I've always believed that culture is fluid. Societies do not develop in a vacuum. Cultures throughout history have often borrowed from each other as they developed, and this kind of cultural exchange still occurs today. Cultural appreciation and exchange can encourage more acceptance between those of different cultures. However, some have tried to claim that some forms of cultural exchange or appreciation are actually forms of cultural appropriation. Cambridge Dictionary defines cultural appropriation as "the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture."
I agree that one should be respectful when using something from another culture. Things, such as blackface, that are used to ridicule certain races are definitely offensive. However, what about when people who are not black wear dreadlocks? Many people who wear dreadlocks choose to do so because they like the style. Is that not appreciation? Apparently, to some people, no. Some would argue that it would be offensive or "cultural appropriation" for someone who is not black to wear dreadlocks. There are those who would even go so far to say that a non-Japanese person wearing a kimono would be cultural appropriation even though kimonos are often sold or given as gifts to foreigners in Japan. In the United States, have we really become a society that encourages cultural segregation in order to not accidentally be "offensive?"
I spent a year studying abroad in Japan, and there was not as much concern over "cultural appropriation" as there is in the United States. It was so interesting to see how other cultures were often embraced and incorporated into Japanese culture. In general, Japan may be more homogeneous than the United States, but there is still a lot of racial and ethnic diversity in Japan. I have so many great memories of exchanging cultures with the people I met during my time in Japan.
The United States has become increasingly racially divided over the years. I believe that prejudice is taught and is often born out of fear of the unknown. What if we became a society in which the free exchange of cultural ideas was accepted? Why must certain articles of clothing and hairstyles be tied to only one race? In reality, everything is "cultural appropriation." Cultures borrow from each other all of the time. Only allowing people to wear things from their own cultures only encourages cultural segregation. Let's bring people together. Let's learn about each other's cultures. Let's work to promote acceptance, not division.
