# data[].attributes.body
2.  title author and date
3. views/accessed
4. two concepts
popular culture
rhetorical appeal
5. what do you learn from this artifact
6. MLA Works cited entry

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Randomly plucking "popularized" images of a marginalized culture for entertainment or profit without respect for or an understanding of the culture is culturally disrespectful.

How to avoid being culturally disrespectful

Young women knit Cowichan sweaters, 1960. Photo: Richard Harrington / Library and Archives Canada / Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds / e011307931

If you admire an aspect of another culture, then learn about it and purchase items directly from a person of that culture. If you like the look of Cowichan sweaters, don't buy a "Cowichan-inspired" sweater from a retail giant, buy from a Coast Salish knitter or an Indigenous-owned store that buys sweaters from the knitters. That is cultural respect.

Don't refer to a culture or a People as exotic. That emphasizes their "otherness". To them their culture is not exotic, it's who they are and what is important to them.

Don't amp up or modernize aspects of another culture because by doing so suggests that the modernized rendition by a non-Indigenous entity makes it better.

Don't assume that it's okay to "borrow" aspects from another culture. In many Indigenous cultures, strict and ancient protocols dictate who can sing certain songs, perform certain dances, and tell certain stories. We don't just take from one another.

"Borrowing" from another culture is symptomatic of the history of colonialism in which the dominant/colonizing culture assumes everything from the colonized culture is there for the taking. And that's been a pattern in the history of this country.

How cultural appropriation contributes to the endangerment of Indigenous women

When someone from one culture chooses to emulate members of another culture for entertainment, it is more than culturally disrespectful.

The example of the "sexy Native" costume that appears every Halloween also perpetuates harmful and dangerous stereotypes that contribute to sexual violence against and human trafficking of Indigenous women and girls.

When a woman of non-Indigenous heritage dresses up as the "sexy native", she demeans Indigenous women and insults the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women and all those who loved them. She is, unwittingly, contributing to the endangerment of Indigenous women and girls.

We are hopeful that in this era of reconciliation, there will be fewer retail outlets and customers who choose culturally inappropriate merchandise. We know it's possible as there has been so much progress in reconciliation on so many fronts but we realize there is still work ahead.

Imitation is flattery

Some say imitation is the finest form of flattery, which may be true in some cases. However, there are still challenges created by those who choose to emulate aspects of Indigenous culture for entertainment without knowledge of the specific Indigenous culture related to the item, or an understanding of the history and worldview of that culture.

Perpetuating stereotypes

We've talked about the "sexy Native." Now let's look at those who buy an ersatz feathered headdress to go with their polyester "buckskin" chief costume. I'm sure that those who bought these items have never studied the regalia of hereditary chiefs. They are likely unaware of the symbolism of the feathers. And they are probably unaware that the feathered headdress is not a pan-Indigenous form of headdress or that the regalia of chiefs on the West Coast is as different from chiefs in the East as it is different from chiefs on the plains.

As Canada moves along the reconciliation continuum, we hope that all will want to learn about Indigenous Peoples, their cultures, their pre-contact lives, and the impact of colonization. It is through education that people will understand that Indigenous Peoples have struggled to protect and preserve their culture, and how they were forced to change the way they lived, spoke, celebrated, and worshiped.

When understanding what cultural appropriation is, why it's harmful, disrespectful, and can even contribute to endangering Indigenous women and girls becomes universal, then as a country, we can celebrate.
Featured photo: Pixabay

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Cultural Appropriation is Disrespectful

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Randomly plucking "popularized" images of a marginalized culture for entertainment without respect for or an understanding of the culture is culturally disrespectful. Here are some ways to avoid being culturally disrespectful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The history of fashion brands appropriating the culture of minorities resurfaces at each Fashion Week. Just to name a few: in 2011, American retail company Urban Outfitters came under fire after it launched its Navajo-themed clothing and accessories line, which some members of the indigenous community found to be "culturally offensive." Three years later, French designer Isabel Marant was accused of plagiarizing the traditional Tlahuitoltepec blouse of the indigenous Mixe community in Mexico. In 2017, the public similarly gave Canadian fashion brand Ports 1961 a difficult time when it featured models with shirts bearing "ONLY LOVE MATTERS" and "EVERY COLOR MATTERS," slogans that social media users felt belittle the message of the Black Lives Matter movement and improperly appropriate the cultural expressions of a minority group. And more recently-in January of 2020-Comme des Garçons became the latest fashion brand placed under international scrutiny for putting cornrow wigs on white models as part of its Paris Fashion Week show. Responding to online criticisms of his fashion choice, hairstylist Julien d'Ys apologized, but not before clarifying that he never intended to "hurt or offend anyone, ever." He defended the use of the cornrow wigs on these models, stating that it was an inspiration and an homage to an Egyptian prince.Perhaps Julien d'Ys really was inspired, but it is hardly surprising that the public reacted negatively to the hairstylist's lack of sensitivity in appropriating the culture of another.

Ahead of the 2019 New York Fashion Week, the Council of Fashion Designers of America asked its designers to "remember to promote diversity and inclusion, on and off the runway." Still, the line between celebrating a minority's culture and appropriating it is easily crossed.

Cultural Appropriation Defined

Nestled in the blurry divide between an impermissible appropriation-that is, a taking that could subject the taker to legal sanctions- and a permissible inspiration is "cultural appropriation,"something that Urban Outfitters, Isabel Marant, Comme des Garçons, and other fashion houses seem to have done. Cultural and legal scholars alike have written about the meaning of cultural appropriation, which comes down to this basic definition: cultural appropriation is something that happens when "a person or group of a certain culture ('the appropriator') 'takes' certain tangible or intangible objects ('cultural products') from a different culture ('the source community')."

Professor Sally Engle Merry of NYU Law describes cultural appropriation as an improper recontextualization of a cultural product, which likens to "taking the tune and playing it in a different key or at a different tempo so that it becomes something different, yet still the same." While this could very much be a well-intentioned act that treads on the brink of cultural inspiration, the danger of such taking is that the cultural product might one day be completely disassociated from its source community, a result that is akin to the erasure of a community's cultural identity. Another way of characterizing cultural appropriation is that it is a manifestation of power imbalance deeply rooted in colonialism and the historical subordination of certain minority groups. One sees this in the oft-reported controversies involving the use of Native American headdresses as part of a costume or a fashion show. The launch of the Navajo-themed collection by Urban Outfitters (a publicly-traded retail company headquartered in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.), which culminated in a legal struggle between the retail company and the Navajo Nation, is another example of this. It is also unfortunately the case that source communities are often left out of the entire production process while appropriators benefit financially from the taking of cultural products without attributing their "inspiration" to these source communities. Isabel Marant, for example, did not seek the Mixe community's permission to use patterns from the Mixe's traditional Tlahuitoltepec blouse called the huipil on her Étoile line, nor did she outsource the creation of the blouse to Mexico. Instead, they were manufactured in India and sold for a hefty price of $365 each.

It would seem that for fashion industry players, claiming inspiration to justify a cultural taking is an easy way out for what could constitute a cultural or even an impermissible appropriation. The source communities, who risk losing out on the economic front of a fashion venture and, at the same time, having their heritage cherry-picked and erased for the benefit of their appropriators, are truly the disadvantaged party in this scenario. In other words, cultural appropriation in fashion monetizes years of traditions, know-how, family business, and symbolism behind cultural apparel.

Is the Existing Legal Framework Sufficient to Safeguard Cultural Heritage from Appropriation?

Writing specifically to address the issues of cultural appropriation and the Native people, Professor Rebecca Tsosie--an Arizona State University professor specializing in Federal Indian law-points out that the Native people's cultural and spiritual interests, which are intrinsically tied to land, often do not fit neatly in the existing legal structure of property law. Even tangible cultural resources seem to find a difficult place in the traditional theory that props up real property, personal property, and intellectual property since the concept of "property" and "culture" tend to conflict with one another-the former denoting the idea of individual ownership, while the latter standing for something that is shared and held collectively. Notwithstanding the form of the cultural resource, whether it be tangible or intangible, the difficulty of finding an effective legal tool to shield against cultural appropriation becomes apparent for the reasons set forth below.

Copyright laws

In an effort to curb cultural appropriation, a source community might turn to copyright laws for protections. However, cultural products and expressions such as designs, stories, and songs are held collectively within a community and passed down from generation to generation, which means not one single individual can claim authorship of any given work. This in turn creates a barrier for source communities seeking copyright protection for two reasons. First, the date of the author's passing is a requisite information in determining the term of protection under the Copyright Act of 1976. Second, even though the Copyright Act affords protection for anonymous work, the term of its protection is contingent upon the year of the work's publication. Without an ascertainable author and a date of publication, it is simply impossible for anyone to determine how long a cultural product might be protected under the Copyright Act. Further, even if a cultural product was once given intellectual property protections, any term of protection would have already lapsed due to the passage of time. For these reasons, cultural products often fall into the public domain.

Failing to afford legal protections to source communities, copyright law has also insulated appropriators seeking copyright protection for works that incorporate unprotected or unprotectable cultural products. This is prevalent enough in the history of the United States' music industry where, for example, white musicians appropriated and copyrighted music first innovated by black musicians. Fortunately, the abuse of copyright law by an appropriator does not always guarantee a favorable result to the appropriator. Recall the controversy involving the French fashion designer Isabel Marant and her Étoile line, which incorporated patterns from the Mixe's traditional huipil. Not only did the controversy spark reactions from the social media community condemning the appropriation, but it also prompted the Mixe community to ask for reparation damages, the removal of Marant's dress from her collection, and Marant's acknowledgment that the patterns on Marant's dress were taken from the huipil. And perhaps as an act of goodwill, the Mixe community invited her to visit the community so that she could meet the women who have been instrumental in the continuation of the tradition of making these huipil blouses.

The irony of the Marant controversy is that the same dress soon became roped into a copyright dispute with Antik Batik, another French fashion label that claimed ownership of the design. As a defense, Marant argued that Antik Batik could not have owned the designs because the designs originated from the Mixe community in Mexico. A Paris court eventually ruled against Antik Batik, holding that neither Antik Batik nor Marant could hold copyright of the design that belongs to the Mixe people. Had the court ruled in favor of Antik Batik, Antik Batik would have been granted legal ownership of the huipil designs, while the Mixe community would have lost control over a piece of their heritage.

Trademark law

Trademark law is another avenue that a source community might turn to for legal protection against cultural appropriation. In 2012, the Navajo Nation (represented by the Navajo Nation Department of Justice and Keller Rohrback, L.L.P.) filed a complaint against Urban Outfitters alleging that the retailer's use of "Navajo" and "Navaho" in their products, which included items such as "Navajo Nations Crew Pullover" and "Navajo Hipster Panty," violated federal and state trademark laws. At the time of the complaint, the Navajo Nation had 86 registered trademarks on the Navajo name and made more than $500 million in sales of goods bearing the Navajo name. Finding that the Navajo Nation had sufficiently alleged facts to support their fair use and trademark dilution claims as well as to show that the Navajo Nation's mark is not generic, the district court denied Urban Outfitters' motion to dismiss. The legal battle came to a conclusion in 2016 when the Navajo Nation and Urban Outfitters agreed on a settlement, which included a supply and license agreement for a collaboration between the two parties.

Navajo Nation v. Urban Outfitters, Inc., 935 F. Supp. 2d 1147, 1161-1169 (D.N.M. 2013). Exhibit A to the Complaint filed on Feb. 28, 2012, available here.

Outside of the United States, the Maasai-an Indigenous group living in Kenya and Tanzania-also look to trademark laws to better control the use of their cultural products by commercial users. As part of an ongoing effort, the Maasai IP Initiative Trust (which represents the Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania both) has collaborated with Washington-based advocacy group, Light Years IP, to recover trademarks from major corporations. If the Maasai's trademark rights are successfully enforced, licensing revenues are estimated to go as high as $10 million a year. According to the Maasai IP Initiative, this has the potential to benefit the Maasai tremendously because licensing revenues could be used to support the local community both socially and economically.

Although it would appear that source communities might find solutions to the issue of cultural appropriation in trademark laws, scholars have noted their shortcomings as effective legal tools. For example, a source community pursuing the cancellation of an appropriator's trademark that uses that community's cultural product might find themselves stumbling back to square one when, at the end of a successful cancellation proceeding, the appropriator becomes entitled to common law protection for her now unregistered mark.And if an appropriator loses the common law protection, the mark would be readily available for widespread third-party uses-surely, an even more undesirable outcome for the source community.

Another barrier for source communities seeking to have their cultural products recognized as valid trademarks is that the law requires the cultural products to be "used in commerce" and have met the "distinctiveness" requirement. For source communities that succeed in meeting these two requirements, there is yet another obstacle-were they to bring infringement claims against appropriators for their use of the source communities' marks, these source communities might find it challenging to raise dilution claims due to the lack of nationwide recognition of the marks.

Calls for Reform

In 1991, six claimants lodged a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal, which is a permanent commission established in 1975 by the New Zealand Parliament tasked with making inquiries and recommendations on claims-allegations that the Crown has breached the Treaty of Waitangi-affecting the Māori-Crown relationship. In a nutshell, the Wai 262 claim (i.e., the 262nd claim registered with the Waitangi Tribunal) concerns the Māori's culture, identity, and traditional knowledge and their place in New Zealand's laws, government policies, and practices. Namely, it "concerns who controls Māori traditional knowledge, who controls artistic and cultural works such as haka and waiata, and who controls the environment that created Māori culture." Twenty years later, the Waitangi Tribunal released a comprehensive report on the Wai 262 claim, observing that New Zealand's intellectual property regime protects indigenous works only to a limited extent. Therefore, the tribunal recommends amending existing laws to include two mechanisms by which the general public can "object to derogatory or offensive public use of taonga works, taonga-derived works, or mātauranga Māori" and that the kaitiaki (guardian) is empowered to object to non-derogatory commercial use of taonga works or mātauranga Māori, but not taonga-derived works.

In a similar effort to address issues of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry, Law Initiative 5247 was introduced by Congressman Leocadio Juracan to seek collective recognition and intellectual property rights for the Mayan weavers in Guatemala. Though the proposal has met with general support from indigenous lawmakers, there are concerns over the application of modern laws to a traditional practice that has spread throughout the region over the years.

All things considered, any legal reform that strives to enhance protection for cultural products must balance the competing interests of safeguarding a source community's cultural identity with the need to preserve the free flow of ideas in support of cultural exchange. After all, the "cross-pollination of cultures is an essential feature of multicultural and non-segregated societies."

Conclusion

Despite the legal hurdles, not all is lost in the source communities' effort to prevent their cultural heritage from being unfairly monetized by appropriators. The Navajo Nation and the Maasai, after all, were able to work out licensing agreements that would not only benefit both the source community and its appropriator financially, but would also allow the source community to assert some degree of control over the use of their cultural product in fashion retail.

Endnotes:

1. Council of Fashion Designers of America, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK (January 28, 2019), https://cfda.com/news/diversity-inclusion-at-new-york-fashion-week. ↑

2. See Rosemary J. Coombe & Nicole Aylwin, The Evolution of Cultural Heritage Ethics via Human Rights Norms, in Dynamic Fair Dealing: Creating Canadian Culture Online 201, 202 (Rosemary J. Coombe et al. eds., 2014). ↑

3. 17 U.S.C. § 302-303. ↑

4. See Sharoni, supra note 7, at 417. ↑

5. See Vézina, supra note 6, at 3. ↑

6. Complaint for Injunctive Relief and Damages (Jury Trial Demanded) at 12, Navajo Nation v. Urban Outfitters, Inc., 935 F. Supp. 2d 1147 (D.N.M. March 26, 2013) (No. 1:12-cv-00195). ↑

7. Navajo Nation v. Urban Outfitters, Inc. 935 F. Supp. 2d 1147, 1161-1169 (D.N.M. 2013). ↑

8. The Maasai Cultural Brand, http://lightyearsip.net/the-maasai/, (last visited June 15, 2020). ↑

9. See Sharoni, supra note 7, at 444-446. ↑

10. See Vézina, supra note 6, at 7. ↑

About the Author: Amber Lee is a Summer 2020 Intern at the Center for Art Law. She is in the Class of 2021 at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and received her undergraduate degree in visual arts and emerging media management from the University of Central Florida. She can be reached at lee.amber@ufl.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homage or Faux Pas: Cultural Appropriation in Fashion Apparel | Center for Art Law

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Amber Lee. The history of fashion brands appropriating the culture of minorities resurfaces at each Fashion Week. Just to name a few: in 2011, American retail company Urban Outfitters came under fire after it launched its Navajo-themed clothing and accessories line, which some members of the indigenous community found to be "culturally offensive."[1] Three...

# data[].attributes.body
2. Sonder, South. “Is Cultural Appropriation the Backbone of K-Pop?” SOUTH SONDER, 26 Sept. 2020
3. 16,202 views
4. Social Cohesion and Pathos
5. I learned that in entertainment industries it can be normalized to use cultures as sets and props because of lack of education, but this can also create the band wagons of people who claim that it is excusable because of lack of education.
6. Sonder, South. "Is Culture Appropriation the Backbone of K-POP?" ,9 Aug. 2019, https://www.southsonder.com/post/is-cultural-appropriation-the-backbone-of-k-pop. Accessed 24 Feb. 2022.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Updated: Sep 26, 2020

We see quite often new examples of cultural appropriation by k-pop idols. However, this usually goes unchecked and ends up being brushed under the rug despite the disapproval and disappointment expressed by what are usually international fans. It's a very uncomfortable feeling to support an artist only to discover that they find elements of your culture to be a joke, or something that doesn't deserve respect. It's even more disappointing when fans of said idols raise awareness about these issues and bring it to the attention of these idols (and their companies) on social media, but it just gets ignored. It's a very strange thing to witness since so many k-pop idols want international expansion and entry into the Western markets, but don't make have the cultural sensitivity training, the genuine desire, or the initiative to learn more about the various cultures of their international community nor how to respect them.

Before I dive into this, let's first discuss what cultural appropriation is.

Cultural appropriation IS a big deal (despite what people may think) because "when violence systematically targets a group of people through genocide, slavery, or colonization,the resulting trauma lasts through generations" (Maisha Z. Johnson, Everyday Feminism). That means that cultural symbols hold great significance, especially to those who've had EVERYTHING else stripped away from them for generations. When people try to take/borrow elements of someone else's culture for the fun of it, it enforces the idea that culture is just a disposable commodity that can never just be one's OWN to appreciate and hold on to.

Lastly, cultural appropriation makes it cool for people OUTSIDE of that culture to take elements of another culture, but when people who are ORIGINALLY from that culture perform/wear/exhibit those cultural symbols, they're discriminated against. A good example of this is how black women are LEGALLY NOT allowed to wear our NATURAL hairstyles (afro, braids, locs, etc) in many corporate positions around the globe, but when non-black people do it, including kpop idols, they're praised for being 'trendy' and daring enough to experiment with their hair.

Here are some examples of Korean idols doing cultural appropriation:

This is just the same old case of someone appropriating black hairstyles because they think it's cool and refusing to hold themselves accountable when their fans call them out on it. Black hairstyles belong in black hair. Before anyone else should be allowed to wear our hairstyles, we should be able to and not have to face negative consequences for it, like being denied job opportunities, removed from certain schools, stereotyped as dirty and dangerous, etc.

Another example of Blackface. We hate to see it!

Sandara Park appropriating Indian culture back in 2009.

I also really like Blackpink, but once again... we have to call this out because enough is enough. Imagine how tired we are. I'm so over seeing raggedy looking braids on people who aren't black.

Here are some examples of how international k-pop fans feel about cultural appropriation:

ON THE OTHER HAND, cultural appreciation is very different from cultural appropriation and this is a form of cultural exchange that is actually OKAY.

"Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally" (Greenheart Club, Greenheart). Cultural appreciation is a beautiful thing because you're actually taking the time to learn more about the other culture(s) and embracing it in a way that's respectful and not demeaning.

Here is are two recent examples of cultural appreciation:

In the IDOL music video by the Korean supergroup, BTS, they were heavily inspired by African culture, but more specifically, West and South African. They incorporated the dance move 'Gwara Gwara' which is VERY popular dance move from South Africa and they respectfully credited WHERE that dance move came from each and every time they were asked about it. People tried to dismiss the origins by calling it the "IDOL dance," but BTS always brought it right back to its South African roots.

This reminded me of the 'Black and White' music video by Michael Jackson where instead of doing what some others would do and dress up as the varying cultures they were trying to represent using racist interpretations, they just incorporated them into the videos. They didn't feel like background characters or racial tokens. All backgrounds were celebrated and made to feel important. We love to see it!

WHY DOES CULTURAL APPROPRIATION HAPPEN IN K-POP?

WHAT SHOULD K-POP FANS, K-POP IDOLS, AND COMPANIES DO IN THE FUTURE?

I feel that as international fans of k-pop artists, we need to do a better job at holding idols accountable and sticking to it. Rather than just giving in and saying, "Oh well, there's nothing more I can do," we should be pushing harder for them to at least PRETEND to be more socially aware about the things that they do. I know that people often say that it's these idols' companies who make them do these disheartening things and that they have no creative control of what they do. If that's the case, I believe these companies should be learning from their Ls and doing a better job at not continually making these inherently racist mistakes. They need to stop being complicit. If respecting the cultures of others is such a major problem that they are having trouble solving, they should be instilling diversity and inclusion tactics into their on-boarding system whether that is hiring foreign staff and global representatives to help them learn more about these issues, or training their current staff about cultural sensitivity and cultural appreciation. It doesn't make sense that a lot more Korean entertainment agencies are aiming towards global expansion, modernization, and increasing their international fanbase, but they don't put forth the effort to respect international fans. K-pop fans come from all over the world despite the fact that we may not even know the Korean language and yet we're able to build these online communities, connect through our love of this kind of music, and show support for these idols and their companies, but they don't all do the same for us.

They should just hire me to help them with these issues! (Yes, this is self-promo).

In conclusion, it's tough having to see idols fumble their bag over and over again over issues that could easily be resolved if they learned that poking fun at or imitating other people's cultural backgrounds is not okay and never will be. I hope that for the future, especially at a time when more k-pop idols and groups are trying to make it into the West, that they do a better job at preventing this prevalent issue, learn how to be more culturally sensitive, and continue to draw inspiration from other cultures without crossing the line and offending them.

We see quite often new examples of cultural appropriation by k-pop idols. However, this usually goes unchecked and ends up being brushed under the rug despite the disapproval and disappointment expressed by what are usually international fans. It's a very uncomfortable feeling to support an artist only to discover that they find elements of your culture to be a joke, or something that doesn't deserve respect. It's even more disappointing when fans of said idols raise awareness about these issues and bring it to the attention of these idols (and their companies) on social media, but it just gets ignored. It's a very strange thing to witness since so many k-pop idols want international expansion and entry into the Western markets, but don't make have the cultural sensitivity training, the genuine desire, or the initiative to learn more about the various cultures of their international community nor how to respect them.

Before I dive into this, let's first discuss what cultural appropriation is.

Cultural appropriation IS a big deal (despite what people may think) because "when violence systematically targets a group of people through genocide, slavery, or colonization,the resulting trauma lasts through generations" (Maisha Z. Johnson, Everyday Feminism). That means that cultural symbols hold great significance, especially to those who've had EVERYTHING else stripped away from them for generations. When people try to take/borrow elements of someone else's culture for the fun of it, it enforces the idea that culture is just a disposable commodity that can never just be one's OWN to appreciate and hold on to.

Lastly, cultural appropriation makes it cool for people OUTSIDE of that culture to take elements of another culture, but when people who are ORIGINALLY from that culture perform/wear/exhibit those cultural symbols, they're discriminated against. A good example of this is how black women are LEGALLY NOT allowed to wear our NATURAL hairstyles (afro, braids, locs, etc) in many corporate positions around the globe, but when non-black people do it, including kpop idols, they're praised for being 'trendy' and daring enough to experiment with their hair.

Here are some examples of Korean idols doing cultural appropriation:

This is just the same old case of someone appropriating black hairstyles because they think it's cool and refusing to hold themselves accountable when their fans call them out on it. Black hairstyles belong in black hair. Before anyone else should be allowed to wear our hairstyles, we should be able to and not have to face negative consequences for it, like being denied job opportunities, removed from certain schools, stereotyped as dirty and dangerous, etc.

Another example of Blackface. We hate to see it!

Sandara Park appropriating Indian culture back in 2009.

I also really like Blackpink, but once again... we have to call this out because enough is enough. Imagine how tired we are. I'm so over seeing raggedy looking braids on people who aren't black.

Here are some examples of how international k-pop fans feel about cultural appropriation:

ON THE OTHER HAND, cultural appreciation is very different from cultural appropriation and this is a form of cultural exchange that is actually OKAY.

"Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally" (Greenheart Club, Greenheart). Cultural appreciation is a beautiful thing because you're actually taking the time to learn more about the other culture(s) and embracing it in a way that's respectful and not demeaning.

Here is are two recent examples of cultural appreciation:

In the IDOL music video by the Korean supergroup, BTS, they were heavily inspired by African culture, but more specifically, West and South African. They incorporated the dance move 'Gwara Gwara' which is VERY popular dance move from South Africa and they respectfully credited WHERE that dance move came from each and every time they were asked about it. People tried to dismiss the origins by calling it the "IDOL dance," but BTS always brought it right back to its South African roots.

This reminded me of the 'Black and White' music video by Michael Jackson where instead of doing what some others would do and dress up as the varying cultures they were trying to represent using racist interpretations, they just incorporated them into the videos. They didn't feel like background characters or racial tokens. All backgrounds were celebrated and made to feel important. We love to see it!

WHY DOES CULTURAL APPROPRIATION HAPPEN IN K-POP?

WHAT SHOULD K-POP FANS, K-POP IDOLS, AND COMPANIES DO IN THE FUTURE?

I feel that as international fans of k-pop artists, we need to do a better job at holding idols accountable and sticking to it. Rather than just giving in and saying, "Oh well, there's nothing more I can do," we should be pushing harder for them to at least PRETEND to be more socially aware about the things that they do. I know that people often say that it's these idols' companies who make them do these disheartening things and that they have no creative control of what they do. If that's the case, I believe these companies should be learning from their Ls and doing a better job at not continually making these inherently racist mistakes. They need to stop being complicit. If respecting the cultures of others is such a major problem that they are having trouble solving, they should be instilling diversity and inclusion tactics into their on-boarding system whether that is hiring foreign staff and global representatives to help them learn more about these issues, or training their current staff about cultural sensitivity and cultural appreciation. It doesn't make sense that a lot more Korean entertainment agencies are aiming towards global expansion, modernization, and increasing their international fanbase, but they don't put forth the effort to respect international fans. K-pop fans come from all over the world despite the fact that we may not even know the Korean language and yet we're able to build these online communities, connect through our love of this kind of music, and show support for these idols and their companies, but they don't all do the same for us.

They should just hire me to help them with these issues! (Yes, this is self-promo).

In conclusion, it's tough having to see idols fumble their bag over and over again over issues that could easily be resolved if they learned that poking fun at or imitating other people's cultural backgrounds is not okay and never will be. I hope that for the future, especially at a time when more k-pop idols and groups are trying to make it into the West, that they do a better job at preventing this prevalent issue, learn how to be more culturally sensitive, and continue to draw inspiration from other cultures without crossing the line and offending them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is Cultural Appropriation the backbone of K-Pop?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We see quite often new examples of cultural appropriation by kpop idols. However, this usually goes unchecked and ends up being brushed under the rug despite the disapproval and disappointment expressed by what are usually international fans.

# data[].attributes.body
Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture are appropriate from minority cultures. Indigenous communities have long faced stolen culture practices and still to this day native CA is seen throughout entertainment industries, setting natives back in reclaiming 'LANDBACK'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cultural exchange and appreciation are the core values of Greenheart Club. Learning to understand a culture that is different than your own is so important in becoming a global citizen and leader. Through our participants, we've heard so many wonderful stories of people of different backgrounds coming together to exchange ideas through service.

It is important to understand, however, that there is a difference between appreciation and appropriation. Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally. Appropriation on the other hand, is simply taking one aspect of a culture that is not your own and using it for your own personal interest. Appropriation could mean of purchasing a piece of jewelry or clothing that may have important cultural significance to that culture, but simply using it as a fashion statement. It could be taking a photo of a ritual ceremony simply for the sake of getting as many likes on Facebook as possible. Regardless, taking a part of another culture without understanding what it truly means can be harmful not only to those whose culture you are using but also to those with whom you share it.

So, how can you explore and take part in a culture without exploiting it for your own use? Here are a few great ways!

Still unsure? Use the infographic below to check yourself and make sure that you are respecting and appreciating other cultures in an appropriate way!

At Greenheart Club, our participants are actively engaged in mutual exchange and cultural appreciation. What are some ways that you show your appreciation of other cultures?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cultural Appreciation vs. Cultural Appropriation: Why it Matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Kelsey Holmes, Greenheart Club Program Assistant Cultural exchange and appreciation are the core values of Greenheart Club. Learning to understand a culture that is different than your own is ...