And yet, that same social media is what is enabling marginalised voices that have been unheard for years going “this is not ok” to be heard. And the more the (white) mainstream know about a culture, the more likely they are to want to use it and to see it as their right to use it. There is so much greater access to information and resources that more people can access other cultures easier than ever before. The internet and social media have been both a blessing and a curse for cultures subject to appropriation. None of that gives me the right to use the imagery for my own personal satisfaction. I do love Mexican culture it fascinates me. I was using something that was not mine, purely to satisfy my own self-expression. If you are literally just taking one aspect of someone’s culture, something of cultural, religious and historical significance, and you are taking it just because you think it’s pretty? That is cultural appropriation. I could kid myself that it wasn’t cultural appreciation, because I “read about it” and “I really want to go to Mexico some day” but no. I was using the imagery of someone else’s culture, of a country I’d never been, because I thought it “looked pretty”.

This, people, is the very essence of appropriation. I thought it would be fun and that I’d look pretty. It was for my friend’s band’s gig on the Day of the Dead itself.

At this point, I must confess to doing a “sugar skull” makeup on myself years ago. She said she feels like she can’t even use imagery from her own culture because “everyone else is doing it”. She’s been getting increasingly frustrated at the growing number of people each year using Dias de La Muertos imagery – Calavera in particular – in the Halloween costumes. Every Halloween she endures people co-opting her cultural heritage for their costume. That’s why I think it’s really important that we consider our actions in the light of being privileged to be able to pick and choose what cultural aspects we like/desire.Ī friend of mine is from Mexico. I think it’s especially problematic for us white British people because of our Colonialist/British Empire history we’re so used to seeing a culture we like and just taking it without reference to how the people of that culture may have felt. I think one of the reasons there is so much confusion is simply because cultural appropriation is not simple. Is THIS cultural appropriation? Is THAT cultural appropriation? Is it still appropriation if I REALLY LIKE it? Is it still appropriation if everyone is doing it? If you google it you’ll get all sorts of different interpretations, and all sorts of questions over what it is. What is it? Basically, no one can quite agree. But I have not written for a long time, this as been buzzing around in my head for an even longer time, so perhaps it’s time for me to try to set down how I feel and what I try to do as a privileged white British person when it comes to cultural appropriation, and perhaps next time there’s a Big Row about it I can just copy and paste this instead of having the same Big Row forever.

Two: there because there is no other topic more likely to cause Big Rows amongst friends and loved ones, and I find it hard work to be at odds with people with whom I am used to finding common cause. One: I’m white and I don’t want to talk over non-white voices. I’ve been a bit wary of speaking out about Cultural Appropriation for two reasons. As a white British person, with all the privilege and baggage that brings, I need to apply the same understanding when someone of another culture goes “Mate, this is not ok. I know what it’s like if I as a woman I talk to a man and tell him of sexism I experience, it’s deeply frustrating, upsetting and often offensive when he tells me that my experience of sexism is invalid or wrong. I thought on it, and I started to realise that me saying “it’s just a bit of fun” about someone doing fancy dress of another person’s culture is uncomfortably close to a man telling me that street harassment is “just a compliment.” And “harmless” and “just how men are.” I was like “oh come on, it’s just a COSTUME. I have to admit, when I first came across the “ culture, not a costume” campaign, I rejected it. Each year the people going “this is not ok” grow in number, and the angry people who want to wear whatever they like get a little more angry and defensive. Each year, the discussion gets a little louder, a little clearer. Halloween has been and gone, and with it, the annual discussion over inappropriate costuming.

2015 rockstar halloween costume winner