White teen accused of "cultural appropriation" for wearing Asian prom dress

[HeyCameron]

I don't know how "interesting" this story is but since it relates to teens and it's in the news right now I thought maybe it was worth talking about.

Here's the article:

http://wgntv.com/2018/05/01/utah-teens-racist-prom-dress-stirs-cultural-appropriation-debate/

A white Utah teenager wore an Asian dress for prom and is now being accused of cultural appropriation and racism.

So my question is: is it wrong for someone to wear traditional clothing from another culture? Does the same apply if the clothing were traditional Polish or Romanian clothing?

Thanks for answering :D

[Jinglebottom]

First world problems :(

[mattsmith48]

If the people from that culture don't like it, it is wrong.

[HeyCameron]

If the people from that culture don't like it, it is wrong.

I think it's important to listen to what they have to say. What's interesting about this one is that apparently people in Asia care less about it than Asian-Americans.

At least that's what I heard from someone who surveyed people in China about this issue.

[mattsmith48]

I think it's important to listen to what they have to say. What's interesting about this one is that apparently people in Asia care less about it than Asian-Americans.

At least that's what I heard from someone who surveyed people in China about this issue.

Doesn't matter where they are from or where they live, are they from that culture and are they fine with this? Those are the questions that should be asked

[HeyCameron]

But how many people being "fine with it" does it take for it to not be an issue? What if most people are fine with it, but a few are not? In which direction does that tip the scale?

[Dalcourt]

Looking at the pics I feel they way that girls act is way more cultural inappropriate than the dress itself.

[ShineintheDark]

I think it's important to listen to what they have to say. What's interesting about this one is that apparently people in Asia care less about it than Asian-Americans.

At least that's what I heard from someone who surveyed people in China about this issue.

Too many people use this kind of logic with these situations. Of course people who live in Asia don't care, seeing people wear these garments is so normal and everyday for them that it has less meaning to their personal identity. People who have emigrated or whose families have emigrated on the other hand are completely isolated from the rest of their people and culture and have often been bullied and ostricised for demonstrating these parts of their culture. A child who may have worn this dress to a special occasion in elementary school and got bullied for being different would of course feel very hurt by then seeing the exact same garment then worshiped and praised on a white girl (often, the very same group that would have bullied the person back when they were younger). Of course you're allowed to appreciate that culture, you just have to be aware of the hypocrisy that people of that culture often get more flak for enjoying their own culture than you do for appreciating it.

Let;'s use the example of dreadlocks. Black people don't OWN the style, they don't have a legal copyright over them in any way. However, a black child that grew up having to hide their natural hair because of white-centric beauty standards of smooth, straight hair would of course be very offended that suddenly what was never acceptable for them to wear would now suddenly be okay for white people to wear.

[HeyCameron]

Looking at the pics I feel they way that girls act is way more cultural inappropriate than the dress itself.

Yeah, the way they had their hands in that photo was a little bit of a red flag. In that case it's almost like they were being a little mocking.

An example from my personal life:

A friend of mine went to Japan and received a kimono as a gift from the family she stayed with. When she came back and took a photo of herself in it, she was accused of cultural appropriation. That one bugged me because was she not supposed to wear the gift she was given? It just becomes a mess after a point.

I also see the point about white people freely engaging in something that the original culture had to hide or feel ashamed of.

[Phosphene]

Why has this story blown up to this proportion?? She wouldn't have worn the dress had she not liked it. It's not "cultural appropriation", rather cultural appreciation, I'd say. Just because some people were offended by it does not mean she committed some horrible wrongdoing and should be attacked for it.

mattsmith48 if people don't like that an aspect of their culture is adopted and appreciated by other cultures, then I guess everyone in the US is culturally appropriating and we should apologize for the cultural diversity in our society.

[PlasmaHam]

If the people from that culture don't like it, it is wrong.

Doesn't matter where they are from or where they live, are they from that culture and are they fine with this? Those are the questions that should be asked
Why? Is morality based upon feelings now?


Why has this story blown up to this proportion?? She wouldn't have worn the dress had she not liked it. It's not "cultural appropriation", rather cultural appreciation, I'd say. Just because some people were offended by it does not mean she committed some horrible wrongdoing and should be attacked for it.
Exactly. This girl said she wore the dress because she thought it was pretty. That is a compliment to Chinese culture, not an insult in the slightest. For example, If I start a Lebanese restaurant, I do it because I love Lebanese food and I want to share it with others. Whether or not @Jinglebottom (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/member.php?u=118971) complains about how I'm somehow shamelessly exploiting his culture doesn't change whether it is wrong or right for me to do so.

[Jinglebottom]

For example, If I start a Lebanese restaurant, I do it because I love Lebanese food and I want to share it with others. Whether or not @Jinglebottom (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/member.php?u=118971) complains about how I'm somehow shamelessly exploiting his culture doesn't change whether it is wrong or right for me to do so.
Hey, you got your first customer already! :D

[Leprous]

If the people from that culture don't like it, it is wrong.

So everyone should change what they wear/say/do because some people find it offensive? Since when should a person's personal freedom be limited because it may offend someone? In 2018 everything offends someone and we can't please everyone. Does this also mean people can't sell Belgian waffles because I am offended by it (I'm not though)? Does this mean white rappers should quit and give up their careers because a black person might find it offensive? I would love your opinion on this.

[mattsmith48]

But how many people being "fine with it" does it take for it to not be an issue? What if most people are fine with it, but a few are not? In which direction does that tip the scale?

100%, it just takes one person to be offended by it. About 10% of Native Americans are offended by the Name of the NFL team in Washington, that's far from a majority, but it is enough for the rest of us to look and realize there is probably something wrong there. Obviously there is a difference between a dress and a football team named after a derogatory term, one is obviously much worst, but its a good way to explain what I'm saying that the number doesn't matter but whether or not someone is offended by it, no matter what it is or what the intentions were.


mattsmith48 if people don't like that an aspect of their culture is adopted and appreciated by other cultures, then I guess everyone in the US is culturally appropriating and we should apologize for the cultural diversity in our society.

Cultural diversity means people from multiple cultures living together, it doesn't mean doing everything the other is doing.

So everyone should change what they wear/say/do because some people find it offensive? Since when should a person's personal freedom be limited because it may offend someone? In 2018 everything offends someone and we can't please everyone. Does this also mean people can't sell Belgian waffles because I am offended by it (I'm not though)? Does this mean white rappers should quit and give up their careers because a black person might find it offensive? I would love your opinion on this.

They need a reason why? They can't just go to someone and say you making my food offend me. If they have a reason then its important we listen.

[Leprous]

mattsmith48 Just curious, do you know how stupid it sounds when I would say "not a single country except for Belgium can serve French fries anymore because it's a Belgian invention and nobody else is allowed to have them because it's my culture". While it is on a larger scale it is the same point you are making. Again, everyone is offended by something these days and if we have to adapt ourselves to everyone's feelings we won't actually get anywhere because we can't say what we want, wear what we want or even eat what we want. I don't really see any arguments on your side except for "we should listen". Yeah we should listen but nobody should be forced to stop doing something because it offends a person. That's censorship.

[Phosphene]

Cultural diversity means people from multiple cultures living together, it doesn't mean doing everything the other is doing.

Actually, it's defined in the dictionary as "the cultural variety and cultural differences that exist in the world, a society, or an institution". If we had cultural diversity the way you described it, everything would be ridiculously segregated with things designated for only certain ethnic groups. It seems like a huge step backward. I honestly can not understand how sharing cultures is a bad thing; if anything, it brings people closer together and helps us appreciate other cultures.

Edit: Leprous French fries are a Belgian invention? Looks like the French culturally appropriated and slapped their name on them :lol: (either that or the Americans got it wrong because France is close to Belgium, I've never bothered to research that lol).

[Snowfox]

I don't know how "interesting" this story is but since it relates to teens and it's in the news right now I thought maybe it was worth talking about.

Here's the article:

http://wgntv.com/2018/05/01/utah-teens-racist-prom-dress-stirs-cultural-appropriation-debate/

A white Utah teenager wore an Asian dress for prom and is now being accused of cultural appropriation and racism.

So my question is: is it wrong for someone to wear traditional clothing from another culture? Does the same apply if the clothing were traditional Polish or Romanian clothing?

Thanks for answering :D

For some reason people are whiny bitches. I say let her wear what ever dress she likes and if someone gets butthurt of dress.... Tell them to fuck themself and die.
It anyway is her dress right? She has all rights to do what ever she likes with her own dress. Even to use it as toilet paper substitute if thats her thing.

[Uniquemind]

I think this entire pattern we find ourselves in when discussing issues like these has to do with “intent” the worst and stickiest of issues humanity deals with and has to measure indirectly and subjectively.


In my view the assessment between appropriations VS appreciation, has to do with that person’s motivations, and level of historical and meaningful understanding they have.

Too little, and it’s clear they’re mocking or belittling a culture in an underhanded slight, then yeah that’s offensive appropriation.

But if they are respectful, meaning they aren’t slandering icons or pieces of art, and sub-planting their meaning, then you have appreciation.


And I think few people have eloquently stated this on the left liberal side, much like the guy on twitter who got angry at this girl. The burden is on him to show deliberate appropriation stemming from wanting to belittle or demean. One’s feelings (his own) are not enough justification to make the claim he is making against her character.


That’s my view on this and other issues like this...we react emotionally too quickly and then when challenged we don’t question our possibilities that we made mistakes in lashing out over the small stuff.


I’ll also say this, I think people get defensive when they associate their personal idea of the self to material things. I think people need to do this, but this is the dark double edged sword consequences that when those things are insulted, it feels like a personal attack.

My piece of wisdom is to remain proud of your heritage, but put distance between the ideal of yourself and your heritage and symbols regarding it too. Don’t ignore the past, but respect that it IS passed.

[BlackParadePixie]

If the people from that culture don't like it, it is wrong.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2144207/qipao-us-prom-wins-support-china-after-internet-backlash

well clearly they don't have a problem with it. Most cases like this its the spoiled WHITE college students with too much time on their hands and an overflowing of misplaced white guilt who are the ones finding issue with such things.

Looking at the pics I feel they way that girls act is way more cultural inappropriate than the dress itself.

why? because they put their hands together and semi bowed? The chinese culture isn't the only one that does that...

Double posts merged. ~Jinglebottom

[PlasmaHam]

mattsmith48 The USA is a melting pot of culture. What you are describing is making the USA a bunch of separate culture dishes. Hispanics can only have Hispanic culture, Asians can only have Asian culture, whites can only have European culture, etc. That's essentially segregation. Leftists talk all the time about how we need to integrate minorities into society, how do you think that happens without cultural appropriation?

[Dalcourt]

why? because they put their hands together and semi bowed? The chinese culture isn't the only one that does that...

No you don't do it in Chinese culture that's why it looks so silly and like they wanna mock someone.

How often do you do it as a cultural thing white people do?

[BlackParadePixie]

No you don't do it in Chinese culture that's why it looks so silly and like they wanna mock someone.

How often do you do it as a cultural thing white people do?
that hand gesture is pretty much universal, I don't think they were mocking anyone.

[Uniquemind]

mattsmith48 The USA is a melting pot of culture. What you are describing is making the USA a bunch of separate culture dishes. Hispanics can only have Hispanic culture, Asians can only have Asian culture, whites can only have European culture, etc. That's essentially segregation. Leftists talk all the time about how we need to integrate minorities into society, how do you think that happens without cultural appropriation?

I’d like to say that it wouldn’t be cultural appropriation without the intent to harm or mock or belittle. Do you agree?

[Dalcourt]

that hand gesture is pretty much universal, I don't think they were mocking anyone.

Well I dunno if they wanted to mock anyone or not.. I honestly don't think they had any bad intentions.

Still it remains one of the weird stuff white people do. It's the same as so many white people find it cool or funny or whatever to strike some hip hop gangsta pose when they are taking pics with black people.


Anyway...no matter if an Asian, Hispanic, Native American Brown or Black looks at those kind of "fun stuff" white people do it makes us all just shake our heads.
Most minority people don't feel offended but see "dumb ignorant Whites" that make fools out if themselves.

[Uniquemind]

Well I dunno if they wanted to mock anyone or not.. I honestly don't think they had any bad intentions.

Still it remains one of the weird stuff white people do. It's the same as so many white people find it cool or funny or whatever to strike some hip hop gangsta pose when they are taking pics with black people.


Anyway...no matter if an Asian, Hispanic, Native American Brown or Black looks at those kind of "fun stuff" white people do it makes us all just shake our heads.
Most minority people don't feel offended but see "dumb ignorant Whites" that make fools out if themselves.

To add a different perspective to the mix; perhaps it’s more of a generational perspective and a lot less of a racial one. I don’t know, something about using the old paradigm of race groupings feels off here.

Like the generations of racism and cultural appropriation feels drastically different from what we observe generations of Americans did in in 1960’s era.

It’s less blatant and holds less malice, and now just seems to feel like naive cluelessness about cultures but no malintent and no resistant to learn about other cultures.

[lliam]

What's interesting about this one is that apparently people in Asia care less about it than Asian-Americans..



Even if it belongs to other cases, I heard that too often enough. But at least that's just the prob of immigrants or mostly of their descendants.


I understand that some offsprings want to preserve as much of their ancestral culture as possible.

They may see seemingly thoughtless imitations of customs, language or whatever by fellow citizens (decendent of other cultures) as a sort of theft.


Nevertheless, cultures influence each other, nowadays more than two centuries ago. Worldwide.

As for this, this already happened long time ago in the era of global colonization by Europe.


And living in another country for generations the decendents aren't really connected to the culture of their ancestors anymore. What remains often is just a deep sentimental glimps to each culture anyway.


Therefore, an adaptation of traditions of other cultures into the culture of the new country isn't appropriation, but, depending on the intension, at worst, a caricatural act that one has to endure.

[Snowfox]

Next thing someone starts to whine is loanwords.
Now we need somekind of example.... Petsko is word in romanic meaning police.
We in finland use it as slang word for cop. At least where I live

[mattsmith48]

Actually, it's defined in the dictionary as "the cultural variety and cultural differences that exist in the world, a society, or an institution". If we had cultural diversity the way you described it, everything would be ridiculously segregated with things designated for only certain ethnic groups. It seems like a huge step backward. I honestly can not understand how sharing cultures is a bad thing; if anything, it brings people closer together and helps us appreciate other cultures.

mattsmith48 The USA is a melting pot of culture. What you are describing is making the USA a bunch of separate culture dishes. Hispanics can only have Hispanic culture, Asians can only have Asian culture, whites can only have European culture, etc. That's essentially segregation. Leftists talk all the time about how we need to integrate minorities into society, how do you think that happens without cultural appropriation?

I never said they couldn't interact or had to stay away from each other. As long as the people from that different culture is fine with it there is no reason for outsiders to join in. If someone comes up and have a problem with it they should say it and why and if they have a valid argument we should listen and stop doing what is offending them.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2144207/qipao-us-prom-wins-support-china-after-internet-backlash

well clearly they don't have a problem with it. Most cases like this its the spoiled WHITE college students with too much time on their hands and an overflowing of misplaced white guilt who are the ones finding issue with such things.

What would be more constructive would be to know why the Asian people who are offended by it, feel this way.


Uniquemind Intent is only a small portion of it, you may do something highly offensive with the best of intentions, but it still remains offensive.

[BlackParadePixie]

What would be more constructive would be to know why the Asian people who are offended by it, feel this way.


there probably aren't any. that's the whole point.

[Leprous]

I never said they couldn't interact or had to stay away from each other. As long as the people from that different culture is fine with it there is no reason for outsiders to join in. If someone comes up and have a problem with it they should say it and why and if they have a valid argument we should listen and stop doing what is offending them.


A point I made in a previous reply to you but will make it again here. To what degree do you want to push this through? Everything that someone adopts from someone else's culture that they find offensive? Will make my example again of every single country ever eating French fries although they are Belgian. What if I take offense in this? Do you believe everyone should adapt so we will stop hurting other people's feelings? Didn't get a reply to my last post so will try my luck again this time.

[PlasmaHam]

mattsmith48 never answered my question either. What form of morality are you using to insist that it is wrong to do something if a single person finds offense to it? Feelings Ethics? Triggerism? And using this form of morality, would you then conclude that knelling during the national anthem is also wrong, because that offends the majority of Americans, especially those who fought and died for it?

[Dalcourt]

mattsmith48 never answered my question either. What form of morality are you using to insist that it is wrong to do something if a single person finds offense to it? Feelings Ethics? Triggerism? And using this form of morality, would you then conclude that knelling during the national anthem is also wrong, because that offends the majority of Americans, especially those who fought and died for it?

Well I don't think it offended those who died.

[mattsmith48]

A point I made in a previous reply to you but will make it again here. To what degree do you want to push this through? Everything that someone adopts from someone else's culture that they find offensive? Will make my example again of every single country ever eating French fries although they are Belgian. What if I take offense in this? Do you believe everyone should adapt so we will stop hurting other people's feelings? Didn't get a reply to my last post so will try my luck again this time.

Well Like I said earlier you need a reason why it is offensive to you.

mattsmith48 never answered my question either. What form of morality are you using to insist that it is wrong to do something if a single person finds offense to it? Feelings Ethics? Triggerism? And using this form of morality, would you then conclude that knelling during the national anthem is also wrong, because that offends the majority of Americans, especially those who fought and died for it?

Americans knelling during the American national anthem is not wrong because they are Americans.

[Phosphene]

I never said they couldn't interact or had to stay away from each other. As long as the people from that different culture is fine with it there is no reason for outsiders to join in. If someone comes up and have a problem with it they should say it and why and if they have a valid argument we should listen and stop doing what is offending them.

Basically, you're proposing that we ask permission before doing the simplest of things to avoid offending a potentially very small number of people. I can't just walk into a Chinese, or Mexican, or Italian restaurant, eat, and be a paying customer who helps their business, I would have to ask if it's ok with the owner if I eat there first? I could tell the Italian owner that I'm Italian (because I am), but does he/she have to believe me? Should I have to ask special permission to go to or play at a jazz venue because jazz was essentially pioneered by blacks and I am white? While I'm at it, I'll ask Leprous if he approves of me playing jazz - a style of music he dislikes - on the saxophone - an instrument invented in Belgium...

How is any of that good? The majority of people today welcome assimilation and cultural exchange. It's not feasible to deny that and try to tip-toe around a few offended peoples' feelings when most things that are considered "cultural appropriation" are done with good intent.

[Leprous]

Well Like I said earlier you need a reason why it is offensive to you.


Very well, concidering people who speak English call them French fries which they are not it offends me. It is a part of Belgian culture and heritage. Most countries also prepare them wrongly, just like Belgian waffles.

Now back to my question which you completely ignored, and please respond to it this time. Does that mean because 1 person, in this case me is offended no country can eat them anymore?

[mattsmith48]

Basically, you're proposing that we ask permission before doing the simplest of things to avoid offending a potentially very small number of people. I can't just walk into a Chinese, or Mexican, or Italian restaurant, eat, and be a paying customer who helps their business, I would have to ask if it's ok with the owner if I eat there first? I could tell the Italian owner that I'm Italian (because I am), but does he/she have to believe me? Should I have to ask special permission to go to or play at a jazz venue because jazz was essentially pioneered by blacks and I am white? While I'm at it, I'll ask Leprous if he approves of me playing jazz - a style of music he dislikes - on the saxophone - an instrument invented in Belgium...

How is any of that good? The majority of people today welcome assimilation and cultural exchange. It's not feasible to deny that and try to tip-toe around a few offended peoples' feelings when most things that are considered "cultural appropriation" are done with good intent.

Very well, concidering people who speak English call them French fries which they are not it offends me. It is a part of Belgian culture and heritage. Most countries also prepare them wrongly, just like Belgian waffles.

By selling something from your culture like food, you waive your right to be offended that other people buy it.

Now back to my question which you completely ignored, and please respond to it this time. Does that mean because 1 person, in this case me is offended no country can eat them anymore?

If they have a reason why, and that other people from that same culture agrees then yes.

[Jinglebottom]

The VT Daily Chronicle :arrow: Ramblings of the Wise

Since this has pretty much become a debate.

[Leprous]

By selling something from your culture like food, you waive your right to be offended that other people buy it.


By selling Asian prom dresses you waive your right to be offended that other people buy and wear it.

By applying your argument the whole cultural appropriation thing becomes invalid because if people didn't have the means to buy/obtain/adopt things from other cultures they wouldn't offend anyone. Now according to you they shouldn't be offended. For example, let's prevent white people from starting rap careers/listen to rap music etc.

I hope you see how you contradicted yourself here.

[mattsmith48]

By selling Asian prom dresses you waive your right to be offended that other people buy and wear it.

By applying your argument the whole cultural appropriation thing becomes invalid because if people didn't have the means to buy/obtain/adopt things from other cultures they wouldn't offend anyone. Now according to you they shouldn't be offended. For example, let's prevent white people from starting rap careers/listen to rap music etc.

I hope you see how you contradicted yourself here.

The people selling it waive their right to be offended, as well as the people making the dress knowing it would be sold. Other people not involved in the selling of the dress can still be offended.

[Phosphene]

The people selling it waive their right to be offended, as well as the people making the dress knowing it would be sold. Other people not involved in the selling of the dress can still be offended.

Then why not be offended at the people making and distributing it instead of the people who buy it? If you insist on being offended, at least be offended at the right people.

[Uniquemind]

The people selling it waive their right to be offended, as well as the people making the dress knowing it would be sold. Other people not involved in the selling of the dress can still be offended.

Then why not be offended at the people making and distributing it instead of the people who buy it? If you insist on being offended, at least be offended at the right people.


I think what’s different is that in this understanding lies 2 principles and 1 circumstancial variable.

1. A culture’s right to claim something in the possessive sense, as its own for an indefinite amount of time.

2. Clashing and mixing of cultures and the very american and human social dance we all do when we do cultural exchange in good faith, versus recognizing when it’s in bad faith. Because that’s subjective there’s no consistent rule foundation of objectivity when it comes to a 3rd party to feel offended.


Variable: social media online has expanded the so-called audience, in which under matt’s understanding, and link an otherwise objective photo and promote his version of propaganda, have a right to be offended using economic rules of trade. While that’s a clean model on paper, in reality it doesn’t solve the issue of scenarios that get big media attention like this.


The guy that jumped all over this girl’s character because she wore a dress, needs to check his emotions to an an extent because he doesn’t pass my test of epistemic violated virtues:

Her wearing the dress:

1. Does his harm his ability to be biologically alive? No
2. Does it imply intent to harm him or others? No
3. Does it restrict his ability to buy or sell non-harmful products like a house? No
4. Does it restrict his free speech? No


I repeat my point, instances of claimed cultural appropriation must pass a certain set of principles like those above, to therefore have merit, it cannot be subjective emotions of a small group of people alone that have therefore not justified why that specific display of behavior hasn’t direct links to why it’s offensive. It cannot be an abstract reason for offense it must be concrete.

[Dalcourt]

Reading through all this I really feel people take this way too far.

Firstly there is no store selling Asian prom dresses...she got it a a thrift store, so maybe people wanna read the news they talk about first? So the thing wasn't sold with the intention to become a prominent dress for neither white nor Asian girls...
So it was just used by this girl for that at her own accord.

I don't see something wrong or bad in her wearing this in the first place and I believe her saying I just wore it since it looked pretty.

However, I understand that people get offended by the mock Asian pose in that one pic. Do I believe that it was intentionally racist? No, I don't think there was any malice in it...it is just one of the dumb stuff white people do when they want to be funny as I said somewhere above.

Yet, since it is a free country and everyone is entitled to their own opinion why get so heated about some Asians saying they don't like it? I don't understand why people feel others don't have the right to be offended? It's not like anyone wants to go to court over it and proposed a law that Caucasian people should not longer be allowed to wear Asian dresses. It's not that some Asian politicians called her a racist bitch or anything.
It is just ordinary people saying hey your stupid prom pics offend my culture. Why is this a problem?
Would you all make the same fuss over a girl posting prom pics and others fat shaming her? Most people would just shrug like she's fat and if she puts pics online it is to expect people will roast her.
Tons of pics online everyday get mean remarks so why should she not get them? The same conservative people who are now offended by Asians saying it is racist.
They would have criticised her for this dress being rather revealing but now jump to her defence in the collective oh we white people always mean well and are never racist outcry.

The kneeling thing was brought up above. It was a national crisis. How can people express their opinion in that way. It is so disrespectful...even the President felt it fit to call people doing a quiet protest sons of bitches. And everyone was just so horribly offended.

So why is being offended right in thit case? And not in that case?
Don't you realise how these discussions look to non-white people?

[Shiny Moon]

Cultural appropriation my ass.
She's rocking that dress.
Some people have too much free time on their hands it seems. Sometimes they should look themselves in the mirror instead of judging others.

[KatieCO2003]

There are A LOT of self-proclaimed "Social Justice Warriors" in Colorado. It would seem that their hobby is being offended by whatever they can find to be offended by, chastising others for doing that they deem offensive, then proclaiming that they themselves are better prople because they fight against that offensive behavior.

Funny thing though... I've never once seen them defend my Roman Catholic faith, or my German cultural herritage. And every October, entire towns full of tourists get drunk while appropriating my cultural heritage. ...but that's OK... because I'm white and Catholic... which means I don't count.

[HeyCameron]

It's not like anyone wants to go to court over it and proposed a law that Caucasian people should not longer be allowed to wear Asian dresses. It's not that some Asian politicians called her a racist bitch or anything.
It is just ordinary people saying hey your stupid prom pics offend my culture. Why is this a problem?

I think the problem is that even though no one took it that far, there seems to always be an implication that they're telling people what to do. Not just "I'm offended" but "I'm offended so you shouldn't do this". I think that's why the reaction is so strong because people don't like being told what to do (what not to wear). And some have demanded that she apologize, and since in her opinion she did nothing wrong, she won't apologize and instead is saying "I'd do it again". It gives people a chance to be defiant.

[Uniquemind]

I think the problem is that even though no one took it that far, there seems to always be an implication that they're telling people what to do. Not just "I'm offended" but "I'm offended so you shouldn't do this". I think that's why the reaction is so strong because people don't like being told what to do (what not to wear). And some have demanded that she apologize, and since in her opinion she did nothing wrong, she won't apologize and instead is saying "I'd do it again". It gives people a chance to be defiant.

The question becomes then, now knowing this, can we as a group of people spread that enlightened way of self-awareness to the rest of our generation so this bad social behavior trend can end.

[PlasmaHam]

The problem is that too few people are willing to stand-up to this kind of behavior from the overly offended types. Most people just roll over and issue an apology as soon as these folks start harassing them. The apology isn't sincere, but it nevertheless empowers these SJWs to keep doing it, to shutdown anyone and everyone they find offensive. The only way to stop this is to empower others to stand-up to it. This girl is doing that boldly, but most do not, and that is a worrying trend.

[Sofiya02]

Sounds like bullshit to me. She looks beautiful in the dress.

[mattsmith48]

She looks beautiful in the dress.

That's irrelevant

[Dezzy1]

I haven't heard of other cultures "owning" clothing, so I don't see a problem, as long as she wasn't making fun of something with it.
You can't control how someone else feels, and if she wasn't acting offensive, I think it's fine.

[SethfromMI]

We should all probably just strip naked, lie in bed and wait to die, not doing anything but lie there until our death as not to offend anyone. of course lying in bed is offensive to people who don't have a bed so lie on the floor. except then your offending people who don't have a floor to lie on either. well, maybe lie in the dirt and die there. but die in such a way that your body does not decompose at all and create a stench as you don't want the stench to possibly offend anyone.

[Stronk Serb]

The Serbian lamguage has many German, Turkish and Hungarian loanwords, so that MUST MEAN WE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED THOSE LANGUAGES AND ARE MOCKING THEM FOR THEIR INFERIORITY AND TOTALLY NOT BECAUSE WE SHARED SEVERAL CENTURIES OF OUR HISTORY WITH THEM.
We eat goulash, a traditional Hungarian dish. Is that cultural appropriation?
The Turks were one of the first to start drinking a lot of coffee, so we must be culturally appropriating them.
We use the Arab numeral system SO WE MUST BE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATING IT AND MOCKING ARABS AND ISLAM!

[Dev.]

I think a lot of the outcry stems from peoples lack of understanding of what cultural appropriation is. Mostly because the Left is terrible at explaining sociopolitical concepts like these. So people assume it's completely arbitrary, when actually is very clearly defined as the adoption of aspects of an minority by a dominant culture.

In my opinion culture appropriation is simply a side affect of having two or more cultures in close proximity to each other. No matter how you feel about it you can't really do anything to stop it.

Also, the hand gesture shes making is just "papa bless" from h3h3.

[Stronk Serb]

I think a lot of the outcry stems from peoples lack of understanding of what cultural appropriation is. Mostly because the Left is terrible at explaining sociopolitical concepts like these. So people assume it's completely arbitrary, when actually is very clearly defined as the adoption of aspects of an minority by a dominant culture.

In my opinion culture appropriation is simply a side affect of having two or more cultures in close proximity to each other. No matter how you feel about it you can't really do anything to stop it.

Also, the hand gesture shes making is just "papa bless" from h3h3.

True. Read my statement above yours. You cannot stop cultural appropriation. It's a thing that happems when two cultures mingle together. I consider some things we adopted from other cultures to be enriching.

[Gvanni]

There are A LOT of self-proclaimed "Social Justice Warriors" in Colorado. It would seem that their hobby is being offended by whatever they can find to be offended by, chastising others for doing that they deem offensive, then proclaiming that they themselves are better prople because they fight against that offensive behavior.

Funny thing though... I've never once seen them defend my Roman Catholic faith, or my German cultural herritage. And every October, entire towns full of tourists get drunk while appropriating my cultural heritage. ...but that's OK... because I'm white and Catholic... which means I don't count.

Well, your culture was forced upon millions of people. Of course it would be widely spread. You sound like you are trying to be a victim. And of course white Catholics count, you make up the largest demographic in America...