What’s the Difference Between Appropriation and Appreciation?

Cultural Appropriation: A triggering debate that permeates the modern conversation, both online and IRL. Why do fashion brands come under so much scrutiny when it comes to displaying clothing from ethnic backgrounds aside from their own? How much damage can cultural appropriation really do? And what’s the difference between appropriation and appreciation?

We asked London creatives from fashion, photography, art, magazines and music for their take on the term; and ask how we, as a society, can do better.

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[Melina-xkgj]

I've literally come here, as a black girl, to see if maybe I'm not understanding...why I'm not raging when I see white people wearing things like box-braids...I still don't get it?? I've read the definitions and I am soo with standing up for the black community but this...? What is wrong with it? I believe as long as someone is taking the culture seriously, they are aware of the roots...and they present it in a respectful way then there's no problem. I really don't understand why people get dragged for things like this...

[STAHLSOUND]

Imagine someone tells you about them "owning a culture".

[linchan]

It's getting to a point where no one is allowed to show interest in other cultures apart from their own, but at the same time is expected to be an expert on every other culture than their own. People don't want others to be shallow with their beloved traditions. I get it. But people invent new things, new forms of thought through looking at something, putting it in a different context and creating something new. It's called creativity and human cultural evolution. And it does not mean that racism does not exist. It just means that culture is not a secluded thing in a box, especially not in a globalized world with access to the internet.... And if it is, it's kinda sad. It's creating segregation

[gabfortin]

Dread-Locks are not race-specific. Sorry. Native-Americans had dreads. Hindus have dreads.

[zawarudo]

I really don’t get this because everyone in the world borrows from different cultures daily...whether that be food, music, customs etc. If people wear clothes from my culture to purposely make a mockery of it then I see a big issue but if someone wanted to simply wear a cultural costume/style with out any intent to offend then I don’t see any issue why someone of a separate culture can’t wear something from a different

[BlueMasteress]

It feels to me in these cases as "cultural" is used instead of race/colour, as white people aren't allowed to complain about appropriation. I'm Norwegian and as white as they come, and nobody gives a flying-F about the way my cultural heritage is being used and abused all across the globe: The vikings.
I'm proud of my heritage and the great things the vikings accomplished (though not so proud of the bad things they did), and I'm happy for others appreciate them too. Okay, so they didn't have horns on their helmets, the show Vikings gets most of their "facts" wrong, and Marvel?; they got the names correct and that's about it. But people love the viking culture and that makes me happy.

[JoshuaOtusanya]

Wishing whoever is reading this a great day today :)

[Vlad-sjyw]

I would have liked an interview with a Scandinavian person about Americans turning one of their Gods into a superhero.

[ShimmySchimeon]

Culture Appropriation is different with everyone, I still dont see a point of it.

[JotMaxi]

Yep, after having another debate about this enter my life I've come to study the issue again and am reassured by the 95% of people who agree that those who point the finger when it comes to cultural appropriation are causing another form of racism.
Culture is to be shared. Making it exclusive on a personal level is elitist which is going full circle and becoming just like the capitalists who really do exploit minority cultures.
Of course it's important to know what we are representing, where it came from and how it might be seen by others, but this should be done through kind education not anti-racist racism which just breeds hate.
None of us chose where we were born and any of us could be any of us.

[self.destructr]

'Cherry picking clothing and items from other cultures, using references to ultimately sell products - Err yeah, that"s how fashion has been operating since the dawn of fashion

[linchan]

At one point in history people thought that women wearing trousers was offensive. Culture evolves and there's nothing you can do about it

[tobyloveard]

in my opinion, cultural appropriation is when someone takes something from another culture and calls it their own. there was a video where a black woman went inside a boba shop asking for the manager who was ASIAN saying they're culturally appropriating because boba is an African thing when in reality it originated in Taiwan.

cultural appreciation is when someone takes something from a different culture and spreads its good name as well as maybe supporting the person of that culture (eg: getting a Chinese takeout from a Chinese business).

[mars]

When people describe cultural appropriation like this and try to set all of these knit picky guidelines to cultural use, it divides humans even more. A beautiful part of humanity and how intertwined we are is how we can share and exchange cultures (like we've been doing for literally thousands of years). So, to act this way about culture is just segregative and divisive.

[Moana_moo]

I am White from Europe and my grandpa was Morrocan and Nigerian. My Take on cultural appropriation:when someone takes something from another culture and claims they invented it. For example you can wear cornrows if you’re non black but don’t call them boxer braids. Just like fashion designers appropriated Romanian traditional clothing and claimed it was a new style. Like wear it as much as you want but don’t claim Christian Dior invented it

[codysimpsonmegan]

How can you look at someone who is wearing something or has a certain hairstyle that is not part of their own culture and assume they're being hateful(if they clearly aren't acting that way or making fun of it I mean😊) . Wouldn't someone who is doing this be appreciating it since they chose to wear it? Whenever I wear traditional indian clothes (sarees, salwar kameez) on hindu festivals, or even just casual kurtis and palazzo, sometimes people think I'm trying to be something I'm not. I'm not trying to be Indian. I got these clothes because my husband and I are hindu and we appreciate his own culture. As long as you acknowledge where it comes from and aren't being hateful I don't even understand why this is even a thing... People in india really love seeing foreigners wear their clothes in a respectful way

[benjenlf]

Those people probably don't even know their own culture. Yet to talk about ''owning'' a culture. That means nothing.

[yeah_yeahwhatever]

Oh, I get it. Some people can do whatever they want because they're "living their truth", and other people have to do what other people want because someone's offended. Seems to make complete sense.

[bchandruu]

So now every time I wear a suit and or consumed antibiotic, I need to give credit to Brits. That tiring.

[citytrees]

The brilliance of extremely young uninformed people being given a platform to express undeveloped ignorant opinions.