For years, the topic of cultural appropriation has been widespread in the media. Cultural appropriation discourse typically starts when celebrities post images or videos of themselves using another culture’s belongings, such as wearing saris, sombreros, etc. However, celebrities are not the only people who appropriate cultures, and people have become more aware of what cultural appropriation is and how damaging it can be.
Sometimes people can wear or use something that is sacred to another culture without thinking much about how disrespectful that can be. There is a fine line between appreciating a culture and appropriating it, and everyone should learn the difference in order to be as respectful to other cultures as possible.
Cultural appreciation: Learning and understanding another culture to connect with other people and enhance your perspective on the culture.
Cultural appropriation: Taking an aspect of another culture and using it for your own personal interest with no intention of becoming knowledgeable about the culture.
Cultural appreciation can quickly turn into cultural appropriation even when someone has good intentions. Before using part of another culture, you should research what aspects are looked down upon when people outside of it use it. Simply taking something from a culture and claiming you’re appreciating and understanding it isn’t enough.
There are some things that you should never take from another culture, no matter how innocent your reasons are. Some examples are: using war paint, wearing box braids or cornrows, wearing decorative bindis, or wearing a qipao. These are only a few of the many ways that you can appropriate a culture. While some types of cultural appropriation are often debated, it’s best to completely avoid using elements of a culture if groups of people within the culture have stated it’s not okay to participate in. It can be hard to distinguish what you can and cannot do, so the best way to decide is by questioning why you want to and how it can benefit you and the culture’s people. If you aren’t taking something to genuinely bond with others and be more considerate of the culture, then you shouldn’t do it.
If you want to show appreciation of a culture, some ways to do so are: using chopsticks to eat Asian foods, eating food at cultural restaurants, listening to the people in a culture, listening to a culture’s music, or wearing a head covering when visiting a Mosque. Again, there are many more ways to show your appreciation of a culture that aren’t listed.
Remember to keep in mind why you’re taking something from a culture and how it can be impactful, and that will make a clear distinction between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.