What is Cultural Appropriation? Why Should You Care?

In a society that thrives on new trends, creative media and self-expression, it's not surprising to many that culture is a  great source of inspiration. Although multiculturalism is something to be appreciated, issues arise when a concept known as "cultural appropriation" occurs.

Cultural appropriation is a term described by many social activists, in which meaningful aspects of a minority culture are misrepresented and exploited by another. To put it simply, it's when important cultural/religious customs are treated meaninglessly by a member outside the community. Some simple examples would include :

• Non-Hindu women wearing bindis, because "it's pretty"
• Wearing crosses or other symbols for non-religious reasons
• Dressing up as a culture for Halloween (i.e."Native American","Mexican"..etc)

Still don't understand? Here's a great Twitter thread explaining cultural appropriation using a sandwich as a analogy.

Now before you throw out your sombrero and chopsticks, it's important to realize the difference between cultural appreciation, versus appropriation. Appreciation is immersing yourself in aspects of the culture in an educated manner, and for the right reasons ; you wouldn't wear a hijab if you weren't a Muslim woman, right? Keep in mind that cuisine and language (unless somehow considered sacred) are almost impossible to offensively use.

It's important to remember that there's a wide array of different opinions on the subject and at the end of the day, you're free to do whatever you like (as long as you aren't breaking the law). If you wish to be sensible, here are some questions to ask yourself :

• Is what I'm doing important to a culture or religion? Am I honoring it?
• Am I doing so for the right reasons, or just because "it looks cool"?
• Am I representing the original culture accurately?
• Is the source of my "inspiration" considered a minority, or oppressed?

As someone who's almost exclusively white, my opinion on the subject isn't all that valid or important, but I pride myself on have being exposed to an array of cultures and religions. Personally, I'm against censorship, but I also believe that people should take responsibility for what they do, and the reactions that arise. In other words, if you decide to adopt a custom from a culture and somebody gets mad, instead of lashing back with the "it's free country!" response, take a moment to understand what they are feeling.

Sources : "The Difference Between Cultural Exchange and Cultural Appropriation." Everyday Feminism. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
"Dialogue: Here's Why We Can't Agree On Cultural Appopriation." Thought Catalog. 2015. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.