Cultural appropriation is a complicated topic. In its broadest sense, it is what happens when someone uses elements from a culture not their own. However, cultural appropriation tends to have negative connotations, meaning that it might be more accurate to state that it is what happens when someone misuses elements from a culture not their own. Unfortunately, what should be fine to use and what shouldn’t be fine to use remains a matter of much discussion, meaning that this is not that much more helpful for people who are interested in learning more about what is cultural appropriation as well as why it is seen as being such a huge problem by more and more people in recent times.
Why Are Kylie and Kendall Jenner Being Accused of Cultural Appropriation?
Regardless, Kylie and Kendall Jenner have been met with criticism on more than one occasion for what has been perceived as a lack of sensitivity for other races and other cultures.
For example, there was the Pepsi ad that consisted of Kendall leaving a photo shoot, joining a protest on the streets, fist-bumping with a black man, and then handing a can of Pepsi to a police officer. Suffice to say that a lot of people were less than impressed with the ad’s attempt to use the often-tense interactions between police and people of color to sell carbonated beverages, with the result that it was pulled within 24 hours.
Furthermore, there was the time when Kylie and Kendall released T-shirts for their clothing line featuring their pictures laid over pictures of Biggie and Tupac. This was not regarded in a positive light by a lot of people, but the whole matter blew up even more when it turned out that Kylie and Kendall had not secured permission from Biggie and Tupac’s estates to use their images for that particular purpose.
Recently, there are people who have complained about a picture posted on Kylie and Kendall’s Instagram account, which featured what looked a lot like the iconic clothing of the Chola subculture. Said complaints are focused on how the sisters will be making a profit by using the look of a subculture to which they do not belong, which is something that comes up often when the topic of cultural appropriate is brought up.
What Should and Shouldn’t Be Considered Cultural Appropriation?
There is no universal set of standards regarding what is and isn’t cultural appropriation. For that matter, being too strict with said standards is as serious a problem as being too lenient because numerous cultures have benefited from borrowing elements from other cultures, with examples ranging from the wonderful art and architecture of the Bactrian Greco-Buddhists to how Medieval Europe had become even more enamored with Greco-Roman learning via contact with the Islamic world. Still, there are some general guidelines that have been suggested from time to time to help people make use of elements from other cultures while remaining respectful.
For example, people should never use elements from other cultures for the purpose of perpetuating harmful stereotypes of said cultures. Furthermore, when people make use of elements of other cultures, they should do their best to acknowledge their influences instead of just presenting them as their own creations. Better still, said individuals should do their best to engage with other cultures on more than a superficial level, which doesn’t just mean learning about them but also interacting with their members on a regular basis. Finally, people who are planning to use elements from other cultures to make a profit should treat it as a collaboration between co-creators, which can mean giving credit as well as giving royalties to the members of those cultures. These guidelines are far from being perfect, but they are at least a start, meaning that interested individuals should continue learning and examining on their own.
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