No, I wasn't sure what it was either until just recently. That was before reading a Huffington Post article by Dementria Lucas D'Oyley, entitled, "Cultural Appropriation Isn't Okay, Neither is Attacking Kids."
This article was reference to 17-year-old Kylie Jenner posting a photo on Instagram of herself sporting cornrows, which is typically associated with black culture. In response to that, 16-year-old actress and Hunger Games star, Amandla Stenberg, harshly criticized Jenner, claiming she was guilty of cultural appropriation. Then on the Bravo show Watch What Happens Live, host Andy Cohen referred to Ms. Stenberg as his "Jackhole of the Day" for her criticism of Ms. Jenner.
I'm in complete agreement with the author of this article that Mr. Cohen shouldn't have gone after the 16-year-old Amandla Stenberg like he did, for which he later apologized. However, I was still a bit puzzled by the whole "cultural appropriation" side of the article after reading it, so I decided to read some follow-up comments to hopefully garner a better understanding of what the concept is and why some are so offended by it. Fortunately, I stumbled upon one comment which helped answer these very questions. It was written by Rodney Patterson, an African-American, out of Grand Rapids. His comment goes as follows:
"First - The problem started when HE conflates a fake issue called 'culture appropriation' with a real issue like 'police brutality or racism'. I couldn't care less what a Kardashian girl wears on her head, I do care, however, how my fellow Black Americans are treated by those sworn to protect and serve. How did wearing a cornrow wig require her to become another Rosa Parks, a new paragon of Civil Rights? WTF kind of logic is that?
Second - Culture appropriation is a phantom issue, it's nonsense. Let's break it down:
Culture - a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next.
Appropriation - the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.
So, to appropriate Black culture without permission means that there's an owner or guardian of Black culture...who might that be?
Culture is the sea we all swim in, there are no owners, there is no guardian. If we were smart we would spread our culture and allow everyone to see how rich, vibrant, diverse and wonderful it is, instead we attack those WHO APPRECIATE our culture the most and seek to immerse themselves in it...HOW STUPID IS THAT???
Once again, we (Black Americans) have our signals crossed...
'Cultural appropriation is a larger discussion that absolutely should be discussed on wide platforms...'
No, no it shouldn't, Ms. D'Oyley. We shouldn't waste our time on something we can't control. Why should musicians practice thousands of hours to make music for people that can't 'appropriate' what they are hearing, why should soul food shops sell to anyone other than Blacks since a white person may like what they are eating and want to 'appropriate' the recipe.
Stop spreading this nonsense...this is foolishness at the highest level. There are REAL issues of rights and equality out there...with all due respect, go find some of it."
I thought this was a very well thought out and powerful post, which provided some much needed perspective on the matter. Mr. Patterson illustrated that when we focus on cases such as the one involving Kylie Jenner and cornrows, we divert our attention away from more critical issues, and with that, the bigger picture. It's like he said:
"I couldn't care less what a Kardashian girl wears on her head, I do care, however, how my fellow Black Americans are treated by those sworn to protect and serve. ... There are REAL issues of rights and equality out there...with all due respect, go find some of it."
Amen.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/demetria-lucas-doyley-/cultural-appropriation-is_b_7805192.html
This article was reference to 17-year-old Kylie Jenner posting a photo on Instagram of herself sporting cornrows, which is typically associated with black culture. In response to that, 16-year-old actress and Hunger Games star, Amandla Stenberg, harshly criticized Jenner, claiming she was guilty of cultural appropriation. Then on the Bravo show Watch What Happens Live, host Andy Cohen referred to Ms. Stenberg as his "Jackhole of the Day" for her criticism of Ms. Jenner.
I'm in complete agreement with the author of this article that Mr. Cohen shouldn't have gone after the 16-year-old Amandla Stenberg like he did, for which he later apologized. However, I was still a bit puzzled by the whole "cultural appropriation" side of the article after reading it, so I decided to read some follow-up comments to hopefully garner a better understanding of what the concept is and why some are so offended by it. Fortunately, I stumbled upon one comment which helped answer these very questions. It was written by Rodney Patterson, an African-American, out of Grand Rapids. His comment goes as follows:
"First - The problem started when HE conflates a fake issue called 'culture appropriation' with a real issue like 'police brutality or racism'. I couldn't care less what a Kardashian girl wears on her head, I do care, however, how my fellow Black Americans are treated by those sworn to protect and serve. How did wearing a cornrow wig require her to become another Rosa Parks, a new paragon of Civil Rights? WTF kind of logic is that?
Second - Culture appropriation is a phantom issue, it's nonsense. Let's break it down:
Culture - a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next.
Appropriation - the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.
So, to appropriate Black culture without permission means that there's an owner or guardian of Black culture...who might that be?
Culture is the sea we all swim in, there are no owners, there is no guardian. If we were smart we would spread our culture and allow everyone to see how rich, vibrant, diverse and wonderful it is, instead we attack those WHO APPRECIATE our culture the most and seek to immerse themselves in it...HOW STUPID IS THAT???
Once again, we (Black Americans) have our signals crossed...
'Cultural appropriation is a larger discussion that absolutely should be discussed on wide platforms...'
No, no it shouldn't, Ms. D'Oyley. We shouldn't waste our time on something we can't control. Why should musicians practice thousands of hours to make music for people that can't 'appropriate' what they are hearing, why should soul food shops sell to anyone other than Blacks since a white person may like what they are eating and want to 'appropriate' the recipe.
Stop spreading this nonsense...this is foolishness at the highest level. There are REAL issues of rights and equality out there...with all due respect, go find some of it."
I thought this was a very well thought out and powerful post, which provided some much needed perspective on the matter. Mr. Patterson illustrated that when we focus on cases such as the one involving Kylie Jenner and cornrows, we divert our attention away from more critical issues, and with that, the bigger picture. It's like he said:
"I couldn't care less what a Kardashian girl wears on her head, I do care, however, how my fellow Black Americans are treated by those sworn to protect and serve. ... There are REAL issues of rights and equality out there...with all due respect, go find some of it."
Amen.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/demetria-lucas-doyley-/cultural-appropriation-is_b_7805192.html
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