this is less of an essay than it is just a rant, so WARNING!! THIS IS VERY DISORGANIZED AND LOWK HARD TO READ!! skip to notes + credits if you already know these following definitions Important words to know --------- RACISM, as described by Merriam Webster, is: 1a. a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 1b. behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : discrimination, prejudice, or violence against people because of their race 2a. the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another CULTURAL APPROPRIATION is: a particular power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed by that dominant group. ASSIMILATION is: the process of becoming a part, or making someone become a part, of a group, country, society, etc. OR the process of becoming similar to others by taking in and using their customs and culture //////// So let's simplify this: - Racism is the oppression and/or prejudice of an racial group that specifically relates to a person's racial background - Cultural appropriation is when any group tries to adopt the facets/”pros” of another group, without paying mind to the significance of said culture. this typically refers to the act of a group that has culturally dominated society appropriating the culture of a marginalized community.. .. but it can also describe one minority adopting the culture of another minority. This is what we would typically call assimilation. - Assimilation is when a (typically) marginalized group embeds itself into another culture (typically to “fit in”, or to escape racial violence, sometimes by their own volition, sometimes by force). some examples of marginalized groups being forced to assimilate in history are the Native American/Indigenous peoples in the Northern/Central Americas.
I’ll be using the same example of the Native Americans for the sake of this argument. European colonizers forced the Native people to adjust to European customs, with the threat that if they didn’t, they would face severe punishment and violence. As an American, I can attest to how much of American culture is adopted from Native culture. For example: Dream catchers. Dream catchers are those circular pieces that were woven by Native tribes long before they went commercial. It’s important to define exactly what makes dream catchers culturally appropriated, though. 1. it depends on where it’s sourced: was this weaving done by a native person, or you using Native American techniques, or was it purchased from a big box store that utilizes slave labor and sweat shops? 2. it depends on how it’s used: the dream catcher is specifically a symbol of an old folk tale, which among different tribes and versions of the story is always used as a protective object. A dream catcher according to most tribes is hung over an infant to catch negative energies and nightmares and allow them to sleep peacefully. The negative energies caught in the “web”- or weaving inside the ring of the dream catcher- are released into the air by dawn and disappear 3. it depends on who is using it: are you Chippewa or Lakota? are you an oppressor of Native Americans? are you simply appreciating it and using it for its intended purpose? When someone takes something that isn’t theirs without understanding where it came from, that is cultural appropriation. In the case of “RCTA” individuals that are people of color, they typically “transition” to another race, (and adopt that culture) for reasons that relate to racism. If a BIPOC child is being bullied for their race, they may have the desire to identify as a race and/or ethnicity- one that is more light-skinned. This is why we often see things like African American ---> Japanese or Latin American ---> Korean, because in a society full of white supremescists, white or light skin is considered “more desirable”. While all these ethnicities are considered people of color, people with lighter skin have an inherent privilege, as apposed to people with darker skin. The most common RCTA type i’ve seen is Black/White ---> Japanese/Korean Why? Because they are considered more palatable in the eyes of society. While Asian hate is VERY prevalent, they are not seen the same way as Black people. With the birth of television, people in the U.S. had access to media all over the world in a brand new way. On the internet, the increased number of non-Asians that consume anime and manga has directly led to the romanticism and appropriation of Asian culture, with the common exclusion of middle eastern countries and cultures. Japanese people are considered “cute” and are infantilized, in some part by their features, but also by the way they’re portrayed in media. The bigger question you need to ask yourself if you are RCTA is: “Why do I want to present as a different race or ethnicity? Is it because I simply don’t like my own, or because I believe my race/ethnicity to be inferior?” If the first answer resonates with you, then you can educate yourself on the culture you so idolize. Don’t only focus on the “pros” of the culture, but also the “cons”. If you identify with the second answer, dig deeper. Who in your life has made you feel inferior because of your race/ethnicity? How can you eliminate that without having to exploit other people of color? This is a very disorganized rant, so im sorry but I think you get my point now? anyway bye https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism https://everydayfeminism.com/2015/06/cultural-appropriation-wrong/ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/assimilation https://www.theindigenousfoundtion.org/aricles/dreamcatchers (add a "t" in-between the "r" and the "i" in the link above, because for some reason it censored the word "art-icles") ^^^
