I Can’t White!
Can White Culture be Appropriated?
Recently in a discussion I had with a few classmates we approached a question that many seemed to have mixed opinions about. Is it possible to culturally appropriate White Culture? Many argue that this is impossible due the fact that white culture doesn’t exist. Other’s agreed but based it on the fact that being white does not come with a culture but rather it borrows from other cultures to make it so. In many ways this can be true due to the fact that the white culture in America is comprised from many different cultural traditions of Eastern European cultures.
However ,I disagreed with both these ideas because I do believe there is a white culture here in the United States. The reason I made this argument is because in many ways I myself attempted to appropriate the white culture that I found to be very evident at my own college campus. As most college students know Greek Life is a very big part of any campus. It also makes up the biggest part of student life/activities at most schools. Prior to coming to college I believe that I would have agreed with the concept of my peers that White Cultural Appropriation was impossible because it goes against the concept of a borrowed culture. Well much to my disappointment Media pinned Greek Life in college accurately. By this I mean that the stereotype of what it meant to be a male in a fraternal organization is not far from the concept that most people have from what the media presents.
To me this concept of style and fashion along with the attitude, or “Frattitude” as they would say, is a small glimpse into white culture. Dating back to the early 1700/1800’s most of these organizations trace back their history all extending from high class educated white American Males. When describing the fashion (Polo shirt, board shorts, boat shoes, and sunglasses with croakies) we see that the style comes with somewhat of entitlement. Me being of a minority could never fully be accepted into this culture. Yet that did not stop me from trying. I believe that I myself cultural appropriated this white culture only to discover that I felt out of place and oddly enough dis cultured from myself. It did serve as a joke amongst my friends and as they put it I looked like “a total Frat Boy”. This comment stuck out to me because it was clear that this concept of fashion was associated with the white culture that these organizations have established.
Although this may not be clear, I do believe that this is evidence of my argument. The reason being is because when other cultures are appropriate it is most commonly done through fashion. Fashion has always been a way of imagining a culture. Mexican’s are pictured wearing sobrero’s, Asians are picture with kimonos, Africans with a dashiki, Native Americans with feather head pieces. This happens everywhere we go. So why can’t the same be said for White Upper class Americans. The concept of the “Frat Boy” stems in roots far greater than just young men in college. It goes back generations to their families and how they have all dressed for many years. This fashion sense represents who they are and where they stand in regards t social class, which has always been important in capitalist America. I believe that the reason many believe white culture to exist is because many times minorities choose to ignore it. We see it as a representation of their superiority and we reject their culture as nothing more than a fashion style.
“The richest people in the world are invisible, as are the poorest people in the world.”- Cintra Wilson
As minority groups we grow up resenting that which has positioned us to be a minority, due to the fact that we are invisible to the White Upper class so are they to us. Even on a college campus we see segregation occur due to racial profiling. Although its not so much that as it is a fashion statement. That is where I believe this argument becomes valid. Fashion is now used as an excuse for racism. Just by not dressing a certain way one group may reject you or by dressing in certain close you are looked down upon by those who are part of your cultural group. Appropriation of culture is way to poke fun and make fun of other cultures and even though many do not agree, minority groups have become guilty of this act by dressing up as “Frat Boy’s” to laugh at a culture we deem dull and nonexistent. We label it simple as “White”. From my own experience I can say, “I can’t white”. And sadly this is because I cannot be taking seriously in white culture due to my skin color and cultural background. Fashion has always been a statement, but now it seems that it’s statement is Racism. When is wearing what you want, and how you want acceptable today? As fashion continues to change and cultures change with it, we will continue to appropriate it based on who can wear what based on culture.
