In today’s society, the term ‘cultural appropriation’ is thrown around quite a lot. So what exactly is it?
Cultural appropriation is when certain aspects of a culture are separated to create ‘trends’. These trends often ignore the history and significance linked to the culture, and offends minority groups.
No, this does not mean minority groups are ‘snowflakes’. For example, let’s take cornrows. Cornrows are significant to black women, but western media has twisted them and renamed them ‘box braids’ and turned them into a trend, even though it is almost normal to see black women discriminated against for having these hairstyles. They are called ‘unprofessional’ and ‘ghetto’ on black women, yet called ‘cool’ and ‘trendy’ amongst other (mainly white) woman.
Another example is the fox eye trend in the makeup industry. Some makeup artists decide to partake in the trend by pulling their eyes back with their fingers. This gesture is incredibly offensive to Asians as many of them have been mocked and bullied for their eyes.
Cultural appropriation excludes minorities and encourages micro-aggressions. It needs to be acknowledged for there to be a solution. Cultural appropriation white-washes cultures, instead of persevering them and appreciating them.
Written by Aimy
Artwork by Zara Masood
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