Brief comment on cultural appropriation / racism discussion

[firecat]

bcholmes cut-tags an excellent post (go read it!) with the text ( My Privilege Looks Like This: I've Been Staying Silent in the Conversation ). That's what mine looks like too and that's what I am doing for the most part. I will talk about it if anyone asks me to, but so far I don't have anything to say that vito-excalibur and sparkymonster and badgerbag didn't say better.

Comments

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

I think "cultural appropriation" is most clear when a religious object gets re-purposed by people outside the religion. If the object isn't religious, then it seems less clear that there would be offense. If I take a horseshoe and use it for a paper weight, that doesn't seem as bad as if I take the Host and use it for a cheese cracker.

(Here I am making a distinction between "religious" and "not religious" that might not be valid in a particular culture.) More things to mull over.

Is this mostly an issue for artists more than just the average schmoe?

[firecat]

This particular discussion has mostly to do with white people using of non-white/non-European cultures and characters in their fiction, and whether they made enough of an effort to be sensitive and respectful.

I have also seen discussions around using another culture's traditional mode of dress (e.g., white Americans wearing saris or kimonos).