Cultural Appropriation & Its Presence in Society - MEDHA RAO

Today we are joined with Medha Rao. She educates us all on the phenomenon of Cultural Appropriation and its repurcussions in society. This beautiful article sums up the negative stereotypes of race and cultural in society and how we can respond to it. Kick back and enjoy!

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Indigenous tribes as school mascots. Hijabs as accessories. Even Halloween

costumes depicting racial or cultural stereotypes. These are all examples of cultural

appropriation in our everyday world. However, it has become so common, that we rarely

notice it as something to be concerned about. But what exactly is cultural appropriation?

The Oxford Dictionary defines cultural appropriation as “the unacknowledged or

inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by

members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” To put this into

simpler words, it is when a more powerful culture takes elements from a more

oppressed culture and claims it as their own. Even so, there is a much deeper meaning

to this term. Cultural appropriation perpetuates racism and encourages insensitive

stereotypes.

For example, if a Black woman wore her hair in cornrows or an afro, it would be

seen as unprofessional in many jobs. Whereas if a white person, someone like Kylie

Jenner, wore these hairstyles, they would be seen as “cool” or “trendy.” In the United

States, white people are the dominant culture and tend to be praised for taking

minorities’ cultures. Cultural appropriation enforces the idea that you don’t have to like

or respect a certain group in order to take from their culture. One example of this is the

popularization of “ethnic” restaurants, which are usually white-owned. These things

push out the validity of people of color and their cultural background.

Something we should realize is that people who appropriate others’ culture only

associate themselves with the benefits of it. To them, it is only a costume they can

remove at the end of the day, and still continue to live their privileged life. This

dehumanizes and diminishes the significance of minority cultures, who must live in an

oppressive society every day.

After reading this you might be wondering if you have accidentally appropriated

someone else’s culture. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. I encourage you to respect other

cultures’ customs and practices, and always ask those who are part of it before getting

involved. As long as you appreciate the culture without mocking it or passing it off as an

accessory. If you ever see something that seems racist, don’t be afraid to call it out!

Challenge those imposed stereotypes! And don’t forget to educate yourself as well.