“The alternative to appropriation is a world where white European people make art about white European people, with only white European references in it. Swap African or Asian or Latin or whatever culture you want for European. A world where everyone is blind and deaf to any culture or experience that is not their own. I hate that world, don't you? I'm terrified of that world, and I don't want to live in that world, and as a mixed-race person, I literally don't exist in it.” ― Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Those who accuse others of cultural appropriation are the real racist, because they think that white/euroamerican culture is the default one which everyone can use, while the others are special ones that need to be defended. If not then every not-USA wearing a pair of jeans is culturally appropriating.

I'm 63 and white 15 years ago I had my hair braided for a vacation. I was approached by a black woman with chemically straightened hair almost to her waist about cultural appropriation. I was flabbergasted. I'm half Greek we have been braiding our hair for thousands of years. Not that I should have to justify that it doesn't matter. Cultural appropriation is a pile of c**p.

I've got a Maori name. My dad is a white kiwi 3gen. My mom is german grew up two different parts of the countrs. Met in London. I was born in germany. Grew up in Nz and germany, speak (quite rusty) english, german and bavarian. Fun quiz: which cultures am I appropriating?

As if people haven't mixed names, style and cultural stuff for as long as we remember.

There is no such thing as cultural appropriation. Whats wrong with liking a foreign countries clothes or naming your kid something foreign.

Oh well, roommate played stupid game - won stupid prize.

Cultural appropriation: The Maori have body art called Ta Moko. It's distinct to the individual and very personal. It has deep spiritual and cultural significance and represents the history of their family and their people. To copy a Ta Moko design would be like tattooing someone else's passport on your body. However, the Maori realized the designs were popular, and rather than simply forbid them, created a new form called Kirituhi that looks similar but has no cultural, spiritual or personal significance. Adopting something with religious and cultural significance without adopting the culture, religion etc. is appropriation. Wearing a hat, speaking a language, having a cultural name, etc. is not (in most cases) appropriation. People need to learn the difference.

Girl didn't name herself now did she? Imagine getting heated with someone over a name that they did not pick out for themselves.

F her. Cultural appropriation is not a thing. A race or nationality of people does not have excusive rights to language, hairstyles, foods, etc. Do what you want. And besides, it's not like you chose your own name. And, having lived in Japan until the age of 14, you are just as much a part of that culture as she is, regardless of ethnicity.

So a girl is given a name she has no control over. She spends the beginning of her life in another country. Again, no control over. Then, another girl accuses her of appropriating another culture because she has a Japanese name but doesn’t look Japanese? Then, tries the throw down the gauntlet and loses big time. Ummm….girlie#2….you don’t judge a book by its cover. Girl#1 Never apologize for being you.

ughhh getting so tired of people like that. And because of a name, lol

Cultural appropriation is when for example big music labels take a distinct local type of music that is culturally or maybe religiously important to a small ethnicity and make billions by promoting it worldwide while the original creators get nothing than a wrong picture painted about themselves for the rest of the world. The rest is not cultural appropriation but exaggerated sensitivities.

Mahomes McCaffrey says that 'you were born and raised in Japan until you were 14. This makes you a Japanese person'. It does not. Japan does not grant citizenship because you were born there ('jus soli'). And, unless one of the young lady's parents was a Japanese citizen, she has no right to Japanese citizenship by parentage ('jus sanguinis'). But, she's definitely NTA.

It what demented world could anyone say YTA... The "friend" is a terrible person, full stop.

In America, we almost ALL, have names from other countries. Most of them are from places our parents never even visited, in some cases can't even point to on a map. Her parents lived there. She was born there. It's always seemed weird to me, that we live in one of the biggest "melting pots" in the world, but are always first on the keep everyone separate train. If our ancestors had kept separate, we wouldn't be here.

The cultures of the world would not be what they are without exchange of cultures. Most of the people screaming about "Cultural appropriation" have no idea what they are talking about. I once shut down one of those little girls by asking them if they have an Oktoberfest in their area of the USA and she said yes. I then asked her if she is wearing something that looks like a Dirndl to this event and she also said yes. She had been on a rant about someone famous wearing a chinese dress while she is white. BINGO. I proceeded to tell her that she is the one who should be "accused" of cultural appropriation because a) Oktoberfest is a Bavarian tradition and b) what she considers a dirndl is actually nothing but a cheap, plastic copy cat thing that has nothing to do with the actual dress. Cultural appropriation is when you take parts of a culture to make fun or degrade a culture. I never got an answer from her.

Gotta love the ignorant entitled karens of the world!!

I have a friend that spends a lot of time in Japan because of his work. Good take on this is that a real Japanese person would be far more likely to insult her for being a Korean biracial. The Japanese people are extremely homogenous, and racially intolerant on the whole.

I tilt my sombrero back and take a long sip of my chai tea. I notice my kimono is a little wrinkled and hope it matches my cowboy boots. My German Sheppard dog offers me a baguette to brighten my mood. Its good living in the land of cultural appropriation.

They should do the apology entirely in Japanese. Best of both worlds really.