks have been appropriated by many people, including Jamaican people who aren’t Rasta and a whole heap of modern hippies. And hippie-wannabes, for that matter.
Anyway, Rastafarians aren’t the first people to wear the hairstyle, men from India, Eqypt, Celts etc all wore them at some point too.
The video is kind of dumb. It’s one person picking a fight with another person. So the heck what.
Wikipedia talks about dreadlocks originating in Ancient Greece. But apparently it has been cross cultural for many many years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadlocks
That woman needs to keep her hands to herself. I can imagine the dialogue if a male had grabbed her and tried to bar her exit.
Really the girl in the vid was just looking for a confrontation. And I think he handled it really well and was pretty articulate about his position in the interview linked above.
Agree that I have seen much better dreadlocks!
Both videos felt staged to me… I’m not convinced it’s authentic.
It seems like many of you don’t know what cultural appropriation is.
In this case, I think the student with dreadlocks was totally fine. I don’t consider this to be a case of appropriation but really just a hairstyle. If you want to see cultural appropriation, take a look at the Kardashian family. For centuries, black people were ridiculed for having larger lips and bigger hips.
All of a sudden, Kylie Jenner starts waist training, getting lip injections, and starts making her skin 3 shades darker and all of a sudden all of these things are considered “trendy, hip, and new” just because a white person has started doing it.
These are two really great articles that explain appropriation.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/06/cultural-appropriation-wrong/
American fashion and design trends are rooted in and inspired by the world and the people around us. Designers take bits and pieces from all aspects of life and create for us something with a unique twist. Look for the positive! I do not think they are intended to offend. I have zero clue why the Kardashian family does what they do…
FYI - I do not feel that by practicing yoga I am appropriating someone else culture NOR is that my intent. (see #7 or 8 in second link from post 18)