The Student Room Group

Your Opinion on Cultural Appropriation

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Original post by Noodlestudent
Absolutely agree, I once saw a post about a Canadian artist who took inspiration from native American cultures. People said her art was cultural appropriation and she got ripped apart on the internet. Her art was beautiful and she was showing respect to another culture!


And if you think about it, being inspired by and creating art from their history that our ancestors tried to stamp out is a branch of friendship. An effort to rebuild and be integrated rather than separate and holding grudges. It says “I understand and appreciate your history and what you do” but people paint it as a bad thing. If we all share the good and stop focusing on the bad the world would be much better. Sunshine and rainbows and all that crap!
If we're going to make a fuss about cultural appropriation, let's make a fuss about all of it not just black/non-white appropriation.
Original post by cat_mac
Many, many people have said, for example, white people can’t have dreads. If you haven’t seen that you must have been living under a rock.

You don’t need to be so defensive in your replies, what in my last post reflected “white people who constantly defend and refuse to listen” ? You aren’t even talking about cultural appropriation anymore, just an unwarranted general racism rant.

What about what I’ve said do you disagree with? Or is it just my whiteness you have a problem with?


https://www.facebook.com/TheMovementByMic/videos/1386322848057168/?q=white%20people%20dreadlocks

White people can't wear dreadlocks because 1) They call them dreadlocks yet say that "my scandinavian ancestors wore dreadlocks".

2) Some south asians wear hairstyles similar to dreadlocks (forget what they're called) but it is okay because it has a specific cultural name! It isn't copying another.

Saying that your ancestors wore a certain style yet calling it the style of another is cultural appropriation. Especially when you fool yourself into giving credit to another culture!
Original post by gjd800
Going off other replies today, I suspect the latter holds more weight than it should.


Why would I have a problem with whiteness?
Are you insecure or something??

I have scholarships at pretty much elite all-white public schools
Original post by erratic_deus
Why would I have a problem with whiteness?
Are you insecure or something??

I have scholarships at pretty much elite all-white public schools


ya but that doesn't mean you're not a racist
Reply 25
Original post by erratic_deus
Why would I have a problem with whiteness?
Are you insecure or something??

I have scholarships at pretty much elite all-white public schools


Not one bit, I couldn't care less about you or your opinions.

Well done (really), but that's totally irrelevant.
Reply 26
Original post by cat_mac
Many, many people have said, for example, white people can’t have dreads. If you haven’t seen that you must have been living under a rock.

You don’t need to be so defensive in your replies, what in my last post reflected “white people who constantly defend and refuse to listen” ? You aren’t even talking about cultural appropriation anymore, just an unwarranted general racism rant.

What about what I’ve said do you disagree with? Or is it just my whiteness you have a problem with?


As a black woman, I agree with you! Judging from the said person's thoughts in other threads, they want to have a problem with everything and it's quite boring.

But as I said before, if white people are growing dreads as a fashion statement or to look cool, that is where I draw the line. Dreads have been used as a way of black people being discriminated for so long and for someone to wear them because "its trendy" doesn't run. People are literally being denied jobs because of what grows out of their scalp so using it for fashion isn't cool.
Original post by erratic_deus
I have scholarships at pretty much elite all-white public schools


Do you tell these white people everything that's wrong with their culture at every given opportunity, too?


Original post by erratic_deus
Why would I be racist. I'm a black girl.


If you're about to say black people can't be racist - please log out and disconnect your device from the internet forever.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by unknown_usr
ya but that doesn't mean you're not a racist


Why would I be racist. I'm a black girl.
Original post by cat_mac
And if you think about it, being inspired by and creating art from their history that our ancestors tried to stamp out is a branch of friendship. An effort to rebuild and be integrated rather than separate and holding grudges. It says “I understand and appreciate your history and what you do” but people paint it as a bad thing. If we all share the good and stop focusing on the bad the world would be much better. Sunshine and rainbows and all that crap!


That’s true actually, cultural appropriation does divide to people to some extent. It just seems people fight the wrong battles nowadays.
Original post by erratic_deus
https://www.facebook.com/TheMovementByMic/videos/1386322848057168/?q=white%20people%20dreadlocks

White people can't wear dreadlocks because 1) They call them dreadlocks yet say that "my scandinavian ancestors wore dreadlocks".

2) Some south asians wear hairstyles similar to dreadlocks (forget what they're called) but it is okay because it has a specific cultural name! It isn't copying another.

Saying that your ancestors wore a certain style yet calling it the style of another is cultural appropriation. Especially when you fool yourself into giving credit to another culture!


So it’s just that i’m white then.

Nothing I have posted has any connection to your reply aside from my example of dreadlocks, in answer to you asking “who said that white people can’t have X hairstyle?”

Since you don’t have any actual replies to the content of my posts, only the colour of my skin, I’m done with this conversation. Have a good one :erm:
Original post by S.olk
As a black woman, I agree with you! Judging from the said person's thoughts in other threads, they want to have a problem with everything and it's quite boring.

But as I said before, if white people are growing dreads as a fashion statement or to look cool, that is where I draw the line. Dreads have been used as a way of black people being discriminated for so long and for someone to wear them because "its trendy" doesn't run. People are literally being denied jobs because of what grows out of their scalp so using it for fashion isn't cool.


Why are you agreeing with the white girl and not me yet this is what I've been saying #foundit
Original post by cat_mac
So it’s just that i’m white then.

Nothing I have posted has any connection to your reply aside from my example of dreadlocks, in answer to you asking “who said that white people can’t have X hairstyle?”

Since you don’t have any actual replies to the content of my posts, only the colour of my skin, I’m done with this conversation. Have a good one :erm:


Well nothing you say is actually worthwhile on this thread.
You are a white girl who has failed to give their opinion on cultural appropriation.
Original post by erratic_deus
Why would I be racist. I'm a black girl.


I hope to the holy lord above that you're a troll. Just because you're black that doesn't mean you can't be racist. Racism is discrimination based on race, which you're in danger of doing. Your skin colour doesn't mean a bloody thing about your character and I don't see why people don't understand that.
Reply 34
Original post by erratic_deus
Why are you agreeing with the white girl and not me yet this is what I've been saying #foundit


I'm not agreeing with her. I'm respectfully disagreeing, a concept you dont seem to understand. I replied to her politely and went about my day, you meanwhile are constantly on the defense, waiting for someone to slip up so you can label them a racist. Idgaf is she's white, she seems like a much nicer person than you.
Original post by S.olk
I'm not agreeing with her. I'm respectfully disagreeing, a concept you dont seem to understand. I replied to her politely and went about my day, you meanwhile are constantly on the defense, waiting for someone to slip up so you can label them a racist. Idgaf is she's white, she seems like a much nicer person than you.


I'm just expressing my inner Elon Musk.
Reply 36
Original post by erratic_deus
https://www.facebook.com/TheMovementByMic/videos/1386322848057168/?q=white%20people%20dreadlocks

White people can't wear dreadlocks because 1) They call them dreadlocks yet say that "my scandinavian ancestors wore dreadlocks".

2) Some south asians wear hairstyles similar to dreadlocks (forget what they're called) but it is okay because it has a specific cultural name! It isn't copying another.

Saying that your ancestors wore a certain style yet calling it the style of another is cultural appropriation. Especially when you fool yourself into giving credit to another culture!


So all white people can't wear dreadlocks because some white people claim that their ancestors wore dreadlocks, even though there isn't even anything apparently wrong about that statement? :confused:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by unknown_usr
I hope to the holy lord above that you're a troll. Just because you're black that doesn't mean you can't be racist. Racism is discrimination based on race, which you're in danger of doing. Your skin colour doesn't mean a bloody thing about your character and I don't see why people don't understand that.


I've never discriminated in any way at all. I'm really sorry if I have but I also must say. As a black girl, I could never be racist. I could discriminate (but I don't).
I have to be in a position of superiority (e.g be white) in order to be racist.
And I'm a black girl!
Reply 38
Original post by erratic_deus
I'm just expressing my inner Elon Musk.


I have no clue what you are on about
Original post by k.n.h.
So all white people can't wear dreadlocks because some white people claim that their ancestors wore dreadlocks, even though there isn't even much wrong about that statement? :confused:


No.
They claim it is in style with their ancestors
Yet when you further question them they don't know what they're talking about.
It is clearly a cover-up as they almost-always get their dreads done in a black salon.

You'd expect them to know the special name of their ancestors hairstyle if it was the case. They don't and they use the african american term.

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