Picture this: you see an amazing forever 21 sale and cannot help yourself! You leave with a Japanese kimono, a tribal patterned crop top, and a cute pair of chopsticks to put in your hair when you put it in a bun. You have a feeling that your haul is somewhat distasteful, but cannot exactly place why…

Here’s why:

The definition of cultural appropriation is defined as the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of a different culture.

This might sound like the innocuous use of something originated in a place other than your home country. For instance, is going to Taco Bell cultural appropriation? In a way, yes. But it’s much more complicated than a basic yes or no answer, as is every case of cultural appropriation. There are four basic types of cultural appropriation, and though it may fulfill one or more types, it may not fit all four.

1.) Exchange

This type of cultural appropriation occurs when different cultures trade. A great example of this is the silk road in Asia where along with spices and ceramics, Buddhism was introduced to China.

2.) Dominance

This is when a culture of significantly more power encourages (more often forces) their culture upon another culture. A good example of this type of cultural appropriation is the Spanish culture forced upon all of its invaded territories.

3.) Transculturation

Transculturation is a very interesting and perhaps one of the most complex forms of cultural appropriation. In basic terms, it is when two cultures take elements of each to create either a new culture, or a combined version of the two. One good example is Mexico. Though it was a territory of Spain and much of the Spanish culture was appropriated through dominance, the entirety of Spanish culture was not adopted. Instead, a new culture arose that seemed to be a joining of the two.

4.) Exploitation

Exploitation is an extremely common form of cultural appropriation seen today on a micro and macro scale. Exploitation is defined as “the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work.” And applied to the word cultural it means the taking elements of one culture by another culture. But the key ingredient in modern cultural appropriation is exploitation.

For example, is going to Taco Bell in a case of transculturation cultural appropriation? Well, yes, because in the southwest United States, Mexican and American culture is very mixed. The city I live in, Tucson, has a seemingly new type of culture that has combined Mexican and American culture. But is Taco Bell exploitive? In some cases yes. Taco Bell is an American company and doesn’t benefit the culture the food was taken from. Another example is Panda Express. Panda Express took traditional Chinese cuisine and profited from it, which is extremely unfair to Chinese people who own restaurants and can make their culture’s food.

So should you stop going eating Mexican/Chinese/Indian/etc. food?

Well, in short no, not if you don’t want to. But stop benefiting from the exploitation of other cultures and eat at a place owned by people of their respective cultures.

A common argument against the existence of cultural appropriation is “Well, what about Asian people who dye their hair blonde, or African American people who straighten their hair?” And all I have to say is that this is not appropriating “American culture,” but assimilating to it. Assimilating is adopting the dominant culture in order to be successful and carry out day to day life. Instead of questioning why people of color are striving to fit in, we should be asking why the American standard of beauty is so narrow.

So what about my new tribal crop top? Can I wear that?

Absolutely not. Here’s where the real nitty gritty of cultural appropriation comes in. Not only were Native Americans exploited for their land and culture, but by wearing a tribal top, you are claiming their culture, which includes their oppression. An analogy would be someone who was not Jewish wearing the Star of David, pinned to their shirt. This is overtly heinous and offensive. And wearing tribal patterns should be too. Native Americans have survived genocide and are, to this day, stuck within the framework of oppression created by America. If someone, a non-Native American, were to claim that culture, it should be abhorrent.

But what about my Indian rug I bought in India?

Here is where the lines become slightly blurred. Though it is appropriation to display an Indian rug if you’re not Indian, if you bought it from an Indian at a fair price, and did not haggle in attempt to exploit them for their culture and their labor: you’re good. The same goes for Native American pottery and Chinese china.

So what about those halloween costumes of specific nationalities?

These costumes bring up a whole different issue on a whole different level than cultural appropriation. This level is called blatant racism. These costumes are dehumanizing and offensive. They sum up an entire country/culture/nationality into a single cartoonish figure, and perpetuates stereotypes.

I once saw a kid wearing glasses and with a black wig and dorky clothing carrying a huge book. I asked him what he was for halloween. His response? An Asian. He then continued to say that I should not be offended because he was saying that they were smart and that they read a lot. But even these types of costumes are offensive. Why some think that they have the right to generalize an entire culture?

So in lieu of halloween, I’ll pose this question for you. Can I dress up as a character of a different ethnicity as myself for halloween?

In short: yes! Dress up as Hermione if you are Asian, be an Indian Cinderella, or dress up as Tiana if you’re white. But be extremely extremely mindful. There is only one African American disney princess. And if you, a white person, are choosing to dress up as her, it should only be because you really love Tiana, and she is your most favorite princess of all time ever. Do not dress up as Tiana because you “feel like it.” (Some may say that a person of a dominant race aka white person, dressing up as a character of color at all is offensive. And it is slightly distasteful. I mean, you have so many options!) If someone tells you that your costume is offensive or offends them, you do not get to decide that it doesn't. But one thing that hopefully all of you know, do not ever ever ever ever do ANY color “face” (NO black face, yellow face, red face, even white face is slightly distasteful). And these “faces” transcend just coloring your face a different color. If you use tape to make your eyes look slanted like Mulan, you are being offensive and that is considered yellow face. Just do not do that. Come on.