We’re All A Bunch Of Snowflakes: Is Cultural Appropriation Divisive?
By: Binaka Norris
It’s the most spooktacular time of the year. The 2020 Presidential election is rapidly approaching, Amy Coney Barret was recently appointed to the Supreme Court, and Hurricane Zeta looms on the horizon.
Oh - also - Halloween is this weekend.
While this year’s festivities may look different, that hasn’t stopped people from doing the Monster Mash and dishing out a lot of cash - an estimated $8.0 billion will be spent on Halloween this year (source: The Balance). As ghouls and goblins alike prepare for the 31st, we are forced to revisit the annual Halloween conundrum: what costumes are considered offensive this year, and why? This question inevitably leads to the cultural appropriation v.s appreciation debacle - a debate that is still highly contestable. But what is cultural appropriation? The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “The unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the practices, customs, or aesthetics of one social or ethnic group by members of another (typically dominant) community or society.” In simple terms, a dominant culture takes an aspect(s) of a minority’s culture without crediting the culture, learning about the culture, and/or regarding the significance of that cultural aspect(s). So what does this have to do with Halloween? Probably more than you think.
Costume Supercenter: “Today, the only gathering you will do in an Indian Costume is gathering candy as you trick or treat. While many of our Native American outfits are created for authenticity, there are just as many that take the style and transform it into a fun Halloween costume. “
Fearless Apparel: “Take the party everywhere you go in this Fever Vodka Geisha Costume. The Oriental designed dress comes with a belt and shot glass holder for instant vodka access! You'll definitely bring the fun to the party with this costume!”
Wholesale Halloween Costumes: “At Wholesale Halloween Costumes, we have Mexican costumes for the whole family: men, women, boys, and girls. Our fantastic selection will help you become anyone from Mexico you wish to be, and our low prices will still leave you with enough money to afford your Cancun vacation!”
Pew Research Center: “About a third of Americans say blackface in a Halloween costume is acceptable at least sometimes.”
Urban Indian Health Institute: “506 MMIWG2S* cases were identified across 71 selected urban cities. 280 were cases of murdered Indigenous women.”
*Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn, Girls, and Two Spirit
Fox 11: “A study conducted by the Stop AAPI (Asian-American Pacific Islander) Hate Youth Campaign found that 1 in 4 young Asian Americans have personally experienced anti-Asian hate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Just Security: “According to a Sept. 14 complaint filed by Project South, whistleblower and nurse Dawn Wooten, and other organizations, a gynecologist contracted by the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) in Georgia has performed hysterectomies on immigrant women in detention at an alarmingly high rate and without their informed consent.”
Mapping Police Violence: “Black people have been 28% of those killed by police in 2020 despite being only 13% of the population.”
Cultural appropriation isn’t just copying a hairstyle or outfit without knowing the origins.
It isn’t just “trying something new.”
It’s more than a costume.
Cultural appropriation ignores the very real dangers of being a BIPOC in today’s world.
Want to amplify Native American culture? Don’t wear a skimpy version of a sacred garment, speak up about injustices and atrocities committed against Native Americans. Want to show your love for Asian fashion? Advocate for fair wages for the Asians that make your clothes. Want to promote Latinx culture? Learn about it - don’t dress up as a stereotype. Want to take part of a trend originating from African-American culture? Give credit to the creator and recognize your privilege - don’t participate in blackface.
Quite frankly, it's pretty easy to avoid cultural appropriation. Just check your intent. If you truly want to learn about another culture, and then participate in it without demeaning or mocking the culture, you’re in the clear. If you want to participate in another culture without learning it’s significance, or worse, so you can poke fun at it, you’re culturally appropriating.
But are BIPOC too sensitive? Are we snowflakes for wanting to claim our own culture with proper credit? Are we causing more division by requesting you learn about our culture before participating in it? Are we crossing a line when we ask you to respect our culture - not ridicule it?
To me, informed cross-cultural learning instead of ignorant participation is quite literally the opposite of divisive. We want you to understand, appreciate, and be involved in our culture. We want unity just as much as the next person. We don’t want you stealing aspects of our culture for your own gain, then proceeding to ignore the people who can’t ”take the culture” off. You might get to be Black/brown/Latinx/Asian+ for one “harmless” night, but we have to be BIPOC everyday. Even the days when it's scary. Even the days we wish to be anything but.
So sure, call us snowflakes. But don’t get mad when we call you racist.
Sources:
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/
https://www.foxla.com/news/1-in-4-young-asian-americans-experienced-anti-asian-hate-amid-covid-19
https://www.wholesalehalloweencostumes.com/categories/mexican-costumes
https://www.costumesupercenter.com/categories/historical-native-americans
https://www.thebalance.com/halloween-spending-statistics-facts-and-trends-3305716
https://public.oed.com/blog/march-2018-new-words-notes/