Questions about Cultural appropriation
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is cultural appropriation and how is it defined?
Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another in a manner perceived as inappropriate or unacknowledged. American anthropologist Jason Jackson defines it as the structural inversion of assimilation, in which a powerful group takes aspects of the culture of a subordinated group and makes them its own. Julia Serano, in Outspoken: A Decade of Transgender Activism and Trans Feminism, argues appropriation is harmful only when it involves erasure, exploitation, or denigration of the originating culture.
What are some examples of cultural appropriation in fashion?
Notable examples include model Karlie Kloss wearing a Native American warbonnet at Victoria's Secret in 2012, which a Navajo Nation spokesman called a mockery. In 2018, Gucci sent white models down a Milan runway wearing Sikh religious headpieces, drawing widespread criticism. In June 2019, Kim Kardashian launched a shapewear line called Kimono; the mayor of Kyoto wrote her a public letter asking her to drop the name, and she did so the next day.
How has cultural appropriation controversy affected sports teams in the United States?
Sports teams in the United States and Canada have long used Native American names, imagery, and mascots despite protests from indigenous groups. The NCAA initiated a policy against hostile and abusive names and mascots in 2005, leading to many changes. The National Congress of American Indians reports that two-thirds of such names and mascots have been eliminated over the past fifty years.
What is blackfishing and how does it relate to cultural appropriation?
Blackfishing is a term popularized by writer Wanna Thompson in 2018 to describe white social media influencers who adopt a look associated with Black people, including braided hair, darkened skin, and enhanced lips. Alisha Gaines of Florida State University, author of Black for a Day: Fantasies of Race and Empathy, said blackfishing allows non-Black people to appropriate what is seen as cool about Blackness while avoiding its negative consequences, such as racism and state violence.
What criticisms have scholars and authors raised against the concept of cultural appropriation?
Critics argue the concept implies a purist, monoethnic view of culture that ignores how cultures have always influenced each other. Kwame Anthony Appiah, ethics columnist for the New York Times, said the term incorrectly frames contemptuous behavior as a property crime. Mathias Siems identifies a legal problem: many supposed cultural properties belong to groups too large to have any reliable collective consent mechanism.
How has AAVE spread on TikTok and why is it considered cultural appropriation by some?
Words from African American Vernacular English, including slay, lit, finna, and sybau, have spread rapidly on TikTok and are often labeled Gen Z slang, erasing their origins. Jason Parham, a senior writer at WIRED Magazine, wrote that TikTok creators embody Blackness by taking on Black rhythms, gestures, affects, and slangs. Rachel Elizabeth Laing of Illinois State University argues this usage increases the power imbalance between linguistic majority and minority groups.