Appropriated

[clevermanka]

I saw this post about culturally-appropriating Day of the Dead stuff and it caused me some concern about last year's La Catrina costume. I had someone (on a different LJ) ask me if I'd received complaints about it and I was surprised. I didn't see this as a problematic costume, and would never have put it in the same category as the racist and offensive blackface/lazy Mexican/slutty geisha costumes. But now I wonder. And it makes me sad to think I might not be able to pull out that costume again.

This is not a new conversation with myself, it's just a different topic. Nearly every time I belly dance, I ask to myself about cultural appropriation, and am I okay with doing this dance in public. Obviously, I'm okay with it so far, but I still think about it a lot.

Speaking of other things I do that are from A Culture Other Than My Own: Apparently, Garudasana (Eagle Pose) is good for lots of things that ail me. Eagle Pose does a lot of stuff: It increases joint mobility and flexibility in the hips, ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows, and wrists; improves function of the lymphatic system; builds balance, focus, and concentration; improves circulation to the extremities and stimulates blood to the heart; flushes out kidneys, eliminates stagnation, and stimulates blood to the reproductive organs; and relieves tension in neck, shoulders, and back. It's also one of my favorite poses because it's tricky and fun without being exhausting or stressful for me. I'm adding it to my Daily Yoga Schedule with the Sun Salutations, etc.

The trip to Indy was (thankfully) uneventful. I spent too much time in a car (once again, Mommy planned two day trips--one to North Vernon, one to Lafayette), and my father's driving is cause for concern. But they also wanted to watch Season 2 Sherlock (their first time), and that was fun. Except watching The Reichenbach Fall was really hard. I think this was my first re-watch of it and it was...tough. More fun (OBVIOUSLY) were the previous episodes. My mom (who is unfortunately more than a little homophobic) didn't understand the "I'm not gay/I am" conversation between John and Irene. That was fun to explain (seriously). Did her some good, IMO. She needs to break out of that mentality, for real. Daddy liked Hounds of Baskerville a lot. He kept laughing and going "Whoa! Whoa!" when things got scary, while Mommy yelped and covered her eyes.

I want someone to make a gif out of this for me (I don't know how to make moving gifs) with the text "GAY SUBTEXT. GAY SUBTEXT EVERYWHERE."

Comments

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

That was an interesting tumblr post. I have no idea of what the right answer is, though I agree with your assessment.

I have managed more than once to stick my foot in my mouth WRT culture and privilege, and I'm glad when people call me on it, even though sometimes I have to go back, reread my entry, and think hard about what it was that was wrong with it.

I did not realize your folks lived in Indy! My stepson lives there, after completing his masters at UI-Bloomington. I have yet to get up there to visit; Dean's gone a couple of times.

Can't help with the moving gif; I can barely figure out how to load static pics!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'm glad when people call me on it, even though sometimes I have to go back, reread my entry, and think hard about what it was that was wrong with it

Yep. Man, I've learned so much on ontd_p. I don't always agree with what people say about everything, but the education has been incredibly valuable.

Indy is not terribly thrilling, and I noticed a lot of little things that indicate the population is hurting with the economy. I wonder if they'll go blue again this year.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

There's been a time or two that I found it incredibly frustrating, but that has also taught me a thing or two about writing so there aren't double-meanings. And when to simply not comment at all.

[pamelonian.livejournal.com]

I disagree with the article on cultural appropriation. For one thing, what about OUR culture? On Halloween we can be someone completely different for one night. It's really not that serious.

I teach kids about Día de los Muertos every year. Yes, there is a solemn aspect, but I believe that there is also a lot of fun, even laughing at death. La Catrina represents the idea that all are equal in death. Doesn't matter how rich or fancy you are, you will die like everyone else. If anything, choosing to dress like her is an opportunity to educate others about this holiday. I see it as reverence for their culture and not a reason to get one's knickers in a twist.

But that's just me.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you for commenting! You're coming at this from an unusual perspective, and I appreciate hearing your opinion.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

This is what I was thinking, too. The point of Halloween is to become someone or something else. If it's another culture's thing, doing it respectfully seems to be the answer. Plus, all cultures are temporary, so eventually we will all belong to another culture. And if you go back far enough, we all share common culture.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

I agree with Pam. Also, I have issues with the blogger linking to others' blogs and claiming that these bloggers costumes are "not only disrespectful but...also a erasure of someone’s real life culture." She may find it disrespectful or an appropriation but an "erasure". I don't get that.

[theoneinblue.livejournal.com]

Hmm...a lot of discussion goes on in the Indigenous on-line community during Halloween because of all the awful, repugnant "Indian" costumes, and we mostly are pretty sure that it's culture, not costume, so it has no place in Halloween. El Dia de Los Muertos, according to my Latino/a friends, is much the same. It's not really honoring if it's not done the respectful way, on the right day, in the right contexts; otherwise, out of context, it borders on (or in the worst cases, lapses into) cultural appropriation for fun. And if my friend Gabriela (who is Latina) is harassed by white guys for wearing her "Halloween" makeup two days too late even as the same guys threaten to cut off her Ojibwa boyfriend's ponytail (true story from this weekend), then I'm pretty sure there's a problem not just with intention, but reception, too. If people outside the culture can't distinguish that makeup and costuming from Halloween makeup, then I would argue that the line of separation needs to be drawn all the stronger so people will learn the right way. L, that costume was gorgeous and not like the horrific "Indian" stuff out there, but I'm with you in hesitating over the appropriateness for Halloween. I'm not sure it's that kind of a costume.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

This is how my line of thought was trending, too.

How do you reconcile the issue of being a white bellydancer?

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

I really have mixed feelings about the question of cultural appropriation. I think it's important to be respectful, but that might mean that the only completely safe approach is so avoid any costume that references a culture other than one's own... and even then, a person could do insult. There are so many variables that determine the relative appropriateness or inappropriateness of a costume, just thinking about it is starting to stress me out.

I remember feeling somewhat worried when I went out downtown dressed as Sadako/Kayako in 2006. I still wonder whether dressing up as an onryo was potentially objectionable. I get that Japanese movie monsters do not necessarily tie into solemn cultural observances; more importantly, as a caucasian American (who lacks pamelonian's expertise), I have no authority to argue that it is all right to dress up as Day of the Dead for Halloween, even if I want it to be.

On a lighter note, did you know that American Halloween (kids dressing up and trick-or-treating) is just now catching on in Norway?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

There are so many variables that determine the relative appropriateness or inappropriateness of a costume, just thinking about it is starting to stress me out.

I think I'm going to start sticking with mostly film/television characters for costumes for a while.

HURRAY NORWAY!

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

The first time I watched TRF....John gets out of the cab, sees Sherlock on the roof....I paused the laptop, went downstairs, made myself a STRONG ASS GIN DRINK, babbled and flailed at my roommate about the show for ten minutes while sipping my drink, THEN went upstairs and finished watching it.

It generally affects me less now. I still find the fall itself to be hard to watch. And watching it with the big crowd at the con made me shaky. I never cry. I just get anxious.

Edited for a name slip 'cause I'm sleepy

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The fall didn't affect me as did the build-up. OTOH, I was able to appreciate Andrew Scott's acting a lot more when I didn't have to focus as much on the story.

But ugh, all that buildup, and watching John's grief. Poor John.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

That was an interesting tumblr post. I have no idea of what the right answer is, though I agree with your assessment.

I have managed more than once to stick my foot in my mouth WRT culture and privilege, and I'm glad when people call me on it, even though sometimes I have to go back, reread my entry, and think hard about what it was that was wrong with it.

I did not realize your folks lived in Indy! My stepson lives there, after completing his masters at UI-Bloomington. I have yet to get up there to visit; Dean's gone a couple of times.

Can't help with the moving gif; I can barely figure out how to load static pics!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'm glad when people call me on it, even though sometimes I have to go back, reread my entry, and think hard about what it was that was wrong with it

Yep. Man, I've learned so much on ontd_p. I don't always agree with what people say about everything, but the education has been incredibly valuable.

Indy is not terribly thrilling, and I noticed a lot of little things that indicate the population is hurting with the economy. I wonder if they'll go blue again this year.

[pamelonian.livejournal.com]

I disagree with the article on cultural appropriation. For one thing, what about OUR culture? On Halloween we can be someone completely different for one night. It's really not that serious.

I teach kids about Día de los Muertos every year. Yes, there is a solemn aspect, but I believe that there is also a lot of fun, even laughing at death. La Catrina represents the idea that all are equal in death. Doesn't matter how rich or fancy you are, you will die like everyone else. If anything, choosing to dress like her is an opportunity to educate others about this holiday. I see it as reverence for their culture and not a reason to get one's knickers in a twist.

But that's just me.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you for commenting! You're coming at this from an unusual perspective, and I appreciate hearing your opinion.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

This is what I was thinking, too. The point of Halloween is to become someone or something else. If it's another culture's thing, doing it respectfully seems to be the answer. Plus, all cultures are temporary, so eventually we will all belong to another culture. And if you go back far enough, we all share common culture.

[anomali.livejournal.com]

I agree with Pam. Also, I have issues with the blogger linking to others' blogs and claiming that these bloggers costumes are "not only disrespectful but...also a erasure of someone’s real life culture." She may find it disrespectful or an appropriation but an "erasure". I don't get that.

[theoneinblue.livejournal.com]

Hmm...a lot of discussion goes on in the Indigenous on-line community during Halloween because of all the awful, repugnant "Indian" costumes, and we mostly are pretty sure that it's culture, not costume, so it has no place in Halloween. El Dia de Los Muertos, according to my Latino/a friends, is much the same. It's not really honoring if it's not done the respectful way, on the right day, in the right contexts; otherwise, out of context, it borders on (or in the worst cases, lapses into) cultural appropriation for fun. And if my friend Gabriela (who is Latina) is harassed by white guys for wearing her "Halloween" makeup two days too late even as the same guys threaten to cut off her Ojibwa boyfriend's ponytail (true story from this weekend), then I'm pretty sure there's a problem not just with intention, but reception, too. If people outside the culture can't distinguish that makeup and costuming from Halloween makeup, then I would argue that the line of separation needs to be drawn all the stronger so people will learn the right way. L, that costume was gorgeous and not like the horrific "Indian" stuff out there, but I'm with you in hesitating over the appropriateness for Halloween. I'm not sure it's that kind of a costume.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

This is how my line of thought was trending, too.

How do you reconcile the issue of being a white bellydancer?

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

I really have mixed feelings about the question of cultural appropriation. I think it's important to be respectful, but that might mean that the only completely safe approach is so avoid any costume that references a culture other than one's own... and even then, a person could do insult. There are so many variables that determine the relative appropriateness or inappropriateness of a costume, just thinking about it is starting to stress me out.

I remember feeling somewhat worried when I went out downtown dressed as Sadako/Kayako in 2006. I still wonder whether dressing up as an onryo was potentially objectionable. I get that Japanese movie monsters do not necessarily tie into solemn cultural observances; more importantly, as a caucasian American (who lacks pamelonian's expertise), I have no authority to argue that it is all right to dress up as Day of the Dead for Halloween, even if I want it to be.

On a lighter note, did you know that American Halloween (kids dressing up and trick-or-treating) is just now catching on in Norway?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

There are so many variables that determine the relative appropriateness or inappropriateness of a costume, just thinking about it is starting to stress me out.

I think I'm going to start sticking with mostly film/television characters for costumes for a while.

HURRAY NORWAY!

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

The first time I watched TRF....John gets out of the cab, sees Sherlock on the roof....I paused the laptop, went downstairs, made myself a STRONG ASS GIN DRINK, babbled and flailed at my roommate about the show for ten minutes while sipping my drink, THEN went upstairs and finished watching it.

It generally affects me less now. I still find the fall itself to be hard to watch. And watching it with the big crowd at the con made me shaky. I never cry. I just get anxious.

Edited for a name slip 'cause I'm sleepy

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The fall didn't affect me as did the build-up. OTOH, I was able to appreciate Andrew Scott's acting a lot more when I didn't have to focus as much on the story.

But ugh, all that buildup, and watching John's grief. Poor John.