MELMIRA I CULTURAL APPRECIATION OR CULTURAL APPROPRIATION?

Melmira September 30, 2021 in ASL 10 Subscribers Subscribe

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Soooo, I have a question for you all!

(Actually more appropriate for the BIPOC community to share thoughts but this is something we could ALL use as I know it's been discussed in many spaces)

Of course, I love earrings if they’re big, light, and beautiful. Really beautiful. However, with this, I admit I did feel unsure when I saw something I was fascinated by but wasn’t sure about the material. I’ll show you why. So beautiful. Some of the fabrics are African tribal prints. I wanted to buy it. It was a Black owned shop by a Black designer. I was a little unsure if it would be appropriate for me to wear. I did text some friends for their perspectives and there are many different perspectives. Some said yes, go ahead support, the important thing is it’s a Black-owned business. Support them. Some said you can, but some people might feel uneasy about it. I decided to ask the store owner directly, and said I’m sorry to ask this question, but I’m not Black. Is it appropriate for me to buy this to wear? The store owner said, yes please buy! She underlined her message and said tag us. Spread the word to support our business. I ended up buying it. They’re really very beautiful earrings. And yes, I was ready to have this open dialogue. Is it ok for me to wear those to support Black-owned businesses? Or really, is it only Black people who should be able to wear this? I know there is a fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. You know, I can think of other situations where I wear attire that is really intended for other cultures - I would not do that and I would be respectful, except if it’s a special occasion. This is a pair of earrings. I’m not sure, honestly. I had a few conversations, and I told myself, you know what? I will be real about it, open up to you, and have this dialogue with the community so you can learn something and so I can learn something too. I am really curious about your perspectives.