
Cultural appropriation has become the hot topic of the century, and LeRhonda S. Manigault-Bryant, a professor of Africana studies at Williams College, has made it a point to say something about it. According to her, the term means taking someone else's culture—whether it’s their intellectual property, artifacts, style, art form, or even their grandma’s secret cookie recipe—without permission.
But this brings up the burning question: who exactly in any culture has the authority to give or deny such permissions? Some in the black community claim that only black people should wear braids since they supposedly invented the hairstyle. But surprise, the Dutch were rocking braids long before Instagram hashtags and TikTok trends. So, who gets to sign off on braid-wearing rights? Should there be a global braid registry?
And let’s not even get started on kimonos. Who in Japan should I contact for the green light to wear one at my friend’s cosplay event?
This absurdity doesn’t end there. Apparently, no one in Italy asked for permission to enjoy sushi. Imagine a sushi chef standing at the border, demanding cultural visas for his rolls. The idea that cultures can only mingle with signed permissions and notarized documents is as practical as a screen door on a submarine.
The concept of cultural appropriation seems to demonize the normal, healthy, and inevitable cultural mingling that has been happening since humans first decided to share a campfire. Sharing cultures is what makes societies pluralistic and vibrant. Yet, somehow, this simple, beautiful idea has turned into a modern-day witch hunt.
People take cultural appropriation seriously. Maybe it's because intuitively, it feels wrong for a white person to dress up as a minority—blackface, for instance, is universally recognized as a bad idea. Common sense and decency suggest that mimicking another culture, especially with the intent to mock, is demeaning. But now, the pendulum has swung so far that wearing a sombrero on Cinco de Mayo could land you in a cultural court.
We see the coattails effect in action: a kernel of truth—that we should be respectful when engaging with other cultures—gets hijacked by an extremist ideology that takes things to the extreme. And thus, the cultural confusion continues, with everyone asking, “Am I allowed to wear this?” while the fashion police stand by, ready to issue citations.
In the end, perhaps the most fitting conclusion is that cultural sharing is not only inevitable but essential. After all, without it, we’d still be sitting in our cultural silos, eating the same bland porridge, and wondering why life feels so gray. So, go ahead, wear that kimono, rock those braids, and enjoy your sushi—just don’t forget to thank the cultural gods for the privilege.
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