Why do you want to wear a bindi? The majority of the time, people want to wear it as a fashion statement simply because they think it looks “cool”, thus appropriating a culture whilst remaining ignorant to the meaning it holds to others. They see no problem in this, and I can understand where that attitude comes from. I hear a lot of people say that they wouldn’t mind if an Asian adopted something from their culture, but this is exactly where the problem lies – this isn’t a cultural exchange. For a cultural exchange to happen, there needs to be understanding and respect, which if I’m honest, most people who wear the bindi as a fashion statement don’t have. For a cultural exchange to happen, there needs to be understanding and respect, which if I’m honest, most people who wear the bindi as a fashion statement don’t have. You can’t take whatever you like from another, marginalised culture for your own self expression just because you think it looks good, whilst remaining uneducated and ignorant towards its symbology.
I was raised often wearing traditional Asian clothing, and I’m sure other British Asians will agree that we are more than aware of the looks we often get for being “different” when dressed this way. We’ve all heard jokes about Indian women having red dots on their forehead, but when a white person does it it’s simply a cute alternative fashion accessory for their festival outfit. The people you have appropriated the bindi from do not have the same privilege as you.
Unless you have directly experienced this for yourself, you will probably not be aware of the privilege you have and what it feels like to be looked at as an outsider due to your traditional dress. This is a sensitive topic, and I hate to separate people into groups based on their race or culture but that is essentially what it comes down to – something that is socially acceptable for one group is not for another. I find people being complimented for wearing the same bindi that Asians would be penalised or mocked for quite annoying; it is a double standard. To some people out there, the woman who wears a bindi because it represents her culture is just some Indian lady with a weird red dot on her forehead, and you are not liberating or appreciating her culture in any way by simply going to some high street store and buying a pack of stick on bindis to wear on your forehead because you want to look edgy in your selfies on Instagram.
I know there are many differing opinions on this, and I am not saying that I am against people having an interest in things from other cultures. Appreciating other cultures is a great thing – it can break down stereotypes and promote education on other ethnicities and religions. What I am against is people doing this with a lack of knowledge and respect. To people saying they see no harm in it and that it’s okay, ask yourself – who are you to dictate what is and isn’t acceptable when it isn’t your culture that is being appropriated? The problem, for me personally, lies in the adaptation and acceptance of Asian culture without the acceptance of Asian people.
Why do you want to wear a bindi? If you want to wear one because you think it’s just some cute fashion accessory – please don’t.
Cultural appropriation is probably the most over-used phrase of 2015, but not without good reason. I think it has been pretty conducive in awakening many people to the possibility that some of their fashion choices are causing deep offence. Unfortunately, awareness is still not enough to stop the defiant few, *cough* Kylie Jenner *cough*.
I don’t think it is outlandish to say that cultural appropriation is a form of racism. That’s because it is a form of racism. But when people hear the word ‘racist’ their defence mechanisms go into over-drive, and instead of them actually attempting to rationally understand the racial implications of wearing braids, corn-rows, or other typically black hairstyles, they fiercely object to the possibility that anything they say or do, could ever be racist, because ‘they would never intend to cause harm’, or ‘they have a black friend’, or ‘a hairstyle can’t be racist’.
Whilst the first response fails to acknowledge the undeniable fact that many racist beliefs and behaviours are ingrained into a person due to us living in a white supremacist society, (irrespective of whether they intended it or not), and the second response really not worth addressing, I’d quite like to briefly discuss the third response, regarding the whole ‘a hairstyle can’t be racist’ drivel.
Lets be concise: you are taking the parts of black culture, that suit you – the parts that are currently trendy, or the parts that are currently profitable (braid bars, anyone?). You’re dipping into a culture, that we, blacks, don’t have the choice to dip out of. It would be ideal if there was an ‘opt-out’ option for institutionalised racism, police brutality, problematic stereotyping. It’d be ideal if we could be black, without being black, you know? It’d be ideal if we could keep the desirable traits such as profitable ‘urban’ hairstyles and ‘fuller’ lips, but forget the painful past, and just dodge the tasers, bullets, and mysterious prison deaths.
There is a huge ignorance to context, both past and present. Racism, without getting into the nuances of it, is based on the belief that one race is superior to another. White privilege, is a subconscious superiority complex, which many refuse to be aware of. CA is the result of privilege, and thus is the result of beliefs of racial superiority, and thus, is racist.
That is, if we’re being concise.
On the issue of cultural appropriation amongst fashion brands, bloggers and social influencers: it is of course rampant, but that is simply because it still exists in the fashion industry. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon. Similarly, to expend energy and penalise brands for producing and selling trends that appropriate marginalised cultures, may not be most productive. However, what each blogger and influencer can individually do, is be more critical of the ideas that they are maintaining and promoting, through the products they choose to feature on their blog or social media. Wearing accessories that closely resemble Native American headdresses in the name of ‘festival fashion’ is maintaining CA as a social phenomena. It is saying racism, is a-OK.
Of course, every blogger has complete creative discretion over the projects that they work on, and has the complete right to produce content without judgement. I’m just asking that we be a little more critical of the messages that we may be promoting.
We need to be stop being scared of the word ‘racist’. Racism comes in different shapes and forms. Let’s stop avoiding it. Let’s get to know, and understand why it may apply to certain actions/beliefs we may have, instead of covering our ears and running a mile every time we hear it. Let’s try to educate ourselves a little!
Really, really happy to see you use your platform and share it with those actually affected by the issue to discuss & educate on this topic. Opening any social media platform during the summer & you're bombarded with white girls in bindis who don't give a shit about the cultural significance of them, or think about the wider context of racism and prejudice from a privileged group towards a marginalised one. It's not a topic I see fashion bloggers cover much, and they could perhaps reach a bigger audience than anyone else. Thank you, and thank you Suki & Shope too.
Wait a minute. Suki is a Pakistani. The bindi is an Indian thing derived from Hindu culture. Suki as a Muslim Pakistani is appropriating a Hindu Indian cultural / religious item and claiming it for herself. That is appropriation in its own right. Stop telling people what they can or cannot wear or do. Lots of white people appreciate Hindu culture through yoga and meditation or they just have Indian friends. Quit acting like the cultural gestapo.
hello! i didn't claim once that i wore a bindi, i said that i wore "traditional Asian clothing" and i was speaking about asian culture in general. also, bindis are wore in south asia, which actually includes pakistan! regarding your comment about appreciating hindu culture, i specifically said that if there's understanding and respect for the culture and acceptance for the people the culture is linked to, then that's okay. if there are any other points you want to raise, let me know! x
Great that you're using your blog to spread awareness about this! I see most bloggers ignore it. To be honest, I didn't really see the problem with CA before (I wasn't participating in it or approve it, but I simply did not completely understand what it meant). This really explained it to me clearly! Thank you!
"The girls who would mock a South Asian girl for wearing traditional dress at school are the same girls who just bought a different bindi for every day of Secret Garden Party" wow. to me we live in such a multicultural society its sad to hear people think that people like myself who like to wear things from other cultures would actually mock someone from that culture for wearing one themselfs. sorry, to me this sounds like it has happened to be something happened to her. im very sure that whilst sharing my asian friends traditional clothes (yet im white and they have no problem with it) i have never once mocked them once for wearing it themself! i totally get to respect some peoples traditional believes and i would be picky as to what clothes i wear may offend others depending on the person im seeing. i have alot of friend from different culture and backgrounds and if anything it brings us closer together as friend as we learn about each others cultures and share things. Im am painted up in henna and wear bindis alot and dont secretly slam asians who do. my asian friends encorgae me to dress and learn more about them and its fun. i respect there culture and am facinated by it and think there is no harm in sharing our traditions with others instead of getting offended on peoples behalfs who really are not offended by this. you cannot speak for the entire nation fo asia! some people will be offended, others have a more relaxed approach.
I love this post. I posted something similar last year but found that the response from girls was that there was no harm in dressing in the traditional clothing of other cultures. However I do also think it's important not to restrict this to bindi's and braids. Kimono's, native american headdresses etc are also forms of cultural appropriation in which the wearer almost never knows enough about the culture (or even accepts or helps the struggles of peoples in that culture) to wear these items. In addition there's also the Christian Cross that was very overly used in fashion a few years ago to the point where people got sick of seeing it on T-Shirts/leggings etc. I believe that if you are in a country then it's more acceptable to dress in such a way aka when I went to Thailand I wore their traditional dress after learning about it. But festival season is a completely different ball game which promotes cultural appropriation for the sake of style.
http://www.abigailalicex.com <3
I'm really glad that you wrote this post, it was all so well written and informative. I have VERY mixed opinions on cultural appropriation, and for the most part I agree with everything you, Suki, and Shope have written, but in some aspects I don't. I actually read a really interesting article written by an Indian lady who wears Bindi's and doesn't think it's an example of cultural appropriation, if anyone wanted to give it a read – I've never seen anything from her viewpoint before, that's why I found it so interesting – http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5150693
The Velvet Black | UK Style & Beauty Blog
This was a very interesting read and it is an important issue to discuss.
Since coming across this concept on Twitter, I have definitely become more aware of cultural appropriation and have tried to avoid it as much as humanly possible myself.
But I do struggle sometimes as British culture is, admittedly, a real hodge-podge of so many components of other cultures and traditions so where is the line between what is and isn't acceptable?
I am, of course, in total agreement with the arguments raised in this post and definitely white people shouldn't just dip into other cultures because they like bits of it but I am just wondering where the boundaries of what is acceptable are.
theemeralddove21.blogspot.co.uk
I think this is one of the best posts I have ever read. I really admire you for using your platform and influence to discuss something so important. Cultural appropriation isn't something I've ever really thought about or taken part in, but I feel like I understand it more now and can realise how hurtful it could be to others. It's really make me think and opened my eyes to something that we should all be taking note of, and trying to avoid. It's a little crazy to think how us Brits can simply adopt a new 'fashion' so easily without the slightest thought or care where it's come from, as long as it looks good. I think we all need to take a step back and really start to appreciate all the wonderfully vibrant cultures out there, learn to understand them and to embrace them in a positive way. It's time to stop the ignorance and become a bit more sensitive to how what you wear could impact onto someone else's beliefs and lifestyle. A really fantastic post!
Nicole xx
Life in Ginger
Whilst I agree with some points made, I don't agree that just because someone dresses in a certain way means that they are purposely trying to mock a certain culture. I agree the 'red dot' type bindis should not be used as fashion accessories as they are traditionally used for the Asian culture to wear. However, the bindis in question worn by girls at festivals and blogger outfit photos etc are the more decorative kind. These are the really 'out there' ones which are used for decoration. I don't see anything personally wrong with other people using these as a form of decoration too.
I also don't agree with the second part that hair braids/corn rows are mocking black culture. If I want to braid my hair or get it corn rowed, then I will; as will most girls who like to play around with their hair. If this absurd card is being raised, then black girls should be frowned upon for having their hair straightened, dyed blonde or dip dyed, surely? I have nothing against this (don't get me wrong); but it's pretty much the same point but just reversed.
I feel like if cultural appropriation can offend certain races; then it offends me too as a white British girl. Great read though + very brave.
http://www.beingashleigh.com
Hi Ashleigh,
I think you bring up some really valid points and I can see why it may be confusing as to why cornrows/braids in particular can be seen to be offensive. For years and years as a young black woman i've grown up around the ideas that afro hair is not a desired texture of hair. I've spent hours, days, months putting my hair in weaves, relaxing it – basically doing everything to try and have a more 'desired' western style hair. I know most people might think that it's the same as someone who has brown hair wanting blonde hair, or a girl with curly hair wanting it to be straight. But the difference that I have with that curly haired girl wanting their straight is history.
Because I'm black, i've never had that choice. Ideals and stereotypes have been forced upon me. If I went to school with my hair in dreadlocks – one of the most natural ways to keep my hair, I would be excluded, turning up with an afro would gain comments such as 'wow, so amazing, I couldn't deal with that though' or 'it feels like candyfloss' among other ridiculous comments. So to be honest it's always been the easier option to straighten my hair simply just to fit in with the mainstream.
You're right that people dressing a certain way doesn't mean they're trying to mock a certain culture, that isn't what CA is. A lot of the time it is unintentional, racism an be unintentional as well, a lot of the time it's just ignorance and lack of understanding, but in truth it's just frustrating seeing someone else praised for wearing/doing something that you have not & will not be praised for because of your race. So that's why me straightening my hair is different to you wearing cornrows, you've never been oppressed for having straight hair and more importantly you've always had the choice, unfortunately many black people haven't.
What a brilliant brilliant article. It's detailed a lot of the things I've been thinking and feeling for a long time. It's articles like this that will hopefully make people think a little bit more about the choices that they make, or at least be a bit more educated about the cultures they're appropriating at the very least.
x
Thanks so much – and thank you for your eloquent reply to the above! <3
This is very much true! Even though the world is globalising, we still lack the knowledge of different cultures and the knowledge about their history in this world. Being an Indian myself I very much agree with this post!
It is almost like people are ignorant of different cultures and don't even want to find out about different cultures even when they are told things, which I am telling from experience.
This is such an amazing article, I feel not many people talk about this subject even though the 'fashion' itself is everywhere at the moment! x
I agree with this in the sense that picking and choosing elements of different cultures to seem trendy is wrong but I do not agree with how far this has been taken. If these different cultural elements are strictly bound to those from that culture then I feel it could separate different cultures more in what could cause a more rigid society. For instance if you are white and invited to an Indian wedding where wearing traditional Indian clothing is expected surely this is a part of celebrating someones culture with them? Also I myself am white but have black features (thick curly hair and lips) where I have been mistaken for many different races around the globe (my parents think our ancestors may have had someone black along the line) and have had my hair in braids throughout my life in the summer time due to how unmanageable and uncomfortable my hair makes me in hot weather as well as to maintain its condition. I have never adopted this style for a fashion trend and would hate someone to think that because I'm white that I have.