​Why should we care?

• We have a responsibility to take care of each other: 

  • The way we show appreciation for different cultures has everything to do with respect.

  • Ask yourself: would your actions honor or disrespect a marginalized group of people?

• Cultural appropriation causes harm.

  • It presents people in marginalized communities as one-dimensional with offensive stereotypes

  • Avoid cherry-picking parts of cultures to use for your own benefit.

  • For some people, their culture is essential to their identity.

    • It can be tied to their family and their perception of themselves.

    • When you distort or steal cultural traditions (intentionally or not), you are participating in the oppression of an already marginalized group.

      • Years of institutionalized oppression: white supremacy, racism, patriarchy, homophobia, ableism, sexism, transphobia, etc. 

      • We all have a responsibility to help heal and remember that history

• Avoiding appropriation doesn’t mean we can’t share cultures.

  • Cultural trading of ideas, goods, fashion, and food has existed ever since different societies have interacted (ex. Democracy, mathematics, the calendar, etc.)

  • What will make a difference is how we approach this trade:  non-consensual adoption, theft, or respectful and informed cultural exchange?

• Minority groups adopting traits of the majority group is not appropriation.

  • Instead, this is called assimilation. It is generally promoted through social pressure by members of the majority group (ex. immigrants wearing blue jeans in order to fit in socially with the dominant group) and is not always a good thing.