To the people coming here to learn, forgive me for a moment while I address the bullies who jumped out of their clown car. Now you guys want to rep BLM, after trying to bully a black woman minding her business? Coming to my facebook page, seeing what I wrote about complaining of boredom as a first world problem, attached with an article on Indian slums and thought it was funny to do the opposite. All you proved is you’re heartless. Pulling up on my social media to see this woman these men are into (mind you I don’t fight over men, it goes against nature and my self-respect) with your insecurities and empty brains, then you tried to bend or break me? Spend the same time doing something productive; no wonder you’re bored in the house, in the house bored, no brain, no heart, no spine. Yuck. Use your position to elevate humanity, not just to prevent you from being called out and dragged. I’m not fooled, you aren’t good people.
Doing damage control when you’re caught between a rock and a hard place is very…telling. I’m going to go easy on you since it was beneficial, but the fact remains that I was a fan of all parties and still you tried to gang gang. Why? For a celebrisite (someone who feeds off their relationship with celebrities, rather than a talent) who was what, loyal? Didn’t your NDA call for that, when you hired them to do their job for a powerful family? You don’t get a gold star for that, you tried to troll a person whose aesthetic profits you. Maybe if you were less involved in appropriating my culture, you could have told your friend using Kimono was offensive to Asians, specifically Japanese people. Instead you trolled me with poorly written captions and ill formulated thoughts, that prove the lack of talent portion of my statement. Instead of being held accountable, because again I was minding my business allowing you to monetize off my follows, likes and views, your providers all tried to bully. I could go in on how they’ve accessorized and commodified black people, as well as black culture so well blacks don’t even notice, but I’ll save that dissertation for if you try it again. Count yourself lucky, due to the impact the man one of you married had on my upbringing.
Moving forward. Today’s topic is appreciation versus appropriation.
If you’re ever confused by the two here’s the difference. Appropriation is taking of one’s culture, exploiting it for your own personal gain and giving them no credit. To do this is extremely disrespectful. For instance wearing traditional garb, or hairstyles without acknowledging the culture that inspired you. The Kardashian’s have rocked the black aesthetic from head to toe, with people all around the world who have never met a black person, nor respect black people taking our shit too.
They have no idea they are replicating us, but fix their filler lips to demean us to stereotypes as seen on tv. Kim has never sat in a Polish airport on layover with people gawking, because they’d never seen a black person in the flesh. Kylie has never had a loan application denied, because of braided hair. You didn’t suffer for this divinity, but you take it to market? Now people think it belongs to you. Abhorrent.
Appreciation is what Gwen Stefani does. When she is dressed as a Chola in her Luxurious video, she is surrounded by Mexicans, crediting the people she mimics. She does this in her What You’re Waiting For video, surrounded by Harajuku girls, the same with her reggae work. In all instances she involves the community of people whose culture she’s showcasing. There is NO confusion on who created what. Thank you Queen. She also brings attention to the mainstream, making everyone more culturally aware and worldly.
People of color are not costumes. That kimono, that sari, that Indian featherhead, that afro, those “boxer” braids aka cornrows, that hanbok means something. You can’t tell people white is right, discriminate against them (denying loans, racial slurs, not getting hired for jobs, not being allowed to buy a home…), then take the same things you held against them for you. That’s the issue. How many of you take time to research and learn about other cultures? When people complain of appropriation did you educate yourself on why they were upset, or the significance on what was taken?