The Student Room Group

Is it cultural appropriation to....

wear a sequin or gem between your eyebrows if it's not actually a bindi? I have some moon and star sequins I wanted to wear for festivals, they just look nicer there than anywhere else on my face.

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No
Cultural appropriation - to use someone's culture and/or heritage in a mocking, negative or stereotypical way.

Everything else - no.
Yes.
Original post by SmallTownGirl
Yes.


How? So no white personal can put anything between their eyebrows or on their forehead? Surely that's just a place on the body. Is understand if it was an actual bindi, but it's a sequin from hobbycraft.....
Does it matter?
Original post by SmallTownGirl
Yes.


-puts hand behind ear to hear better-

Excuse me? How? Appropriation is about mocking an aspect of someone's culture for personal benefit and without giving back to them afterwards.

How is some random Rachel wearing some ****ing beads on her face appropriating? This really ruins it for actual appropriation. Like if I just started rapping with black women twerking on me or something.
Original post by DiddyDec
Does it matter?


Your apathetic copouts just don't stop.
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
wear a sequin or gem between your eyebrows if it's not actually a bindi? I have some moon and star sequins I wanted to wear for festivals, they just look nicer there than anywhere else on my face.


Unless you come in doing a bollywood dance with a bad spray tan to look Indian and lip syncing poor hindi and then put it on youtube to be a "star" lmao you're all right
Original post by 0to100
Your apathetic copouts just don't stop.


Nope.
allah akbar
Bindis are worn by Hindu women but have recently been making an appearance in music festival fashion. I think the main problem is it's like of like taking from someone's culture but making it cool. For example many ago an Indian or Hindu woman may have been mocked for having a dot between their eyebrows. Then one day someone saw it and was like that's cool I'm gonna do the same but with a sequin. So when worn by people of that actual culture it's mocked but when worn by some half naked festival girls it's seen as cool and fashionable. You may think there's nothing wrong with it bc it's just a random sequin between your eyebrows but you didn't just pluck this idea out of your head, you've seen others do the same thing and they've copied it from Hindus in the first place. So I guess that's why people may call you out for appropriation. Tbh it always makes me cringe when I see girls at music festivals with 'bindis' but at the end of the day it's your decision, people will always complain about cultural appropriation, do as you wish as long as its not in your intentions to disrespect anyone.
Reply 12
Avatar for drogon
drogon
2
Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of a different culture.

That's the definition to the idiots who think its only appropriation if its mocking.

But no, it isnt appropriation.
Original post by Tsrsarahhhh
Bindis are worn by Hindu women but have recently been making an appearance in music festival fashion. I think the main problem is it's like of like taking from someone's culture but making it cool. For example many ago an Indian or Hindu woman may have been mocked for having a dot between their eyebrows. Then one day someone saw it and was like that's cool I'm gonna do the same but with a sequin. So when worn by people of that actual culture it's mocked but when worn by some half naked festival girls it's seen as cool and fashionable. You may think there's nothing wrong with it bc it's just a random sequin between your eyebrows but you didn't just pluck this idea out of your head, you've seen others do the same thing and they've copied it from Hindus in the first place. So I guess that's why people may call you out for appropriation. Tbh it always makes me cringe when I see girls at music festivals with 'bindis' but at the end of the day it's your decision, people will always complain about cultural appropriation, do as you wish as long as its not in your intentions to disrespect anyone.


this is so true i remember 4 years ago i had henna on my hand and people would start questioning like 'uhh what is that' or thats really weird and stuff and now its just some 'trend' thing going around in Instagram. i honestly have no problem with people doing what they like, but please do the research of what it is actually used for and the meaning behind it
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
wear a sequin or gem between your eyebrows if it's not actually a bindi? I have some moon and star sequins I wanted to wear for festivals, they just look nicer there than anywhere else on my face.


Absolutely not, the way I see it cultural appropriation occurs only when the person's intention is to directly offend that cultural background and this is not an instance of that, it is embracing it instead so feel free to wear that as and when you please.
Original post by Tsrsarahhhh
Bindis are worn by Hindu women but have recently been making an appearance in music festival fashion. I think the main problem is it's like of like taking from someone's culture but making it cool. For example many ago an Indian or Hindu woman may have been mocked for having a dot between their eyebrows. Then one day someone saw it and was like that's cool I'm gonna do the same but with a sequin. So when worn by people of that actual culture it's mocked but when worn by some half naked festival girls it's seen as cool and fashionable. You may think there's nothing wrong with it bc it's just a random sequin between your eyebrows but you didn't just pluck this idea out of your head, you've seen others do the same thing and they've copied it from Hindus in the first place. So I guess that's why people may call you out for appropriation. Tbh it always makes me cringe when I see girls at music festivals with 'bindis' but at the end of the day it's your decision, people will always complain about cultural appropriation, do as you wish as long as its not in your intentions to disrespect anyone.


This. I didn't have to words to explain but this. There's a lot of appropriation in festival fashions (appropriating from Native American cultures, African culture etc...)
Original post by Tsrsarahhhh
Bindis are worn by Hindu women but have recently been making an appearance in music festival fashion. I think the main problem is it's like of like taking from someone's culture but making it cool. For example many ago an Indian or Hindu woman may have been mocked for having a dot between their eyebrows. Then one day someone saw it and was like that's cool I'm gonna do the same but with a sequin. So when worn by people of that actual culture it's mocked but when worn by some half naked festival girls it's seen as cool and fashionable. You may think there's nothing wrong with it bc it's just a random sequin between your eyebrows but you didn't just pluck this idea out of your head, you've seen others do the same thing and they've copied it from Hindus in the first place. So I guess that's why people may call you out for appropriation. Tbh it always makes me cringe when I see girls at music festivals with 'bindis' but at the end of the day it's your decision, people will always complain about cultural appropriation, do as you wish as long as its not in your intentions to disrespect anyone.


I dunno there's not that many places that a sequin would look alright, cheek or side of the eye maybe... It's not like I could stick it on the end of my nose. That's like saying anyone who wears a headscarf or bandana is appropriating Islamic culture, or anyone who wears flower garlands is appropriating Hawaiian culture, or wearing fur is appropriating Eskimos ...it could go on forever... I don't know.
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
wear a sequin or gem between your eyebrows if it's not actually a bindi? I have some moon and star sequins I wanted to wear for festivals, they just look nicer there than anywhere else on my face.


Not really, I'm hindu and I don't really see anything wrong with that..
Original post by Salsa123
Absolutely not, the way I see it cultural appropriation occurs only when the person's intention is to directly offend that cultural background and this is not an instance of that, it is embracing it instead so feel free to wear that as and when you please.


Can I wear a salman hat then to the festival?
Reply 19
Avatar for Josb
Josb
6
Original post by SmallTownGirl
This. I didn't have to words to explain but this. There's a lot of appropriation in festival fashions (appropriating from Native American cultures, African culture etc...)


Is it a problem?

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