SFSU Student Filmed While Accosting Another Student re "Cultural Appropriation"

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Cultural appropriation is a real thing, and while it is complicated to determine exactly what is appropriation vs. appreciation/sharing, and/or the consequences thereof, it's really disappointing to see (white) people on this thread dismiss it wholesale.

"Cultural appropriation" as it's called is nothing more than an attempt by one group to appropriate power over another in an area they've marked off as their territory.

Here's some mad cultural appropriation:



And no one cares, right? Does this video not lay bare the fact that at least some want to use the concept as nothing more than a means to feel like they have power over someone else?

Let's change the facts a bit and say here's a picture of the kid who was accosted:



What now and why is this particular thing hurtful? And if one decides to be hurt by this, why should anyone give a rat's ass? It seems to me that if someone decides they're going to go through life with such very thin skin, then perhaps that's on them?

Of course she had no right to lay her hands on him, but it would be nice if you at least tried to understand why a WoC would see this as a microaggression.

I really am trying to wrap my mind around it, but I don't get why anyone should feel shame for doing something solely because someone else made up a new thing to get butthurt about.

There's cross pollination anytime you have more than one culture in close proximity. Why is it not seen as a good thing, maybe a sign of respect even, when one group adopts the characteristics of the other group?

[NinjaPoodle]

Ironic that I was at SFSU when I read this story.
*sigh*
The girl was out of pocket.

Who was in the right? She was being an idiot. He was in the right. He was wearing his hairstyle of choice, and it had nothing to do with her. She had no right to accost him.

100%

[1964Alum]

What a silly thing to get upset about/offended by!!! And a waste of energy that could be usefully expended elsewhere and for a better reason.

[Sen's Revenge]

What you saw was not the whole story.

[Sen's Revenge]

Originally Posted by AZTheta

Anne Lamott.

She's written about her dreads and her church has no problem with her hairstyle. This is IMO much ado about nothing.

Judge not...

Fuck Anne Lamott, too.

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally Posted by 1964Alum

What a silly thing to get upset about/offended by!!! And a waste of energy that could be usefully expended elsewhere and for a better reason.

It's not silly for her to feel the way she does. You or I don't have to agree with how she feels but her feelings are valid.

When he started to leave, she should not have touched him.

[Hartofsec]

Oh good grief.

Let's all dig deep to find a way that this fellow's bad hair microaggresively provoked this poor woman. He should be reported to the university race-relations authorities immediately, and a committee formed to examine on-campus hair microaggression. The resulting hair sanctions and new enlightened terminology can be used to inform a national conversation on this all-too-often overlooked societal injustice.

Or maybe she was just suffering culturally-appropriated Dreadlock Privilege with a dash of macroaggression.

This important issue certainly demands further study and attention.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Cultural appropriation is a real thing, and while it is complicated to determine exactly what is appropriation vs. appreciation/sharing, and/or the consequences thereof, it's really disappointing to see (white) people on this thread dismiss it wholesale.

Of course she had no right to lay her hands on him, but it would be nice if you at least tried to understand why a WoC would see this as a microaggression.

Because the "WoC" is too ignorant to know history?

White people have been wearing dreads for thousands of years.
http://ragingrootsstudio.com/the-history-of-dreadlocks/

If anything, black people are appropriating the style from Egyptians.

What's offensive is that you consider this a microaggression for someone celebrating their own culture. It's like you cannot accept someone elses culture.

[LaneSig]

Rachel Dolezal = cultural appropriation

white guy with dreads = cultural diffusion

Clearly in my opinion, most people are confusing cultural diffusion with cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation would be taking something from somebody else's culture, using it, and claiming it belongs to the new person using it and not the original culture. Or, in the Rachel Dolezal case, taking aspects of another culture and claiming that you belong to that culture.

Cultural diffusion is the natural transference of cultural aspects from one culture to another. The world does not, and never has, existed in a vacuum. Words, food, hair designs, fashion, etc., naturally criss-cross cultures. And have since time immemorial; and with the advent of technology, will continue to do so.

Whether it looks good or him or not, this kid saw a hair style that he liked and decided to wear it. He's wearing it because he likes it. If he were doing it to mock the other culture (thinking of the "South of the Border" or "Who Rides the Bus" parties that were stupid and inappropriate), then it would be an issue.

No one is supposed to wear a certain hairstyle, unless that hairstyle is specifically from the history of their culture?

No one is supposed to use a canoe or kayak, unless they are Native American or First People (Canada)?

The much more scarier issue is cultural suppression. Denying people the use of their own culture. Think of the Indian schools that the U.S. government used to try and make the Native Americans "white". The same happened in Australia with the Aborigine people and in Canada with the First People. Also, in Korea by the Japanese prior to the end of WWII.

I hope this white guy isn't claiming to be from the culture of Sparta, India, ancient Aztec, Senegal, Niger, Mali, or Tibet- all cultures that historically had people who wore dreadlocks. If he is claiming to be one of these without knowing about them, then he should be schooled on the history.

If this white guy is confronting women or men of color who are wearing dreadlocks and telling them they can't, he is completely in the wrong and I would have no problem with someone holding him down and shaving his head bald.

This is a guy who saw a hairstyle that he liked, whether he knew the history or not, and decided to wear it. He isn't (hopefully) denying anyone else of the chance to do the same or (again, hopefully) claiming that the style came from his culture. If he is looking in the mirror and saying "Damn, I look good", then que sera sera. If I'm allowed to speak French, since my cultural background is Scottish, Jewish, Protestant, and American Indian.

These statements are clearly my own. I have worked with people from other cultures for 99% of my teaching career- 30+ countries. I will never claim to be an expert or that I don't have places to grow, but I do deal daily with cultural differences. They are to be respected, honored, and learned from. Not denied and isolated strictly to one group.

[DubaiSis]

Lane, I have never heard the term Cultural Diffusion, but I knew exactly what you meant and I agree that likely that is what this is.

And I wholeheartedly agree that people, particularly college kids, need to put on their big people pants and stop getting so butt hurt over absolutely everything. "I'm right and you don't deserve to live" thinking is, in part, (IMO) what has caused the political free fall we are currently in. Learn to let other people do things you don't agree with and we will all live better lives.

[DGTess]

I have to wonder what it is about skin color that makes hairstyles cultural?

If your hair does something naturally, and mine does the same thing naturally, but we don't have the same skin color, then who is the "aggressor"? And whose culture gets to claim it?

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by DGTess

I have to wonder what it is about skin color that makes hairstyles cultural?

If your hair does something naturally, and mine does the same thing naturally, but we don't have the same skin color, then who is the "aggressor"? And whose culture gets to claim it?

Taking this one step further, would WoC who straighten their hair be guilty of cultural diffusion?

[calcetinmarione]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

Fuck Anne Lamott, too.

You might could learn a thing or two about writing from her . . .

[AnchorAlum]

Originally Posted by thetalady

What a load of absolute crap.

And I say that with lots and lots of microaggression.

I'll add my own microaggression and we'll go macro. Unless of course you find that thought microaggressive.

The world is getting more effed by the day.

[33girl]

Actually, the Village People were supposed to represent the most popular gay stereotypes at the time.

And if she was upset, went home and wrote an article or blog post about it, that would have been fine. Verbally and physically assaulting some random person is NOT fine and having experienced it myself, this video made me extremely upset to watch.