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Art, dance, music, clothing, hairstyles, architecture…the list goes on. There are millions of things that make up a culture. Each culture includes its own critical thing that separates them from another one. Even common American associations (or stereotypes) cause certain minorities to be separated.
Cultural appreciation is when someone
Other forms of cultural appreciation include eating your meal with chopsticks. This isn’t decimating other Asian cultures, it’s appreciating them by participating in common things associated with Asian culture. Appreciating another culture is a harmless way of looking at culture. There’s really no sort of bad in it since it’s meant as a way of gaining further understanding of the world around you.
Cultural appropriation, however, is completely different. Cultural appropriation is taking some aspect of another culture and using it as a personal interest or a way to seem popular. It’s not meant to make the culture you’re representing look good, it’s done as a way
There are hundreds of examples of cultural appropriation in American society.
Though society will always have its desirable body shape and beauty standards for women, this doesn’t mean it’s alright for women who surgically advance their lips to be praised while those who are born with it are shamed. It causes a sort of insecurity to an entire race as if it’s their fault for the way their bodies were made.
Cultural appropriation can also be shown in foods. This is commonly seen on television shows that showcase classic American housewives. These women will sometimes create food from another culture that they aren’t a part of just to make themselves seem “educated” or “special.” They search for that praise from the group they’re surrounded in, negatively impacting another culture in the process. It’s an incredibly unfortunate way that many parts of certain cultures – such as African, certain European cultures, and Asian cultures have all faced some form of cultural appropriation, putting them in a greater danger for discrimination.
One of the greatest examples of this in the United States is something that was highly popular during the 1960s. African-American women (or any woman who had curly/kinky hair) were forced to change their hair to either a wig or straight hair. They had to conform to society in order to live properly and make money. And though this is an issue from the earlier times of America, it’s still a high issue. Many African-American women can face discrimination for wearing their hair in a relaxer, weave, or for just straightening their hair. Though critics argue this is a way of cultural appropriation, it’s not this at all. Women or men with curly hair will often be criticized for their hairstyles and therefore judged much more harshly than someone with straight hair would be. Sometimes, in order to avoid being harassed, these individuals have to straighten out their hair or put on a wig.
The same can happen for people who follow a religion or culture that involves head coverings, and they can be a victim of cultural assimilation. Many Americans still believe that if a Muslim is wearing a hijab, they’re a terrorist. Others believe that if someone is Middle Eastern, they actually communicate with their own country to somehow plan the fall of America. Individuals who wear head coverings, unfortunately, can’t wear them without being harassed. They can face the same discrimination that African-Americans face for their braids or dreads and are at an even greater risk of being attacked due to society’s opinion of them.
So why are cultural appropriation and assimilation so widely confused? It’s because many people can look past the differences if it doesn’t truly affect them. Many groups of people just assume, “Hey, if it’s not my problem, why would I worry about it?” Though this is true, it’s a horrible thought to live by. It may not affect every individual completely, but it does affect the society you live in, spreading itself to the economy, certain political powers, the way cities or towns are run, and how social classes are ranked.
Image Sources:
Image One, Featured Image – Medium.com
Image Two – Entrepreneur.com
Image Three – TheVideoLink.com
Image Four – BLOCKED; Out of Context (TeenVouge Article)
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Image Six – Ulfire.com
Image Seven – BLOCKED; Out of Context
Image Eight – NewEllta.Weebly.com