Checks Tumblr.
So apparently going out for a Chinese is 'problematic' now, as the poor migrant owners, clutching their last shreds of dignity in their dirty paws, would rather not have your filthy racist cash. And when you visit another country, you should speak your own language, with no expectation of being understood, because they must also not learn yours. Oh hang on, they can speak yours, but you can't speak their's, because that doesn't in the least bit stink of xenophobia and cultural superiority.
Nope. I got nothing here. I need at least a thread of logic or internal consistency, however warped, if I'm going to dissect it using those same tools.
Q. Wasn't there a thing in the news about a cancelled exhibition on kimono, after protests that it was cultural appropriation?
A. Now you mention it, I don't remember those precise words being used, but it sounds stupid enough to be true. Let me check that out...
OK, I've got it now. I think.
I saw a couple of westerners this one time wearing a yukata. Wearing yukata. Wearing a yukata each. I'm focussing on the wrong word here... the word to focus on is "wearing", because even as a neutral verb with no implied sense of standards, I still don't think it should go unqualified in this instance. Everything about the way they had been put on was laughably sloppy. It was clear to me that they had never asked anybody how to dress in yukata, nor conducted even a minimum of research. Furthermore, it was clear as day that such things mattered not to them.
In short, they looked like a pair of shabby idiots, proudly hoisting their ignorance up a 30 foot flagpole for all to see.
Then out of nowhere, an old lady appeared, delivered a stern admonishment, and proceeded to fix their yukata so they didn't look quite so stupid. I'm sure we've all done it—I know I have. Young people these days rarely know how to put one on properly, and at least these two westerners had an excuse.
But I digress. They thanked her for her help, and off she walked proudly, no doubt satisfied that she had left the world a slightly better place than she found it.
Important to note, is there was no injury; there was no injustice done. The two lads probably felt a bit silly about it at first, but they learned something, albeit the hard way, and this is something that goes with the territory of enjoying aspects of different cultures.
How could anybody find a way to ruin that?
Never fear—here comes ideology to the rescue! Yes, with the right mental gymnastics, this scenario can be framed as an act of oppression against a bunch of people that have no idea what you're talking about.
And once they've gone that far, why not extend it to any instance of somebody wearing a yukata while being the wrong colour (that colour being white, or white for purpose of narrative).
That, ladies and gentlemen, is 'cultural appropriation'.
Q. Ideology sure makes people think and say some crazy things eh! And it's so pervasive! Even Disney have jumped on board.
A. What the what?
Q. That GIF set doing the rounds from hit TV show "Girl Meets World".
A. I know the ones. The Harajuku ones right? That obnoxious teacher certainly seemed to be putting that weirdly dressed girl in her place over appropriating so called 'Harajuku fashion', but GIF sets are a mixed bag. They're not universal truths, and I've personally found them to be notorious for stripping away context and in doing so, changing the message.
Dammit! This means I have to go and watch the episode now, doesn't it...
Q. You're welcome!
A. What the hell did I just watch?!
You know, I think the thing I hate about Disney the most is just the utter disrespect it shows to the intelligence of its primary target audience.
Which is why it's even more frustrating that I have to defend them now.
Gist of the sub plot: unpopular girl finds herself suddenly popular with geeky kids, and enjoys it a bit too much, so she completely changes her appearance and behaviour to be like them. Her best friend (popular) thinks she should stop pretending and learn to like herself for who she is, isn't that nice. Her teacher dad is also concerned, but she continues to choose popularity and living a lie over the alternative. Eventually, her dad embarrasses her in front of her class by asking her to spell Harajuku, the supposed name of the fashion style she's adopted, at the Spelling Bee (because being geeky looking makes her automatically smart). Silly girl doesn't even know what it means, so teacher explains it's a district in Japan where local girls have created an authentically unique look for themselves. She concedes his point, and changes back to regular old her.
Q. That does, sort of sound like cultural appropriation though, doesn't it?
A. No. It's ownership of identity. It's superficially similar in this instance, but different in one critical way.
Q. What's that then?
A. The identity of the injured party, in the loosest sense of the word.
If the injured party is the people who are having their culture 'hijacked' (by projection), then it is an accusation of cultural appropriation. If the person doing the hijacking is the injured party, then it's a lesson in identity, self esteem, the importance of being true to oneself.
Q. That sounds much more like Disney now, doesn't it.
A. Exactly. The only thing that anybody cared about in that episode was that the character was pretending to be something she wasn't in order to be popular, and that she shouldn't sell herself up the river like that. Taking on an identity that isn't hers for instant approval is a lazy shortcut that will serve her poorly in the long run. She should instead embrace who she is, warts and all, and walk the harder road of self realisation, learning to love herself for the person she really is.
What nobody gave one iota about was the girls in Harajuku. There were no hints of "This is their look, and you have no right to appropriate it, you despicable hunk of human excrement." They were more like "Hah, screw those guys! We'll take their unique look and make it all about some white girl."
Q. So the Disney writers culturally appropriated Harajuku fashion then?
A. God dammit!
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