"Cultural Appropriation"
Ok, so I found out about this topic on the IMDb forums, where a white actress was accused of cultural appropriation for dressing up like a "thug" for Halloween, or in other words, a typical poor neighbourhood african-american person. Now, I´m pretty much liberal about most subjects like environmentalism or fenimism, but this just takes things to a whole new level of political corectness.
Just by searching images about this topic, you can see people of different ethnicities saying to no to people of different races wearing their costumes. I just can´t understand why it is offensive to wear costumes from other cultures, in honesty, in my opinion, it shows your fondness and sometimes even respect for those other cultures, by embracing their habits. Plus, everyone knows not all Asian people dress the same way, not every Arab is a muslim, etc. and I can´t see why it´s such a big issue for those people. Would I be offended if a Chinese man wanted to dress like a 18th century European? No, I don´t even get offended when people think Portuguese are Spanish, it´s normal.
Another reason why I completely disagree with this notion is that it´s basically promoting discrimation and preventing multiculturalism. It is trying to forbid people from certain races to wear the outfits of another one. And tell me, how is it saying the "thug" costume belongs to the African-American race and white people shouldn't wear it not stereotyping? It´s like saying only black people living in poor neighbourhoods can be thugs. Sorry for the rant and sorry if the subject already been discussed here, but I wanted to see what other people think about this and if anyone´s on the other side of the topic, try to understand why they think that way.
Comments
I can understand what you're saying. How I see it, most Halloween costumes depicting other cultures are pretty ignorant (i.e. "Indians" wearing buckskins equipped with an axe). There are Native Americans around who deserve more respect than that. It's representing savage behaviour that is disrespectful.
Add to that, the all-too-popular "slutty" fad is just obnoxious in general. You're taking something that has true meaning and tradition and oversexualizing it into oblivion.
There was a thread about that once, and if I recall correctly it was closed due to discussions getting kind of heated, so you should probably get ready to have your notifications blown up soon.
Anyway, I don't have many views on cultural appropriation, but I think sometimes people make a big deal out of it. Yes, everyone should try to know the history of the costume they're wearing, and try to respect the meaning of it and etc, but it's not worth getting pissed off over that. Culture is meant to be shared, as long as you're not trying to ridicule that culture or spread stereotypes, then I think it's ok. Respect, that's the keyword.
Lmao, tell me about it. I find it funny to be honest. But it's normal, especially cause in South America for example most countries speak spanish, and Brazil is the only Portuguese speaking country in SA, so it's understandable why people confuse portuguese with spanish sometimes.. :P
It's times like this when I start to think our generation has never quite grown up. People's worldviews are so sheltered that they view the slightest insult as some monumental injustice.
These controversies are trivial and meaningless.
To be honest, I think our generation backtracked, in the ancient world, people barely treated each other differently based by skin tone, sexuality or physical appearance and then some people got punished for it as time progressed but I must say though, this generation, at least things are starting to move more forward again.
It annoys me when this happens. Just because you're not that ethnicity For crying out loud, I'm Australian and I don't get butthurt when Americans say 'shrimp on the barbie' or dress up in a tank top and shorts and go "Yeeeeeaaahhhhh mate!" It's called comedy, and I actually find it hilarious when people do it, just because it's so ridiculous.
Just because you aren't from a certain culture doesn't mean you can't be part of that culture. Just look at this video.
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Granted, it's probably easy to stage something like this, but there are indeed people like this who don't care if you try to act this way. Just because a person acts in a stereotypical manner or dresses in a stereotypical way, doesn't always mean they actually believe those stereotypes.
I thought you only see this shit on tumblr
I wasn't too into the idea and kind of supported getting rid of the tired, dumb costumes, of like Native Americans or Mexicans and that shit. But Bill Maher actually convinced me when he pointed out that Halloween is about fun and going over the top. Why bother getting up in peoples business over the best holiday? I wouldn't wear a costume like that, but I wouldn't exactly go as a sexy nurse, either. It's not like it's my place to judge people who do.
It's like when that prince dressed up as a nazi. I was a kid then and I still didn't get what all the fuss was about. It's not like he was a real Nazi...
Ehh... call me a social justice warrior if you want but there's no way I can support a costume like that.
Does not care about peoples feelings or opinions. Political correctness is getting out of hand.
My father's family is from southern Germany, and we have a traditional family reunion every year where we wear traditional clothes like the dirndl. Honestly, I don't get offended when people of other etinicities wear a dirndl for Halloween, even if it is the slutty version of it, when they want to dress like "german people". At least they are not dressing as slutty Hittler or some shit (I wouldn't be offended by that either because I am all in favor of ridiculing and making fun of horrible people).
HOWEVER (and that's a big one), I've learned as I grew up that I can't expect people to think and to act on the same way I do. What doesn't offend me might mean the end of the civilized world for someone else. People come from different backgrounds, they have different lives and personalities and I am very aware how bad it is when people tease you about your culture/ethnicity to the point of making you feel like trash (for me, it was mostly being called a nazi and stuff like that). That makes some people distance themselves from their own culture, while other people feel the need to protect it from everybody else. I understand that.
That said, a few points I would like to consider:
1 - Let people of that culture in particular be the ones offended. If you are not part of that culture, keep in mind that your interpretation might be wrong. In some cases, people of that culture might even find it flattering when people of other ethnicity wear their traditional clothes (when people of other ethnicity marry into the family and go to the reunion wearing traditional clothes, I find it very flattering), and then you will be the outsider yelling at the wind for no reason.
2 - Keep in mind that just because it doesn't look offensive for you, it doesn't mean it isn't offensive for everybody ever. Don't try to purposefully rile people up. Put yourself in other people's shoes.
3 - Keep in mind that just because something offends you, it doesn't mean the other person meant any harm. Take a deep breath and evaluate the situation before calling them out. Put yourself in other people's shoes.
4 - Really people, let's just not be assholes to each other. That goes for both sides of the cultural appropriation argument. How about that?
I guess. My ancestors were in the Holocaust. I don't see how dressing as a Nazi is offensive. The Third Reich deserves nothing but mockery, and making their uniform into a joke costume seems like a good way to go about things.
When I saw on the news this morning that people were protesting the city university because some administrators dressed up in Mexican Halloween costumes, I shook my head in disappointment. People need to realize universites aren't their little safe spaces for everything.
What is this reasonable and sober post doing here? Who sent you?
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I think I've missed the point here. Can you elaborate?
Nobody's saying you have to. I can see how a few people would be a bit uncomfortable with something like that, but it's all in good fun.
Wonderfully put..
PREACH!
I know, but I know there are some people who will get upset just because I get upset over it.
Same premise. Funnier results.