'Hunger Games' star criticizes Taylor Swift, Madonna for 'rampant' appropriation of black culture

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

Can you imagine if Lady Gaga went on twitter and told black people to stop appropriating white culture? 

Racism is defined as the ideology that one race is inherently superior to another. So if you truly are not a racist you must believe that ALL races are equal and ALL races have to right to share in ALL culture.

If a black person argues that only black people should be able to partake in their culture, then it should be completely valid for white/asian/latino people to tell black people they can't use their culture. 

​http://www.robot-hugs.com/definition/

Did you read this thread? Cause its literally so much more than just that.

Like people have said for pages, this isn't what people are saying. This isn't "you are black, so you cant do anything that is "black", this is "you aren't black, so stop taking things that are sacred to us and making light of them". And Asians/Latinos CAN rightfully not want people to appropriate their culture. I don't really get why people dont realize that appropriating white culture is literally identical to Assimilation. Because White Culture is the dominant culture in a ton of places, trying to imitate it is only seen as a good thing, in fact you are literally rewarded by society for being as white as possible in many places. Black people seem more "approachable" if they act white to white people everyplace ive been in my life  

Like, its literally what white people did to every single group they annexed and what not  They took Native American's names and LITERALLY and forced them to assimilate. It is a destruction and theft of culture. This would be the same thing but voluntary and there is nothing wrong with wanting to keep part of your culture sacred. You can't appropriate white culture, because what is modern white culture also isnt founded on hundreds of years of sacred tradition or anything, modern white culture is ridiculously commercialized (so are other cultures, but this one especially). 

The argument of "there are worse things going on in the world" is just really fallacious too. There are bigger injustices going on than the concept of legalizing gay marriage or gay rights in general really, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't focus on them, also just because you dont see this as a huge issue doesnt mean that a ton of other people don't. 

 

[MJHolland 12,723]

​http://www.robot-hugs.com/definition/

Did you read this thread? Cause its literally so much more than just that.

Like people have said for pages, this isn't what people are saying. This isn't "you are black, so you cant do anything that is "black", this is "you aren't black, so stop taking things that are sacred to us and making light of them". And Asians/Latinos CAN rightfully not want people to appropriate their culture. I don't really get why people dont realize that appropriating white culture is literally identical to Assimilation. Because White Culture is the dominant culture in a ton of places, trying to imitate it is only seen as a good thing. Like, its literally what white people did to every single group they annexed and what not  They took Native American's names and LITERALLY and forced them to assimilate. This would be the same thing but voluntary and there is nothing wrong with wanting to keep part of your culture sacred. You can't appropriate white culture, because what is modern white culture also isnt founded on hundreds of years of sacred tradition or anything, modern white culture is ridiculously commercialized (so are other cultures, but this one especially). 

The argument of "there are worse things going on in the world" is just really fallacious too. There are bigger injustices going on than the concept of legalizing gay marriage or gay rights in general really, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't focus on them, also just because you dont see this as a huge issue doesnt mean that a ton of other people don't. 

 

​I'm sorry but with all do respect that is the biggest pile of horse crap I've read on this site in months.

Are you really about to sit there at your computer and tell me that Miley Cyrus is ruining SACRED (SACRED!!!!!) black culture by TWERKING?!?!?!?! That Madonna is ruining SACRED black culture by wearing a gold grill?!?!??!?!

You have GOT the be f*cking kidding me. Preposterous arguments like yours are the reason why some people think racism is dead in the world. That is such a petty and insignificant "issue" (if I can even call it an "issue").

And no, black people don't have a right to twerking. I'll twerk however much I want and "appropriate" whatever culture I feel like "appropriating" and you can and will not be able to tell me what to do or stop me or any person of any race from doing whatever the f*ck they want, so cry us all a river and move on.

It's embarrassing I sent the last 3 min of my life typing on a reply to someone who just called TWERKING sacred. I feel ashamed for whatever culture honors twerking as sacred. Smh. 

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

​What do you think about all the German stereotypes in movie where Germans are shown as angry or nazis or as no fun etc? Isn't that also cultural appreciation ?

​

Like this is also cultural appropitation then

 

 

​

​What do you think about all the German stereotypes in movie where Germans are shown as angry or nazis or as no fun etc? Isn't that also cultural appreciation ?

​Do you mean cultural appropriation? If so, no not really, unless you are saying that being a nazi is an important part of German Culture  

It might be an offensive stereotype/generalization, but they aren't actually taking anything from German culture itself and re-imagining it

I don't really know anything about German Culture, but I am assuming that "being a nazi" or hating jews or being angry are not sacred things to the German people that they wish to hold dear due to years of being forced to assimilate to other cultures

That video was just weird btw, i kept waiting for the bigger picture, or to see if it was trying to make a political statement about coming out as something being silly (which is problematic to say the least ), but it quickly devolved into what I assume are German stereotypes and just weirdness  I really dunno how to feel about it  Maybe its saying Germans are bad, and you shouldn't want to be a german (calling it a choice? ) just like you shouldn't come out as gay  I'm reaching, but its definitely either offensive (or possibly made by a german person to be parody-like? :duck: )

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

​I'm sorry but with all do respect that is the biggest pile of horse crap I've read on this site in months.

Are you really about to sit there at your computer and tell me that Miley Cyrus is ruining SACRED (SACRED!!!!!) black culture by TWERKING?!?!?!?! That Madonna is ruining SACRED black culture by wearing a gold grill?!?!??!?!

You have GOT the be f*cking kidding me. Preposterous arguments like yours are the reason why some people think racism is dead in the world. That is such a petty and insignificant "issue" (if I can even call it an "issue").

And no, black people don't have a right to twerking. I'll twerk however much I want and "appropriate" whatever culture I feel like "appropriating" and you can and will not be able to tell me what to do or stop me or any person of any race from doing whatever the f*ck they want, so cry us all a river and move on.

It's embarrassing I sent the last 3 min of my life typing on a reply to someone who just called TWERKING sacred. I feel ashamed for whatever culture honors twerking as sacred. Smh. 

​Sis, read what I said again because I included NO specific examples  so your entire post is reaching for something I never even said  I don't think twerking is a sacred part of black culture, in fact its origins go back quite far to many people, id suggest you look into it something

My point was about cultural appropriation in general, which is when people take part of someone's culture and use it for their own, usually by making a mock of the original culture, or bastardizing it into a commercial form. THIS is what is offensive. I didnt say anything about Madonna or Gold Grills, and there is a difference between black people adopting things themselves and those being replicated in society, and having traditions that relate back to their ROOTS --- those are things that can be sacred, though i dont really know of any with black people on the top of my head. I was thinking sacred like, native american headdresses which are earned and bestowed, not just warn as fashion statements  

The 2nd bolded thing is literally so far I can't even  

I'm literally arguing for the existence of prevailing racism through modern cultural appropriation, so I just cant even comment  

Black people don't own twerking. Look up a few posts and read Kayla's message  Twerk all you want, no ones stopping you. In fact, you can appropriate any culture you want if you dont care about respecting cultures, no one is stopping you there either  but it seems like you don't really get what I was saying at all, or what cultural appropriation actually is. Like you seem to be overreacting as well as missing the point entirely  And I mean that with as much respect as possible  

 

*EDIT*

Also, did you read the comic because that really should have been the most eye-opening part of my comment and its super important for any future discussions about race you may have in the future

[MJHolland 12,723]

​Sis, read what I said again because I included NO specific examples  so your entire post is reaching for something I never even said  I don't think twerking is a sacred part of black culture, in fact its origins go back quite far to many people, id suggest you look into it something

My point was about cultural appropriation in general, which is when people take part of someone's culture and use it for their own, usually by making a mock of the original culture, or bastardizing it into a commercial form. THIS is what is offensive. I didnt say anything about Madonna or Gold Grills, and there is a difference between black people adopting things themselves and those being replicated in society, and having traditions that relate back to their ROOTS --- those are things that can be sacred, though i dont really know of any with black people on the top of my head. I was thinking sacred like, native american headdresses which are earned and bestowed, not just warn as fashion statements  

The 2nd bolded thing is literally so far I can't even  

I'm literally arguing for the existence of prevailing racism through modern cultural appropriation, so I just cant even comment  

Black people don't own twerking. Look up a few posts and read Kayla's message  Twerk all you want, no ones stopping you. In fact, you can appropriate any culture you want if you dont care about respecting cultures, no one is stopping you there either  but it seems like you don't really get what I was saying at all, or what cultural appropriation actually is. Like you seem to be overreacting as well as missing the point entirely  And I mean that with as much respect as possible  

 

*EDIT*

Also, did you read the comic because that really should have been the most eye-opening part of my comment and its super important for any future discussions about race you may have in the future

​You're right, I don't understand "cultural appropriation" because it's not a real thing, it is not a real example of legitimate racism, and the only people to ever argue its existence are social justice jihadists on GGD and the internet in general.  

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

​You're right, I don't understand "cultural appropriation" because it's not a real thing, it is not a real example of legitimate racism, and the only people to ever argue its existence are social justice jihadists on GGD and the internet in general.  ​

 Jihadists?   What a terribly inappropriate comparison   I'm sorry if social justice isnt the most comforting topic like the vast majority of everything people encounter in a single day  

It must be nice to have the privilege to grow up and never have to face these things because they don't actually affect you unless someone brings them up, in which case people get in a fit about "freedom of speech" and "equality" and other color blindness laden discussion. but millions of people deal with this and it actually DOES affect them, myself included in those people. Legitimate "racism" is subjective already as ive been trying to point out... That's really all I have to say about this. It's your prerogative.  I'm done replying to this thread. 

 

[StrawberryBlond 13,288]

​http://www.robot-hugs.com/definition/ Super important topic best explained through a comic. Essentially, the argument of what is "racist" or not can be turned into an argument over which definition of "racism" you prefer, and I don't think its THAT important, but it is important to note that social or institutional power is at least some form of a definition of racism, because racism manifests itself in multiple ways and institutional racism is super super important. Its perfectly possible for PoC to be "Racist" in the manner of being prejudice, but they can't institutionally oppress another people, which is why its the definition I personally agree with; its more nuanced, accurate and less general, but i dont think calling it "prejudice" or "racist" Really matters that much because both are wrong, and i never made the claim that white people cant be discriminated against, or people can't be prejudice against them, and its not that they can't feel "hurt", but its important for ALL people to also check their privilege. All people are some level of problematic, and it is chiefly because white people have so much privilege that they can go their entire lives and not realize that they are oppressing or discriminating against others subtly, and its important to realize  Its not a matter of "targetting" white people, but its a harsh-reality. Also #Intersectionality, so obv. there are major exceptions and what not, but I digress...

I am talking about a chiefly American experience... mostly because Amandla is American and described things that happen in America involving American celebrities and culture.. I don't live in Europe or anywhere else and ive never been there so I can't really pretend to act like I know how things are different there. Sorry   About the thuggish thing especially, I've never heard the word "thug" used in a non PoC related way, particularly black. In fact, as social commentary, many black people call themselves "thugs" ironically... rappers, etc. The media over here paints black people as "thugs". The word can be a lot more general, like street thugs, but it does carry specific stigma to black people and sometimes the more general uses refer to black people subtly  Like for example, ive heard of white boys that commit crime and live "that lifestyle" referred to as thugs, but only under the guise of comparing them to black people, who are stereotypically "thugs".

 

The part about hair is entirely conjecture though... like, you are making large assumptions. My mother has had to straighten her hair to be taken seriously in her work and it has been straightened almost constantly since the 90s... I know actually a LOT of people who have to do this to get ahead. There are locations, like Chicago, where this isn't such a big deal, but its not just a made up phenomenon. The fact that black women really really like and want to use hair products to manage their hair and that there is such a huge market of giving black women straightened or "white"-lookig hair is just more evidence, so im not really sure why you don't want to admit this. A few google searches could tell you that black hair is politicized. They aren't the only group though, plenty of cultures with traditional hair styles have had to assimilate in the modern world to be taken seriously. Like, intersectional feminists talk about this heavily too, its a real thing idk how to emphasize it anymore  and Yes, they aren't blind but they do recognize attempts of assimilation. I've known instances of black women who have come in for a job interview with their natural hair and been denied, but another black woman with her hair straightened or some other non natural hair style have been given the job with the same or worse credentials. Idk about Obama losing the presidency per say, but its entirely possible. His PR team is not stupid, they would have hidden her hair for as long as possible, because it reminds people that shes BLACK, and not White, and subconsciously, some people may see that as a minor annoyance -- subtle bits of xenophobia in the back of people's head are always there tbh.

Black people assimilate to white culture to be successful, like its really really observable  

"Is it because im black" is honestly sometimes comical or exaggerated, but it sometimes DOES ring true. The institution of slavery has had SERIOUS lasting effects on the black community, and while on an individual basis, its not really an excuse, it IS a serious reason why black people are behind in many facets of modern life in America. Like, America, and many many other places in the world are NOT meritocracies, where people get what they deserve based on their merit, achievements, and effort. It completely ignores the idea of privilege and historical context. 

You say "we" dont as if you speak for all white people, but thats really just not true  Society is relative to location, as are race-relations and a ton of other stuff, and again, systems can be invisible and hard to see for those that benefit from them, which is why this is such a tricky subject. Power is also not a strict definition i am referring to. Black people, women, and really all marginalized groups in comparison to white straight men do not hold powerful positions in the world as often on an almost global scale, they own less property, they have less human rights, they are less accepted in social contexts, they are seen as intimidating when they "intrude" on things... If you could examine the world from an outside lens, you could make a  clear (but fallacious) assumption -- White men are the dominant group in the world; they are the best. But thats simply not true, and its a glaring generalization. Marginalized groups are often behind because of years and years of their oppression. 

Also, it is NOT a racially equally world, or even close by any meaning of the word "equal", so yes there are disparages between social power. In a racially equal world, possibly, but I can't pretend to know exactly how that would be or if thats even fully possible. The feminists you are describing seem like huge hypocrites who don't actually want equality, so I would say follow new feminists,  

In general, Intersectional feminists who are not majorly White Feminists* are good to follow on social media, or to research. I actually really really love Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie and agree with a good amount of what she says. 

But ive got off subject ofc  I've never heard of the word "white friendly" used as anything other than as a satirical phrase that alludes to "black-friendly" or "gay-friendly", etc. Its ironic because society itself is already white-friendly, and examples of non white friendly places are an extreme minority . It's a little bit like the word "Cracker", which holds no racist implications or negative history. Most white people aren't offended by it on a racial level because it really holds no power at all, its just prejudice at the most. 

​I know you said you'd left the thread, but I at least wanted to answer this one bit. You don't have to reply. We can always talk through messaging if you want.

See, I don't think racism needs to go as far as oppression for it to be a problem. You can't just act how you want in society and say whatever you like to people. Before being racist, it's just mean. It doesn't need to be taken to its ultimate extent for it to be a problem or to even exist. I think filing non-whites being racist under "prejudiced" is a bit of a cop-out. Racism is a form of prejudice. Prejudice is disliking people over superficial, trivial things, without knowing what they're really like. Is that not racism? And no, I don't believe that it's ok to be prejudiced against whites because it's in retalitation to how whites treated blacks years ago. That's exactly it: years ago. You can't justify being mean to white people generations later who had nothing to do with slavery.

Well, I can assure you, race is handled differently outside America and I'm not saying the lives of blacks are perfect in Britain, far from it, but they are definitely safer and better off than in the US. You are right about the use of the word thug, as it's simultaneously an insult and a personal tag if you're that way inclined. But again, it's an American thing to attribute it to black people and who anyone who lives a "black lifestyle." Like I said, in the UK, it's just a word used to describe any man who commited a violent crime (and very occasionally a woman, although she usually has to have done something really henious). The word isn't adapted by gangs or gangsters as a compliment - the phrase of choice in that case is normally "big man" or "hard man."

Well, I can't speak for blacks regarding how their hair is perceieved, I'm just saying that it's not something I've seen the white community take issue with and have always questioned its legitamacy. I've seen black girls with braids and afros working, so I don't think my country is completely against black hairstyles in the workplace. But maybe in America, the situation is different and I'd have to be there to truly get it. Speaking as a redhead, if any type of hair is picked apart in my country, it's mine. Ironic, considering Scotland has the highest population of redheads in the world.

I've spoken about my hatred of words like "cracker" on this site before and how it needs to stop being seen as a throwaway word that whites have to deal with and get over it. Yes, it may not have the painful history that the n-word does, but every racially charged insult says the same thing: "I don't like you simply because of your race and I don't want you here." Being excluded like that hurts and I won't have anyone tell me any different.

What I'm trying to say through all this is that I question why blacks are so possessive over their culture. Understandably, a lot of them feel they've been robbed of their culture and had it taken over by whites. Yes, but so have other races/ethnicities and they don't seem to mind as much. As someone else said, Madonna is loved by lots of Hispanics for her use of Latin themes and I can personally testify to how much Indians have embraced Britain's love of their food and dancing styles by setting up whole businesses devoted to our love for their culture. I never see complaints from these communties when an outsider tries to emulate a bit of their culture. On the contrary, they love it. I just wonder why blacks are so possessive about their culture in a way that other races aren't.

[Prometheus 1,494]

I've never quite understood "cultural appropriation." Like, I can see why dressing stereotypically is wrong, but isn't culture meant to be shared? Yeah, people shouldn't act like Miley made twerking up, but she did blast it into the mainstream. Taylor is not appropriating the black community in Shake It Off. She is showing several different types of dance and has dancers of many ethnic groups in each scene. I don't get this exclusivity that Tumblr is preaching about. I own malla, which are Hindu prayer beads. Since I'm white I am sure I would be blasted if I were a celebrity. I don't get why people are wanting to put walls up and say, "THIS IS MINE!" It's also only directed at white people. I get that we are the majority and that society looks down upon POC and their cultures until white people make it popular (source: Tumblr), but why the hell can't we share in each other's cultures? 

[Memo 176]

I've never quite understood "cultural appropriation." Like, I can see why dressing stereotypically is wrong, but isn't culture meant to be shared? Yeah, people shouldn't act like Miley made twerking up, but she did blast it into the mainstream. Taylor is not appropriating the black community in Shake It Off. She is showing several different types of dance and has dancers of many ethnic groups in each scene. I don't get this exclusivity that Tumblr is preaching about. I own malla, which are Hindu prayer beads. Since I'm white I am sure I would be blasted if I were a celebrity. I don't get why people are wanting to put walls up and say, "THIS IS MINE!" It's also only directed at white people. I get that we are the majority and that society looks down upon POC and their cultures until white people make it popular (source: Tumblr), but why the hell can't we share in each other's cultures? 

​I think because it's one thing to share it, understand and appreciate aspects of a culture while embracing it and it's another thing to just pick some bits here and there of people's culture because "It looks good" and "lol aesthetic". Like, Culture indeed is not meant to be kept between four walls, but if it's going to be embraced do it with respect and understanding

[Prometheus 1,494]

​I think because it's one thing to share it, understand and appreciate aspects of a culture while embracing it and it's another thing to just pick some bits here and there of people's culture because "It looks good" and "lol aesthetic". Like, Culture indeed is not meant to be kept between four walls, but if it's going to be embraced do it with respect and understanding

​See, I understand this, but I think people jump on a bandwagon like **** YOU THIS IS OURS! I see that anytime a white person enters rap music (I get Iggy because that damn accent is appropriation), but people were so pissed at Macklemore. Yet Eminem is allowed to rap because he raps about women being sluts, domestic abuse, and is homophobic as ****? I don't get it.

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

I've never quite understood "cultural appropriation." Like, I can see why dressing stereotypically is wrong, but isn't culture meant to be shared? Yeah, people shouldn't act like Miley made twerking up, but she did blast it into the mainstream. Taylor is not appropriating the black community in Shake It Off. She is showing several different types of dance and has dancers of many ethnic groups in each scene. I don't get this exclusivity that Tumblr is preaching about. I own malla, which are Hindu prayer beads. Since I'm white I am sure I would be blasted if I were a celebrity. I don't get why people are wanting to put walls up and say, "THIS IS MINE!" It's also only directed at white people. I get that we are the majority and that society looks down upon POC and their cultures until white people make it popular (source: Tumblr), but why the hell can't we share in each other's cultures? 

​I know I said I'd left the thread, but  This seemed like an easy answer and something that I think has already been addressed in the thread but I don't mind repeating

Those arent examples of actual cultural appropriation. The sharing and merging of cultures IS a good thing, but its not when its done offensively or ignorantly... then it becomes an instance of erasure rather than actual sharing, which is really just a false narrative we are hiding behind sometimes tbqh

Like, white people publicizing, commercializing, or bastardizing the culture of another is not sharing, and it doesn't account for the personal history behind w.e they are doing it to. There is also the generally appropriate amount of rage that comes when a majority group takes something from the minority and makes it popular for all the wrong reasons. This is a possibly bad example, but when people like Iggy Azalea are literally called "the next queen of rap" for doing something that is only a derivative form of the real thing; she raps with a black accent, has a big butt, and is pretty, but she didn't really do anything to deserve the title other than be "white". Its the fact that other cultures (usually white, sorry ) can jump into a culture that is usually persecuted and make it acceptable that makes things like this problematic to say the least. 

Also, the mind set of "this is ours!" is sometimes justified, especially in the case of really any minority who has been forced to assimilate into American culture; a key example in Native Americans [sic]. They had their names and history and culture taken from them, so its not really unacceptable for them to want to preserve what they can  Black people were forced to adopt Christianity and they created new culture in America based specifically on their oppression as slaves, so for people to step in and want to take it (and not jut appreciate it, but to change it and commercialize it, etc.) is clearly offensive.

[MJHolland 12,723]

 Jihadists?   What a terribly inappropriate comparison   I'm sorry if social justice isnt the most comforting topic like the vast majority of everything people encounter in a single day  

It must be nice to have the privilege to grow up and never have to face these things because they don't actually affect you unless someone brings them up, in which case people get in a fit about "freedom of speech" and "equality" and other color blindness laden discussion. but millions of people deal with this and it actually DOES affect them, myself included in those people. Legitimate "racism" is subjective already as ive been trying to point out... That's really all I have to say about this. It's your prerogative.  I'm done replying to this thread. 

 

​Let me play you a sad song on the world's smallest violin as people are trying to SHARE in your culture of twerking and grill-wearing that you feel only black people should be able to partake in 

I can't even pretend like "cultural appropriation" is a real thing that negatively affects people. Cry me a river, build a bridge, get over it, and devote your time to pointing out actual injustice in the world.

And for the record, "social justice jihadist" is entirely fitting and appropriate for people whining about "cultural appropriating". 

[Dayman 5,903]

Eh, I kinda just ignore the concept of cultural appropriation. Every single piece of any modern culture has roots in something else. It's like saying it's cultural appropriation to own silk products because silk is traditionally a Chinese material. People have always been this way and they always will be. Cultural appropriation is just a scape goat to find racism where there is none nowadays it seems - or to downplay actual racism. If someone is turning something into a mask to mock than that's not cultural appropriation, that's just racist. If someone is rapping and twerking that's not racist - that's just showing that culture has spread from a select to group to a larger group.

Also, let's remember a lot of the people who complain about cultural appropriation are teenagers and young adults - so it may be more about them trying to solidify their identity. When you're young you sometimes don't have the life experience to fully understand who you are - all you have is what you perceive to be your culture at that point - so you tend to want to defend it and keep it just for yourself.

[JusKeepBreathin 19,311]

 

Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg is calling out several of today's biggest pop stars. 

The 16-year-old actress, who played Rue in the first installment of the popular film franchise, recorded a video for her high school history class in which she criticizes white celebrities and singers for borrowing from black culture to make money. The video, entitled "Don't Cash Crop My Cornrows," was posted to her Tumblr page several months ago but has recently gone viral. 

"[In the 2010s,] pop stars and icons adopted black culture as a way of being edgy and gaining attention," Stenberg says. "In 2013, Miley Cyrus twerks and uses black women as props, and then in 2014, in one of her videos called 'This Is How We Do,' Katy Perry uses Ebonics and hand gestures and eats watermelons while wearing cornrows before cutting inexplicably to a picture of Aretha Franklin. So as you can see, cultural appropriation was rampant."

The video features clips of Kesha and Kim Kardashian wearing cornrows and Madonna with a grill over her teeth. Footage from Taylor Swift's hip-hop influenced "Shake It Off" video is also shown.

Stenberg, who has also appeared in 2011's Colombiana and on the Fox drama Sleepy Hollow, addresses that Azealia Banks criticized Iggy Azalea for not speaking out after a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer who put Eric Garner in a chokehold.

"I've been seeing this question a lot on social media, and I think it's really relevant: 'What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?' " Stenberg says at the end of the video.

The full video can be seen here. 

Source: http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6538495/hunger-games-star-criticizes-taylor-swift-madonna-appropriation-black-culture

 

Your thoughts? Is she spilling the hot tea for this cultural appropriation issue? or is she riding along the social justice warrior trend? Discuss.

 

Girl who doesn't s rap or sing says its cultural appropriation. Jay Z gives Madonna and Swift three percent of TIDAL. Mmmmm.... 

 

[Rat Boy 36,909]

​Exactly. There is a difference between respectfully using culture and bastardizing it to make a statement that completely disregards the legitimacy of its roots. 

People aren't saying white people can't wear cornrows, twerk, or use things that are typically associated with black culture. We're saying if you're going to knowingly take something from another culture, don't be a **** about it and then tell people they're "overreacting" when they notice you using something very near and dear to them for your own personal gain. 

 

For example, Gaga using spanish language and music in Americano was not cultural appropriation- she was singing that way out of respect to her hispanic fans and as a way to show them she was supportive of their struggles. The entire song is about how she doesn't agree with how America treats Mexicans, how our "language" to them is one she doesn't speak; she'd rather speak the same language as the people our own country is demonizing. 

Now, if Gaga were to wear a sombrero and laugh while saying "HOLA! MI LLAMO ES LADY GAGO! BUY MI ALBUMO!" that would be rude. If she were to show up at a red carpet wearing a poncho and carrying a taco, or switched Asia out for a Chihuahua, that would be rude. (  )

​Did you not watch the Alejandro video?