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   Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:07:54 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

   I know cultural appropriation is a biggie in the #UnitedStates
   But as a person who comes from a country where people happily culturally appropriates from each other, and who descended from who people who culturally appropriated & married into British, Chinese and Malay culture ... I never understood the rage around it in the US.
   A quick reminder that the world may look at some issues very differently :)

   #Malaysia #Malaysians #TootSEA

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     Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:07:55 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

     in reply to

     • Reke

     @reke there was one time when someone accused a person in a Malaysian trad costume of cultural appropriation and all the Malaysians told that person to shut up and "don't bring that American nonsense here". It was funny to watch ngl 😆

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     Reke (reke@mastodon.online)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:07:59 JST Reke

     in reply to

     @liztai as a mexican I think we have the same feeling towards seeing foreign people using our costumes or things like that, we tend to see it as other people celebrating and recognizing our culture

     I understand it comes from a good place but it feels a little patronizing, and kinda white savior complex, nobody asked to be defended

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     Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:01 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

     in reply to

     In Malaysia, we don't even mind it if white people wear our traditional costumes. We find it endearing. As long as you do it with respect and not make it obscene.
     Another problem I see is when US foks expect the world to share their point of view. Just don't expect us to be as outraged or to be like you when it comes to certain issues. Just realise that people really do think differently in different cultures.

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     Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:06 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

     in reply to

     • Jennifer Wojcik

     @JenWojcik come to Malaysia and we would think you are cute and try to get some tips from you! 😂

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     Jennifer Wojcik (jenwojcik@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:07 JST Jennifer Wojcik

     in reply to

     @liztai Yep. Total cringe. Honestly, I look smoking hot in a Qipao, and would love to wear them all the time, but for this reason. I will sometimes wear a silk one to formal events, but skip the chopsticks in the hair. ;)

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     Jennifer Wojcik (jenwojcik@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:08 JST Jennifer Wojcik

     in reply to

     @liztai Yep. Understand that and totally agree with you. I just wanted to provide some context for you as you stated you never understood why Americans are like this.

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     Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:08 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

     in reply to

     • Jennifer Wojcik

     @JenWojcik To be honest, I've heard it explained, and I can understand why but probably won't be able to completely understand it. I do get a nasty reaction at old movies where they white folks have slanty eyes to depict us, for one. So I understand the offence behind blackface.
     The clothes thing not as much as it's the total opposite in Malaysia where when we see someone of another culture wear our clothes, we're like aww, that's so nice of them!

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     Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾 (liztai@hachyderm.io)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:09 JST Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾

     in reply to

     • Jennifer Wojcik

     @JenWojcik In the American context, of course it's appropriate to believe that. I'm not saying you're wrong.
     My post is all about US folks expecting non-US folks to share the same beliefs and practice the same things.

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     Jennifer Wojcik (jenwojcik@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:10 JST Jennifer Wojcik

     in reply to

     @liztai The issue in the states with cultural appropriation has to more to do with the power structures rather than pure culture. White people, colonizers, take the culture away from people they have conquered and subjugated and make mockery of it.

     Think about blackface: For hundreds of years white people captured and sold human beings into chattel slavery. They brought with them music and dance unseen by whites. White performers stole that, marked their faces black, and profited. (Cont'd)

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     Jennifer Wojcik (jenwojcik@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Dec-2023 20:08:10 JST Jennifer Wojcik

     in reply to

     @liztai

     ...denying Black people the commerce feom their own culture. It has happened over and over and over.

     The subjugation and genocide of the American indigenous population is another example.

     I say all that to say this: White people have done a helluva lot of damage to people on this planet, and we do not have the right to wear another culture like a skin.

     Because we already did, and they will never recover.

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     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Saturday, 02-Dec-2023 08:28:56 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @liztai

     Thanks as always for the thoughtful points. I think you are right about the US. My rule of thumb as an American is that if the group in question has an issue with something, I try to learn and listen. But if it is something that seems more like virtue signalling, I am skeptical. So for example, indigenous concerns about cultural appropriation are ones I take seriously but things like Latinx I am wary about because it is rejected by most Latinos.

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