Essay Sample on Cultural Appropriation

While cultural appropriation has always been present in society, it only recently began to gain awareness. People have realized the harmful effects and stereotypes that cultural appropriation poses and have decided to speak up on this occurring issue. It has been a common discussion among people and everybody has a different answer; many people put off or shy away from this type of conversation in fear of upsetting people or being a minority in their beliefs. Cultural appropriation stems from racist stereotypes, understating racism and also dehumanizes people of minority communities. But directly, what are the harmful effects of cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation is “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture” (“Cultural Appropriation”). Cultural appreciation differs from appropriation because it consists of respectfully learning and understanding the culture before participating. People who care about appreciating the culture will do research and listen to people of those cultures to learn about the context and significance. Culture appreciation can be applied to wearing Asian traditional clothing, but it cannot be said for things like culture appropriating African-American hairstyles. Even with good intentions, these hair styles are strictly for black people since these hairstyles are embedded in their history and culture during the slavery period in the U.S. They have suffered discrimination for these hairstyles: African-American hairstyles will be considered “ghetto” or “unprofessional” when black people themselves wear it. Dominique Michelle shares her experiences wearing her natural hair in her workplace: “...I was met with laughter, followed by ‘You look like one of those...what do you call them? The dolls with the hair...a troll doll baby!’” She adds that she has been pulled away and told, “You have to wear your hair organized.” Black women are constantly criticized for their hair, but when people outside of that culture partake in those hairstyles, they are considered “hip” and “trendy.” This problem has reached national significance as Senator Cory Booker has had to propose the first bill in history to ban hair discrimination at the federal level.

Cultural appropriation is harmful in ways that are beyond individual experiences. Cultural appropriation is profitable. When people see foreign things, they are looked at as exotic or different which gets more people interested. For example, sports teams and schools using Native Americans as mascots, Nicki Minaj appropriating and sexualizing Chinese culture for her song “Chun Li,” and Chinese pop singer An Qi using Indian culture for a “sexy and exotic” performance. These people do not care about the cultures they appropriate. They are only looking to use these cultures to create a better self image for themselves. Ellena Cuario describes cultural appreciation as “a guise to try to get away with cultural appropriation.” “This was never about showing us appreciation.” she comments, “You just want to wear it. You want to look like you have a little bit of culture.” Cultures are being stripped away from their original significance, and the cultures, along with the people of these cultures end up being dehumanized and/or objectified. The whole “Asian fetish” is a by-product of imperialism when Asian women escaped prostituion or Japanese internment camps to live with American men in the 1940’s. Asian fetishization affects even regular Asian women as many men have expressed their “yellow- ever” or preference of Asian women because they are seen as “submissive and innocent.”

Because of all these harmful stereotypes, regular, everyday people of modern time are negatively affected. Cultural appropriation derives from racism and stereotypes of oppressed minorities. When the privileged use a culture for their own profit, it harms these cultures and produces a new generalized identity for them. While cultural appropriators can take off their sexy qipao or corn rows whenever they want, Asian and African-American women live oppressed for their culture and race.  Amandla Stenburg quotes, “Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated, but it is deemed as high fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves. Appropriation occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture they are partaking in.”