One of my favorite online stores, ASOS, has made me rethink buying from them when they added a new brand called "It's A Hoodrat Thing". Now, I loved ASOS because it was big-person friendly and carries stylish clothes for a lot of different sizes that doesn't hide big bodies. I love it. I really do. What I don't like is that they decided to add this brand to its collection.
Before we even get started, let's decode the words that are in this description. Whenever the following words are mentioned, it is almost always to be associated with Black people, specifically Black Americans: "Hip Hop", "Rap", "R&B", "urban", "street" as an adjective, "gangsta/gangster", "hoodrat", and "ghetto". As you can see, quite a few words are used describe this brand and its creators.
Why does this piss me off so much and what the fuck does this have to do with cultural appropriation?
Well, it pisses me off because it's cultural appropriation at it's finest. Cultural appropriation is when the dominant culture of a society participates in a minority culture or takes elements from that minority culture. It sounds like it's just appreciating that minority culture, but in most cases the culture is misrepresented and reinforces stereotypes. In a lot of cases, the dominant culture is praised for using the elements of a minority culture while at the same time mistreating and discriminating against people who are from the minority culture and participate in their own culture.
In the United States, White culture and White people reign and in this instance, Black American culture is being appropriated. Everything from the cornrows (french braids) on the all-White models to the name "It's A Hoodrat Thing" screams that they took those elements from Black culture in the late 80s and 90s. It probably wouldn't be as much as a kick in the fucking face if that had at least a couple of models of color. Nope, all the models were White. To make it worse, I remember Black people being made fun of, harassed, and discriminated for wearing a style that was popular in Black communities at the time. Cornrows weren't even to be worn at work because it was considered unprofessional along with dreads, puffs, afros, and anything that could be done with natural, kinky Black hair. Anywho, ASOS apologized and took down the line rather swiftly, but it's not just "It's A Hoodrat Thing", and this isn't just happening to Black Americans.
This shit happens with everything. Sugar Skulls from Mexico becoming great Halloween costumes. Bindi from Hindu women becoming a cute accessory. Kimono being adapted to shawls. Polynesian tribal tattoos being put on fuckboys. Native American chieftain headdress turned to an accessory for music festivals or an image for shitty graphic t-shirts. It never fucking ends. Honestly, I wouldn't be so angry if White people decided to look into what those items and elements mean or if they were respected, but that's not what happens. What ends up happening is traditions that probably hold a lot of respect are turned into something meaningless just because it looks good. Those items suddenly have no connection to their traditions and in that instant, they are misrepresented, misused, and disrespected.
If that isn't enough, the people who are in that culture are disrespected for using the same things. How does that make any fucking sense? Their cultures are considered backward, stupid, ugly, and useless. They aren't accepted until they are White people accepted. When bindi became popular with White people they became "edgy" and "fresh". The fuck? Kinky Black hair is only considered a "beautiful texture" when done on White model.
In response to the people that will probably say some shit like "But Black women wear weave and straighten their hair."
What you are referring to is assimilation. Assimilation is changing habits, patterns, dress, and culture in order to fit in with the dominant culture. People from cultures other than America's dominant one, which is White, constantly battle with assimilation because it tends to be their only means of acceptance while at the same time disconnecting people not only from their own traditions and cultures but from themselves. When the only hairstyle that won't get you fired is straight hair, you're going to straighten your fucking hair. I should also point out that straight hair doesn't just belong to White people...? I thought that was known, but I might as well point that out for people. Just be respectful.
