Lose the Braids or Lose the Job

Cultural appropriation has been a heavy topic, even more so recently with the social tension in the United States. What is cultural appropriation? It is essentially the act of one person taking something seen as cultural to another person and converting it into an accessory. It is the Kardashian wearing corn rolls and being glorified as hip and “cute”, while black women continue to have to fight for the right to wear their own hairstyle without being degraded, or even fired for it.

Now, there are people who claim, well what’s the big deal? Isn’t it a form of respect? Shouldn’t you feel happy that something you consider to be a part of your culture is finally being appreciated? See, the problem is it is being appreciated only when it is on the white body. The body of a white human being is not criminalized. The body of a white human is not put in danger when they choose to pick what cool ethnic trait they want to use next. I have personally witnessed a coworker of mine basically be threatened to either take out her braids, or find a new job. Yet a white woman can walk in to work wearing just about any hair style she could possibly think of, and it would be fine. Now, there is such a thing as white culture, and yes there could be an argument that their culture is perhaps appropriated as well. But have they ever had to fight to be themselves? Has a white woman ever had to fight to wear her blonde, straight hair down? Has the white man ever had to defend the reason why he chooses to wear Sperry’s? The problem with cultural appropriation when it comes to anyone of color is the fact that one body is in danger when they choose to celebrate their culture while the other is celebrated when they choose to use the culture as an accessory. “Black women (as well as other women of color) are not only being told that their natural beauty is undesirable but they are also being shown that it is unacceptable in the workplace and deemed inappropriate. Yet, Black women continue to see images in fashion, magazines, music, and all across the media…”. Some may argue that cultural appropriation is a toxic content, because it does not have any limitations. Everyone wants to own something, and thinks no other culture should be allowed to use the thing that they own, and that only causes division. An argument made by other writers is that it’s not the cultural aspects we care about, rather the racism. Which is exactly my point. However, unlike the argument used by this particular writer, I believe that is the reason we need to address cultural appropriation. It is not okay to have Zendaya called a “dirty hippy” for wearing her hair one way, and then praise how “adorable” Kim Kardashian looks wearing the exact same hairstyle. Frankly, what I see is someone essentially saying, “hey, I know you’re not allowed to show how proud you are of your culture, but I still think you should not say anything when someone else does the exact same thing and gets positive feedback”. What would be the appropriate response, then? Because it reminds me a lot of “Eating the Other”. Allowing it to happen, allowing others to use your culture as a seasoning, or an accessory, while you have to settle for white culture just to be safe. Allowing the fact that they will never have to deal with the culture itself, or the discrimination and danger that comes with it, because they are white. “It was the black body that was most “desired” for its labor in slavery, and it is this body that is most represented in contemporary popular culture as the body to be watched, imitated, desired, possessed.” What white people are doing when they take the culture of a person of color, especially Black people’s, is picking out their favorite flavored candy, without eating the whole bag. They literally get to choose what they see worthy of imitating, and then are called cute and diverse. Allowing for the white person to simply appropriate your culture, tell yourself it is okay and that they mean well, is letting them take control of your body. It is letting them say you are a spice. It is saying, “it’s okay for you to take what you like and throw the rest away”. As long as people of color are not able to express themselves through their culture without prejudice, then it is not okay for white people to be able to use that same culture and be praised for it. Cultural appropriation is a problem.