UR AL U R IATION “Cultural appropriation is not cooking food outside of your culture or celebrating a holiday outside of your culture.” cooking food outside of your culture or celebrating a holiday outside of your culture.” To her point, Mia Moody Ramirez, a Baylor University Public Relations and Journalism professor explains, “Cultural appropriation is distinct from equal cultural exchange because of the presence of power inequities that are a consequence of oppression.” Appreciation is not the only thing commonly mistaken for cultural appropriation. Blatant racism in the form of mockery is mistaken for cultural appropriation just as often. Labeling clear instances of racism as cultural appropriation has consequences, as doing so threatens to take away from the severity of these displays of racism. McFadden said, “It is a problem for a student to dress up in a fake mustache and sombrero for laughs on Halloween, for example. Th at is not cultural appropriation — it is just being racist, and that needs to be addressed.” According to Junior Sinan Karadogan, “cultural appropriation is an act of ignorance. It is when someone takes into their identity a false interpretation of a culture, creating a false identity, and potentially devaluing the culture.” While most acts of cultural appropriation are fueled by 36 ignorance, seldom with malicious intent, there is an expectation of research and understanding that goes along with embracing another’s culture, which is what distinguishes harmful appropriation from appreciation. In regard to cultural mockery, those who continue to use aspects from another culture disrespectfully, or in a manner that belittles the culture in question, while being aware of a symbol’s cultural signifi cance, can expect to come under harsh scrutiny. Th e severity of blatantly racist acts are undercut when labeled cultural appropriation, as the term may imply that such acts were accidental. Senior Valentina Rivera said, “students have to feel safe, but we have created an environment at our school with microaggressions happening more often than they should.” In order to be able to combat the culture of microaggressions and racism that presents itself in our community and beyond, it is important to recognize the distinction between glaring instances of intentional racism, and the harmful adoption of cultural symbols without due credit. written by Brynn Baker designed by Jane White
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