‘It’s just a dress’: Teen’s Chinese prom attire stirs cultural appropriation debate
It’s that time of year in high school, the season of the highly anticipated, stress-inducing rite of passage called prom.
Like many other teenagers preparing for prom, Utah senior Keziah Daum wanted to find a dress that would stand out, “something that would be more unique and bold and had some sort of meaning to it,” she said in an interview with The Washington Post.
Daum decided to browse a vintage store in downtown Salt Lake City, where she came across a red cheongsam, also known as a qipao — the high-collared, form-fitting traditional Chinese dress.
“I thought it was absolutely beautiful,” said Daum, who is not Chinese. She appreciated its high neckline, a difficult trait to find in many prom dresses. The dress, she said, “really gave me a sense of appreciation and admiration for other cultures and their beauty.”
On a Sunday after the dance last month, like many other social media-savvy high schoolers, she posted a photo in her dress alongside her friends. “PROM,” she wrote.
She had no idea it would elicit such a response.
“My culture is NOT your …. prom dress,” a man named Jeremy Lam tweeted days later, sharing the photos she posted.
“I’m proud of my culture, including the extreme barriers marginalized people within that culture have had to overcome those obstacles,” Lam also wrote. “For it to simply be subject to American consumerism and cater to a white audience, is parallel to colonial ideology.”
The tweet, which has been shared nearly 42,000 times, spurred an onslaught of similar criticism of Daum’s prom dress, with many people on Twitter accusing her of cultural appropriation.
“This isn’t ok,” wrote another Twitter user. “I wouldn’t wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I’m Asian. I wouldn’t wear traditional Irish or Swedish or Greek dress either. There’s a lot of history behind these clothes.”
Another wrote: “you just don’t wear it if ur not. chinese … it’s not something to play dress up with.”
It was the latest example of the long-running debate over the fine line between appreciating and appropriating culture.
Similar controversies over cultural appropriation have erupted in fashion and in Hollywood, across college campuses and in response to advertising campaigns.
There was the tone-deaf Pepsi ad, and the time the Kardashian sisters were accused of appropriating black culture with shirts showing the image of the Notorious B.I.G. Greek chapters have stirred outrage through “Mexican” themed parties, and concertgoers have been accused of appropriating Native American culture at music festivals such as Coachella. Some of these instances are clear-cut, while others fall into a disputable gray area.
Critics of Daum bashed her for one photo in particular in which she and her friends hold their hands together in prayer-like poses. Daum said that her friends were inspired to make the pose by a popular YouTube personality, h3h3Productions, and she had no idea it would be interpreted as culturally offensive.
Daum responded to the barrage of criticism by saying she meant no harm in wearing the dress, and was “in no way being discriminative or racist.”
“I don’t see the big deal of me wearing a gorgeous dress I found for my last prom,” she tweeted. “If anything, I’m showing my appreciation to other cultures and I didn’t intend to make anyone think that I’m trying to be racist. It’s just a dress.”
The Twitter outrage also prompted a wave of support for Daum. Many, including scores of people identifying as Asian Americans, defended her choice of dress, saying they did not consider it offensive.
“I am a collector of cheongsams, with Chinese heritage and I think it is ridiculous other people are judging you!” one woman wrote on Twitter. “As Chinese, we are very proud and delighted to share our cultural fashions with anyone around the world. I love how you wear the dress with confidence! You rock!”
Others condemned the attacks on the high school student who just barely turned 18.
“So this dude found a random girl online and convinced 100k+ people to bully her over a prom dress,” tweeted Ethan Klein, the man behind the popular YouTube channel h3h3Productions.
Daum’s Twitter followers skyrocketed from a few hundred to more than 14,000 within about a week. She began receiving thousands of direct messages, some of them cruel but many of them positive, telling her she had nothing to worry about. Her classmates and teachers at school have reached out to her, expressing concern and offering support.
“We’ve had to pull her away from it because it has gotten overwhelming,” her mother, Melissa Dawes, told The Post Monday night. “These are adults attacking basically a kid. … She wasn’t looking for this at all.”
While the family lives in a predominantly white suburb of Salt Lake City, Dawes said she has made an effort to give her daughter a multicultural upbringing. When Daum was in the third grade, her mother pulled her out of her school and enrolled her in a more diverse school in Salt Lake City. “I wanted her to have that exposure,” Dawes said.
She also said that Daum has grown up with a multicultural extended family. Several of her nieces and nephews are of Pacific Island descent.
The mother found it particularly unsettling that “an adult male has attacked her for what she’s wearing,” something that has nothing to do with “her talent or her mind.”
“I’m proud of her for standing her ground because she didn’t do anything wrong,” Dawes said.
In the days since the photos went viral, Daum said she has made a point of researching the significance of the dress in Chinese history and culture. She also says she has learned about the velocity and reach of messages on social media, and the importance of being able to see her own posts from a different lens.
“This does give me a better sense of choice and being careful in what I say in posts and how it can be perceived differently,” she said. “It’s taught me to be extra cautious because you don’t want people to see it the wrong way.”
But at the same time, she said, “there are people who are going to find something to offend them no matter what it is.”
“I’d wear it again,” she said of the dress.
Tags
Who is online
310 visitors
It's incredible the amount of butthurt people are willing to show the world. It's a frigging dress.
We wore dresses like that one. Pretty and very comfortable.
Even a simple "Dress" can shake the world these days.
Absolutely, this isn't appropriation it's styling. Am I appropriating cause I like wearing Hawaiian shirts? Is a Chinese business man appropriating when wearing a three piece suit? Of course not, I can only guess the people complaining had nothing better to occupy them at the time
“there are people who are going to find something to offend them no matter what it is.”
So true, However when you venture into cultures you dont understand you increase that probability substantially by your own ignorance.
"It’s just a dress.”
Are you sure ?
yes..it is just a dress.
And a very pretty dress, that she looked very pretty in.
The pettiness of people is sad.
My point is maybe it is, maybe it isn't "just a dress".
I don't know squat about different cultures but I do know different objects have different meanings and different secnificents to different cultures sometimes.
Without knowing the culture it seems easy enough to cross a unknown line and do something that offends people of that culture.
That is 100% on the offended party. A dress is a dress and we are in a melting pot. There is no room for outrage over wearing a normal dress. Invisible lines only exist in the minds of people who want to be offended. People who are reasonable let you know the lines you shouldn't cross with them before freaking out. But, this is still just a dress. The only lines that exist with a dress, to my knowledge, are made of thread.
I agree, there is no offense in someone wearing a dress, unless of course that dress doesn't fit properly or, is way too short, then the girl herself should be offended at the unneeded exposure it causes.
lol. Very true.
A dress is an object. Many cultures place significant meanings to certain objects.
crosses spring to mind first. Even a mustache can have significant meaning.
Yes we are a melting pot that is from many cultures, that does not mean recognising our differences is still not a part of America and is still important to many people to honor their culture.
I am not actually taking either side on this dress wearing, I'm talking more in general terms.
I dont care what the girl wore to her prom, I wasn't even invited...Lol
i can understand where this comment is coming from. There are different cultures around the world that hold certain articles of clothing etc, as "sacred" or "special".
do you think this is just a fashion accessory or is this offensive ?
(please note [general audience] : i'm not stating that the dress was "sacred" or "special" nor that it was just a dress etc. I'm not intentionally denigrating nor marginalizing any other culture nor their clothing/accessories . direct the hate mail/hate comments to someone else)
She wore it with dignity and did so because she appreciated it for the beauty, had she worn it as a Halloween costume or to a "theme" party the discussion would be different. Everybody is a victim and skin has become way to thin.
PS: I know crosses dont represent a "culture" they are a religious symbol.
big deal ya got the idea...
do you feel the same way about this ? --
Coachella Attendee Apologizes for Culturally Appropriating a Native American Headdress
There is NOTHING to apologize for. They looked GREAT !
We should all be embarrassed that this almost 18 year old is taking the viciousness of the 'perpetually offended' of the country. We have allowed this kind of stupidity to become the norm by not wanting to offend anyone.
Geez, you even have to put a disclaimer on your post? Holy crap.
In this case, "cultural appropriation" is the term "people who want to be offended" use. Perfect example:
i do that in an effort to cut off any "hate mail" or "hate comments" at the pass - way too many sensitive people on NT
(i am curious as to your take on the link i posted - is it just a fashion accessory ?)
Yes, I stand by the statement that it is fundamentally the intent and purpose of the wearer! As I see it the person wearing the headdress was doing so in a costume fashion and hardly revering it as something important to a culture. Were she a Native Chief or portraying one therein is where the difference lies. Hell I would bet she doesn't even know to what native nation it would belong. Are the lines always clearly defined, no but I would bet most people can detect the difference. Clothing or articles that are distinctly culturally identifiable should generate a measure of respect and not be used as clownish or stunts. Wearing a dress to prom even though it is representative of a specific culture was not done in mockery or to be absurd. Big difference.
I don't really have an opinion on the head dresses, though I would ask Kavika, 1st Warrior or one of the others of Native American descent to step in here.
The Indian Reservation stores near where I live sell all thiese kinds of things to anyone with money, so if they sell it, it's okay, but if I wear it, it isn't? Everyone should probably also take down those dreamcatchers they have hanging in their houses. At what point is enough too much?
Did the Chinese guy that was so offended on twitter go find who gave away the dress and upbraid them for selling this 'cultural treasure'?
As I said elsewhere, anyone can buy these at the local Indian Reservation stores around where I live. If it is culturally significant, why would they sell them to anyone with $$$? It's only offensive if I were to buy it form them and then wear it?
Yeah, never would have done so, if not for this debate, but I searched for cheongsam. Apparently, or at least from what I read, the formfitting style of Cheongsam she is wearing was influenced by Western culture. Go figure. Someone getting pissed that a Westerner is wearing something influenced by Western culture.
i can understand where you are coming from - but my question is: if the clothing article in question is something revered in that culture, is it appropriate to be worn at any time by someone not of that culture and it not be deemed offensive ? She wasn't portraying anyone from that culture (neither were) but that article in question might be held in reverence by people of that culture - so where is the line drawn for offensive and non-offensive ?
that is a matter of opinion - some people hold a different perspective, probably due to reverence of the item in question.
good questions - at what point does it become offensive ? where is that line drawn definitively or will it never be drawn definitively thusly furthering the divide of us humans due to perceptions ?
i'd be curious to find out if he took any further steps or just vented his anger on twitter and let it go.
Someone else said they google'd Cheong-Sam and said it is a Chinese dress that the styling was driven by western culture............
How dare they appropriate our western culture? LOL
it has an interesting history -
it was definitely influenced by Western fashion trends:
from: (link above)
this interesting too:
and i guess there's a "men's" version (counterpart):
There seems to be a lot of history with this style of dress and it's origins
Sorry, can't go to your links, wiki is firewalled here.....
Well first off is that dress style , print a revered item or is it simply culturally identified?
good question and i can't answer since i don't know. i'm not apart of that culture. It'd be interesting to get the viewpoint of a few people from that culture (some offended, some not offended) and learn more. There is a lot of history behind that dress style (posted links in another comment) so it could be revered from a historical aspect in that culture - but there was also a time period when that style of dress was largely influenced by Western fashions, so I can't answer your question.
to me personally no, I'm sure the dress wouldn't have been to me either.
I can guarantee you that any INTELLIGENT Chinese person (and the critic in this case is not) would consider it a COMPLIMENT that she wore such a dress. Is the critic insulted that almost all Chinese people wear Western attire these days? Does he criticize any woman in America who wears a French design, because they're not French? What an ignoramus.
I would have to politely disagree. Unless the intent behind the wearing of the clothing or the object of any other "cultural appropriation" charge is to denigrate the people and/or their culture, then there is no harm in it.
If someone scratches their face with their middle finger, they are NOT flipping you off.
Thanks Buzz. I figured that would be the case, but wanted to hear it form an expert-like your wife.
Hey Gary,
Can you even IMAGINE what this guy would have said about ME?
Yes, I am sure. Only a fool would think that wearing a dress is cultutral appropriation. I'd be far more worried about the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, etc., if you get my drift.
Do you wear leather jackets? Are you appropriating the culture of the Turks?
People are so eager to be offended and then there are the people that buy into it.
I would ask Buzz to ask his wife what she thinks about an American wearing a Cheong-sam? I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but you should ask anyway.
This is a really good point IMO.
There are certainly more appropriate examples of things to be offended by than a girl wearing a nice dress to a dance.
I don't even need to ask my wife, who always wears Western attire except at our marriage ceremony when she wore the same type of dress that the prom girl wore. For my general opinion, and to know how not only my wife but pretty well all Chinese people would feel, I repeat what I just wrote above:
Yes, IT IS A DRESS. Do you think it is something MORE?
I have no idea. A dress could be more. In some cultures a feather might be more than a feather as well. I dont know that either for sure.
aren't cows sacred in some parts of the world ? So, What about a leather jacket ?
I dont know that either. and I really dont care, I was simply pointing out the fact in some cultures a dress may have more significance than in ours. In fact a wedding dress here is almost sacred to many.
Well, the girl who wore the dress lives in America, so I will assume she is being brought up in American culture.
A dress isn't offensive in American culture that I know of.
If someone takes some type of offense to her wearing it, oh, well.
true. Here in America I'm not concerned about everyone being culturally correct. There are too many cultures to know or understand everything about all of them. However, some people of some cultures may not agree.
They have every right to disagree. I would venture attacking the poor girl is much more than "disagreeing". It is unwarranted--no matter if they agree or not.
I agree.
............................................................................
Unfortunately like I said when a person crosses into culturals they don't know or understand they run the risk of their own ignorance of that culture causing them problems.
.............. .................. ...................
We even see articles from time to time about our own citizens ending up in jail in foreign countries for not knowing the laws and or customs of a different culture and country occasionally.
I'd argue that you don't really need to be aware of niche foreign social hang ups, nor would that even cross the minds of most people, because, you know, we're not in those countries. We're here, and we don't have the same social outlook as any other country (no country does). It also wasn't an event dedicated to that ethnicity and that would really be the only circumstance where something like this would ever factor in, here in the States. It would be different if there was an offensive message on the dress, but that wasn't the case.
Plus, in a day and age where we in theory would like to find some unity amongst us, saying a person can't where a specific dress because they aren't of a specific ethnicity does look a lot like racism.
This is all just a bunch of bull.
because one yahoo got worked up over it and some more yahoos supported him is appalling.
heck, even REAL 100% Chinese people didn't get worked up over it.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — When Keziah Daum wore a Chinese-style dress to her high school prom in Utah, it set off an uproar — but not because of its tight fit or thigh-high slit.
After Ms. Daum, 18, shared pictures on social media of her prom night, a Twitter user named Jeremy Lam hotly responded in a post that has been retweeted nearly 42,000 times.
“My culture is NOT” your prom dress, he wrote, adding profanity for effect.
“I’m proud of my culture,” he wrote in another post. “For it to simply be subject to American consumerism and cater to a white audience, is parallel to colonial ideology.”
Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter
Other Twitter users who described themselves as Asian-American seized on Ms. Daum’s dress — a form-fitting red cheongsam (also known as a qipao) with black and gold ornamental designs — as an example of cultural appropriation, a sign of disrespect and exploitation.
“This isn’t ok,” wrote someone with the user name Jeannie. “I wouldn’t wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I’m Asian. I wouldn’t wear traditional Irish or Swedish or Greek dress either. There’s a lot of history behind these clothes. Sad.”
When the furor reached Asia, though, many seemed to be scratching their heads. Far from being critical of Ms. Daum, who is not Chinese, many people in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan proclaimed her choice of the traditional high-necked dress as a victory for Chinese culture.
“I am very proud to have our culture recognized by people in other countries,” said someone called Snail Trail, commenting on a post of the Utah episode by a popular account on WeChat, the messaging and social media platform, that had been read more than 100,000 times.
“It’s ridiculous to criticize this as cultural appropriation,” Zhou Yijun, a Hong Kong-based cultural commentator, said in a telephone interview. “From the perspective of a Chinese person, if a foreign woman wears a qipao and thinks she looks pretty, then why shouldn’t she wear it?”
If anything, the uproar surrounding Ms. Daum’s dress prompted many Chinese to reflect on examples of cultural appropriation in their own country.
“So does that mean when we celebrate Christmas and Halloween it’s also cultural appropriation?” asked one WeChat user, Larissa.
Others were quick to point out that the qipao, as it is known in China, was introduced by the Manchus, an ethnic minority group from China’s northeast — implying that the garment was itself appropriated by the majority Han Chinese. In its original form, the dress was worn in a baggy style, mostly by upper-class women during the Qing dynasty, which ruled China for more than 250 years, until 1912.
It was only in the 1920s and ’30s, when Western influence began seeping into China, that the qipao was reinvented to become the seductive, body-hugging dress that many think of today. For many cinephiles, it has become inextricably associated with Maggie Cheung, the actress who wore a stunning array of cheongsams in Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 film “In the Mood for Love.”
These days, it is rare to see Chinese women wearing qipaos in the street. Western “fast fashion” has taken over, though the qipao has made something of a comeback among some official figures, like the country’s first lady, Peng Liyuan.
“To Chinese, it’s not sacred and it’s not that meaningful,” said Hung Huang, a Beijing-based writer and fashion blogger, in an interview. “Nowadays, if you see a woman wearing a qipao, she’s probably a waitress in a restaurant or a bride.”
The uproar surrounding the prom dress highlights America’s growing — and increasingly complex — conversation about race.
Several recent episodes have shown that Asians and Asian-Americans do not always see eye to eye.
Diversity was certainly on the minds of the filmmakers behind the 2016 Chinese-American coproduction “The Great Wall” when they filled the movie with so-called Chinese elements — a predominantly Chinese cast, story line and filming locations. In doing so, they addressed a diversity concern in China, where moviegoers are increasingly sensitive to Hollywood’s tendency to cast Chinese actors in bit parts. But after the release of the movie trailer, another diversity issue arose: Several prominent Asian-Americans criticized the filmmakers for casting Matt Damon in the lead role, as one of the leaders of a Chinese army, likening the decision to “whitewashing.”
More recently, the debate has resurfaced with the planned American release, in August, of the film adaptation of “Crazy Rich Asians,” based on a series of novels about the lives of wealthy families in Singapore. The casting has generated some controversy, in part over the biracial actor chosen as the male romantic lead.
While the film is promoted as having an all-Asian cast, the Singapore journalist and activist Kirsten Han wrote in a 2017 essay, “the focus is specifically on characters and faces of East Asian descent (as dictated by the book).”
“This is already a misrepresentation of Singapore at the most basic level, obscuring the Malay, Indian and Eurasian (and more) populations who make the country the culturally rich and unique place that it is,” she wrote. “A continent as massive as Asia can never be as simple as the stereotypes imposed upon us.”
Back in the United States, Ms. Daum, overwhelmed with the sudden wave of both praise and condemnation, was not backing down.
This is all just a bunch of bull.
because one yahoo got worked up over it and some more yahoos supported him is appalling.
heck, even REAL 100% Chinese people didn't get worked up over it.
......................................................................................
LOL, and I see we are back to my some of my original thoughts:
"what was the significance of this seed ?"
Hint : It's not the dress.
People just love to bitch... Be it a story or a dress or even evidently a seed about a story about a dress.
Kirsten Han? Didn't her parents appropriate a European first name for their daughter? She should be ashamed, in fact, be forced to change it. Sigh. So, so stupid.
Once again, this is a story about the state of the world, especially here in the U.S., that we live in. If you don't like it, move on. Based on your statements, you are a large part of the 'problem' you describe.
The only time I have ever been offended by anyone wearing some article of clothing is when someone wore a Kilt that belonged to my Scottish Clan and, they weren't a member of that Clan, it would also really piss me off if someone wore a Kilt with my personal pattern on it without my permission.
Patent it and only sell it to Clan members who know it can never be sold or given away outside the Clan. This way if you see a non-clan member wearing one, you can have them arrested for theft. Problem solved. Other than that, it's just a kilt. Now if that idea of it being just a kilt upsets you because someone is appropriating a part of your culture, I ask you: What are you (and your clan) wearing under your kilts? Underwear? If so, then you are also appropriating someone else's culture without permission. If not, I really don't want to know, lol! Matter of fact, if you wear underwear at ANY time, you are guilty of it. As you can see, it is incredibly hard not to appropriate someones culture. Sometimes we do it for fun like costume parties, and sometimes we do it just because it looks cool or makes good sense. Snowshoes anyone?
Ummm, Kane, I could care less if someone wears a kilt with a plaid pattern, the difference is in the type of pattern, there are those patterns that belong to certain Clans from Scotland and, Ireland and, there are those that are just plaids so, if you are wearing a kilt that is nothing to me, unless the pattern that is on it is one of the four Ross patterns.
So you DO have a patent on it then! Time to do a little detective work and find out where that bugger got it from!
I will say this slowly so that you can understand it.
There are different patterns for each Clan. The plaids that are worn by those who are not Scottish or, Irish are just that plaids they do not belong to any particular Clan.
Yep we are going in circles here:
Yep, g o i n g i n c i r c l e s h e r e ................
Okay, no need to get your posterior on your shoulders, Galen. CK is making a point. Stop, re-read, digest and then comment.
He owns a culture.
And he also has no clue of what the real culture of the dress is.
she bought and paid for it and can wear it
yep it's a free country and people are free to talk as well.
now what was the significance of this seed ?
The stupidity of people to allow their butthurt to rule their life and then try to shame other people to soothe it.
If that isn't enough to satisfy your question, go find a story to comment on elsewhere.
Didn't mean to "butt hurt" with my comment I was just wondering. Evidently you are correct some people are easily offended.
The quality and dismissiveness of your comments ending with "now what was the significance of this seed ?" drive that kind of comment. If you don't get it, you don't get it.
Sorry it was a question I ask about most of the seeds here. the answer always seems to be pointing out something some one doesn't like. That in it self leads itself to driving controversy.
Few seeds are planted here that aren't meant to drive controversy. I see this seed as no exception. That's what I get. What's your take ?
It was a seed that reflects the state of the world we live in, that's why I seeded it.
Why do you comment, if not for the same reasons you posted above?
Mainly it seems I comment to try to hopefully help clarify or expand on an idea like my original post on this article was.
.............................................. like this (my comments are in black)
“there are people who are going to find something to offend them no matter what it is.”
So true, However when you venture into cultures you dont understand you increase that probability substantially by your own ignorance.
"It’s just a dress.”
Are you sure ?
i can understand both sides. There are different cultures around the world that hold certain articles of clothing etc, as "sacred" or "special". But i understand the thought process of - it's just a dress.
do you think this is just a fashion accessory or is this offensive ?
(please note [general audience]: i'm not stating that the dress was "sacred" or "special" nor that it was just a dress etc. I'm not intentionally denigrating nor marginalizing any other culture nor their clothing/accessories. direct the hate mail/hate comments to someone else)
Agreed.
Personally I would be careful if I was to wear anything form any other culture to make sure what I wanted to wear was not any type of sacred type of item.
But I know so little about other cultures so I'll just stick with my good old american bluejeans.
This is something that can only be worn by a member of my Scottish Clan.
Tartans are worn by almost everyone in Scotland. Although certain patterns represent a family, no one would have a stroke if you wore them.
Actually, plaids are worn by everyone in Scotland, tartans are significant to a CLAN, which isn't necessarily a family, a Clan is made up of different family groups in Scotland who have a Clan patron or, matron, in my case it is a matron who is the head of our Clan, I happen to carry the name Ross but, there are other families in Scotland who can wear the Ross tartan, each one is different and, specific to the Clan they represent.
I was in the Scottish store in Alexandria, Virginia years ago and talking withthe owner, they looked up my maternal grandfather's family name (my last name is of Irish descent) and told me we are authorized to wear the colors of the city of Edinborough.......not sure how that mixes into the families/clans thing.
Edinborough was settled by one family but, they were the head of a Clan that either migrated to Ireland or, from Ireland, the two nations, Scotland and, Ireland have more in common when it comes to relatives than England and, Scotland do. Remember in "Braveheart" when the Irishman said that the Scots were his cousins, he wasn't kidding.
Many tartans from Ireland are the same in Scotland for the Clans.
OK this one I can answer. The headdress is part of Indian religion. It's not that it is cultural appropriation, but that it is considered sacred. No indian would wear this as everyday attire.
On the other hand, loads of people have indian jewelry, blankets etc, and no one is offended.
This BS of cultural appropriation has gotten out of hand. Every culture appropriates from past ones. For example, dreadlocks come from the Greeks. As long as it doesn't have a religious tie to some culture, and you are not wearing it to be disrespectful, I don't see the big deal
does that make a difference ? if i wear a cross and i'm not apart of the Christian religion (or Catholic etc) - does that mean it's instantly offensive ? (same applies to Star of David etc)
That is probably true (i trust you on that, i don't know personally) but the wearer was not Indian either (in the link i provided - as far as i know) - so are they held to those traditions of those people or are they free to wear it without it being deemed offensive ?
Quite true - i think the difference is reverence of the item in question.
why does a "religious tie" make the difference ? there are many articles of clothing from different cultures that are revered by that culture but have no "religious tie", correct ? how does one tell the intent of the wearer 100% of the time ?
(btw, thank you very much for answering the questions so far - it's much appreciated)
If someone is wearing a cross, I don't question them about why, because it is really, none of my business. Which is also true for the people that were offended in the story here.
i understand - a cross was as close as i could think of as an equivalent to a headdress, in the context that Perrie was speaking of with regards to an article having "religious ties". I think a lot of it has to do with the reverence of the article in question - which makes me wonder where that definitive line is drawn (as i asked in a previous comment) for offensive vs non-offensive.
Yup, "cultural appropriation" is another form of Newspeak
Sorry I missed this.
It a Christian wears a cross, one assumes they wear it out of pride/ reverence for the faith. Same thing with the star of David for Jews. For Indians, certain garb is part of the faith, like the headdress. It is not everyday garb.
I used religion as my example, since it is the one thing I think we can all agree on, wether or not you are a believer, should be treated with the respect to those who are a part of that faith.
Otherwise, most garb/ hair cuts/ body adornments are nothing more than what we share when one culture meets another. Also intent goes into this. If the intent is to offend, then I get that. But when a girl wears a Chinese dress to the prom, her intent is not to insult. I would even go as far as saying that her intent is complimentary.
Here is another example. When you go to India, and you chose to wear indian garb, they appreciate that you like it so much that you want to wear it. No one is offended. And in fact, in China, this is also the same. So please explain to me how if you wear it in the US it becomes cultural appropriation?
Don't take a piece of my pie.
Retaking America: Crushing Political Correctness
Thanks Six.
Why would you wear a Chinese dress to an American high school formal?
The young lady wanted to make herself the center of attention among everyone that night, and probably succeeded.
I can imagine her friend telling her as she picked it out "everyone will be talking about you", which is really the point of all this.
As to the charge of "cultural appropriation" ? I don't think so.
Any girl wants to be the center of attention at her prom!
The article also stated that she found it in a little vintage shop in her downtown area. I think the dress is beautiful and she looked lovely wearing it. I don't think she meant any harm or was trying to cause any chaos. My oldest daughter just attended her junior prom and if she found this dress and fell in love with it, I would totally let her wear it. I showed this to her earlier and she saw no problem with it. My daughter is very left leaning and very PC about everything.
"The young lady wanted to make herself the center of attention among everyone that night, and probably succeeded."
How very very different from every other girl at a prom!
So I assume left wing SJWs are harassing any non American who wears a t-shirt or blue jeans too, right ?
What about driving a car or using computers? Is that allowed for non-Americans? I wouldn't want anyone to be insensitive and appropriate American culture.
Most everyone here, left or right, seems to agree that this is stupid.
Yes.
Well I guess its time to get rid of those Eskimo boots, ponchos, kimonos and lederhosen's. Damn LOL
My dad loved wearing moccasins. I suppose he should be remembered for his cultural 'misappropriation'. Nope I'll chose to remember him for the man he was and his love of comfortable footwear.
He sounds like a wise man. I'm all for comfort. Actually when I'm at home 90% of the time I'm barefoot. I hope that doesn't offend anyone.
You are appropriating Caveman/woman wear.......
I'm wearing my Sketchers Comfort Fit Shoes to work these days....I certianly hopes that offends no one (though I don't really care.....)
I wear those everyday! I have about 3 pairs of them and they look great with yoga capris, shorts, and regular jeans
Why should it offend anyone? I mean if the bear doesn't mind why should we.
That is similar to how I make my way to the coffee pot in the morning.
I'm thankful that my own prom and that of my children are long past. If they were held in 2018, all of our Asian and Hispanic classmates would have been attacked for "culturally appropriating" Caucasian clothing.
Which, also, applies to the outrage by blacks when whites were styling their hair in afro style. Don't the blacks color their hair and straighten it like whites do?
This is so petty and ridiculous. The dress is beautiful and so is she.
And that's it in a nutshell. Thanks Lady In Black. There's water in the canal (out by me) now. Pulled the boat out of the back barn last night......
Nice.
I saw this headline, the whole thing sounds pretty damn stupid to me. It's just a dress, its not like she is saying "Fuck Chinks" or anything like that. I mean seriously, does this mean I should be upset when a Chinese or Japanese person wears a Western style business suit?
$20 saying Jeremy Lam is pissed that she pulled off the dress better than he ever could.
And it may not even be fully his culture. The dress is known as a "qipao" or "cheongsam." It developed in the early 20th century and was - in the opinion of some scholars - at least somewhat influenced by Western fashion. The means the Chinese have been appropriating our culture. So what's good for the Chinese goose . . .
I guess we should all be offended that this Lam guy didn't bother to fully research the history of the garment before claiming it for his own culture. That seems a lot more like "appropriation" than just wearing it because it's pretty.
And Jeremy is not an oriental name. He should be forced to give it up as his parents appropriated it........the questions is, where does this craziness stop?
One of the real problems with journalism these days is the tendency to cover whatever insanity is trending on Twitter. All it takes to distract us from the important stories of the day is one self-righteous douchebag bullying a teenager.
You said it better that I did earlier..I was attacked...lol
live and learn...thanks
You were attacked? You made a foolish assertion and statement/question. From now on, I will expect to see you questioning every article posted here on why it was posted here, asking for the underlying reasons that the seeder posted it.
Done hold your breath, I find most are fairly obvious, as was this one.
Conflict generates profits, so you can't blame them for doing it
My name is Sister Mary Agnes Ample Bottom, and I am a cultural appropriation addict.
Will my love of sushi ever end? Lawdy, help me, but I don't think so. I also eat sushi with...dare I say it...chop sticks! I am unworthy, Jeremy Lam! But for you, I will try to deny my inner Asian.
I took French and Spanish in college. Can the lovely people of those cultures ever forgive me?
I once had a 2-day layover at a beautiful French sea-side resort, and...and, yes...I...I...I DID IT! I DID IT, OK?! I WENT TOPLESS ON THE BEACH! OK? THERE, I SAID IT! I APPROPRIATED THE FRENCH TRADITION OF GOING TOPLESS ON A BEACH! MY HYPOCRACY KNOWS NO BOUNDS!
Although there are many other ways in which I continue to culturally appropriate, what follows will probably be considered the most egregious of all. It will be a relief to get it out...so... YO QUIERO TACO BELL!!!!! In fact, YO QUIERO TACO BELL RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!! LAWDY I'M BEYOND HOPE! I FEEL THE VAPORS COMING UPON ME!! WHERE THE HELL ARE MY CAR KEYS?! IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE CAR IN THE DRIVE-THRU, I MIGHT JUST END IT ALL RIGHT THERE!
My point? Jeremy Lam needs to have a freaking word with himself. All the shit going on in the world around us, and he wants to give a cyber bitch-slap to this pretty little girl regarding her pretty prom dress. It also begs the question, why is a grown-ass man checking out female high school prom attire? Perhaps the reason was mentioned in the article and I missed it, but it seems a little too creepy for my comfort. Oh, and...Jeremy is it? How interestingly...un-Asian.
On a random yet related note: I wonder if reverse cultural appropriation would be considered an egregious act by my own kind. I'm Southern through and through, but I hate grits! I'll call my therapist first thing in the morning, and get back to you.
I get you and think this is a manufactured internet brouhaha to begin with. Nobody but a few internet trolls were truly upset by a young woman wearing an oriental style dress. Was every black girl who ever wore a big olde hoopty ballgown to her prom appropriating the culture of southern slave holders? Of course not. On the other hand, lets say that this young woman wore a costume, let's say a beaded Native American buckskin dress and a war bonnet and painted face, that would have been offensive to me. I know others would not feel that way, but I do. So, perhaps it is good that we talk about this before some poor dumb white girl decides it is okay to go to a party in blackface dressed as a domestic servant. Oh, Wait! That already happened. Some need lines drawn for them. They have none internally.
Or we could just keep our 'triggered' comments to ourselves in situations like this. You know, like adults do, or at least they used to do.
what will you call him/her ? i hope it's a nice name....
I'll need to judge the offensiveness of those French beach photos for myself.
As far as I'm concerned those who scream about cultural appropriation can mostly just piss off.
Today, she says she would wear it, again.
Maybe, the style will become vogue.
I just saw a story about how the Chinese people are applauding her for wearing it......that has to make Lam's head spin a bit.....
It used to be that people were applauded for taking parts of another culture and using them for their own expression in this country. It is what was called assimilation where all the cultures of immigrants and natives melded together to form a unique amalgamation of multiple cultures. Now, it is an insult to try to accept a part of another culture, yet at the same time, we are expected to accept any and all cultures without any sort prejudice. Which is it people, are we supposed to accept multiple cultures or not?
width="970" height="250" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" frameborder="0" name="adv-ifr-3463010-870.0-970x250"> ‘It’s just a dress’ Pretty much sums it up in a nutshell in my opinion.