Cultural appropriation is a topic that has gained traction recently, but sadly, is an issue that has been around much longer.
Cultural appropriation can be defined as the “taking or using of things from a culture that is not your own,” often with little regard for the culture itself. Though the word may be intimidating, many of us have likely been exposed to this behavior without fully recognizing it. College women, for example, may see their peers wear Native American headdress during Halloween or the Bindi forehead jewels at music festivals. Twists, cornrows, and other traditionally black hairstyles are constantly being worn by celebrities who pass them off as “trendy.” The problem with these examples is that they leave out the significance and identity of the cultures they take from.
Cultural appropriation is not “borrowing.” Treating a culturally sensitive tradition as the “latest new look” implies total disregard for groups different from yourself. It implies that those customs are disposable; only retaining value when men or women of a certain status deem them worthy.
Celebrities more than any group have been guilty of amplifying this transgression. Miley Cyrus has faced backlash for making a seeming 180 on her association with hip-hop. While she seemed to have no problem profiting off twerking in music videos and working with genre-specific producers in past years, she’s now left that all behind in order to reinvent herself. Miley’s goal to make herself relevant seems to be at the expense of a culture that’s not her own; one where she seems to dip her toes in when it’s convenient, only to shift gears when it no longer benefits her.
Reality star Kylie Jenner has also been called out for appropriation in recent news due to a new clothing line she launched. The camo-inspired clothing appeared to not only steal from black culture, but it also ripped off the designs of a black female designer from fashion brand, PluggedNYC. The privileged 19-year-old made no apology for plagiarizing, nor for past criticism she has received for wearing her hair in cornrows.
There are countless other examples of celebrities co-opting the traditions of cultures they know nothing of, and don’t care to know of for that matter. Hunger Games actress, Amandla Stenberg, perfectly summarized the frustration and issues of appropriation when she commented: “When you appropriate black features and culture but fail to use your position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards your wigs instead of police brutality or racism.”
It’s important to keep in mind the context of your decisions. Cultural elements are more than just accessories to flaunt when you feel bold. Something that will never go out of style is respect, and having the integrity to recognize when something is not your own will last longer than any “trend” you can imagine.
Check out the video below for a breakdown of this issue further: