Kenziah Daun’s Prom Dress | Cultural Appropriation? | Engelsk

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The act of dressing up for Halloween as a Mexican stereotype, an American citizen styling her hair with cornrows, or a high school girl wearing a Chinese dress for prom raises contentious issues with diverse opinions.

People often debate when it is acceptable to incorporate elements from other cultures and where the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation lies. This ongoing discussion is evident in three articles titled "It's just a dress:

Teen's Chinese prom attire stirs cultural appropriation debate," "Nonsensical critics are accusing an 18-year-old girl of cultural appropriation and racism – and they’re missing something much bigger," and "This is why a white woman wearing a traditional Chinese dress is cultural appropriation," all centered around Kenziah Daun's decision to wear a traditional Chinese dress to prom.

In these texts, various perspectives are presented on the ethical implications of Keziah Daum's choice to wear the Chinese dress. The main viewpoint highlighted in the article "It's just a dress:

Teen's Chinese prom attire stirs cultural appropriation debate" emphasizes how wearing another culture's traditional clothing can be seen as discriminatory due to the historical significance attached to such attire:

“I’m proud of my culture, including the extreme barriers marginalized people within that culture have had to overcome those obstacles […]. For it to simply be subject to American consumerism and cater to a white audience, is parallel to colonial ideology.” (text 1, line 34)

n the quote, Jeremy Lam expresses his perspective on the debate, stating that he believes Daum overlooks the barriers and challenges faced by Chinese people living in the US.

Lam contends that racism and discrimination are significant aspects of the daily lives of Asian individuals, which Daum seems to disregard when she wears the traditional Chinese dress.

By adopting this attire, she appropriates a cultural symbol without acknowledging its historical and social context.

In the text titled "Nonsensical critics are accusing an 18-year-old girl of cultural appropriation and racism – and they’re missing something much bigger," Eliza Anyangwe presents her viewpoint on the debate.

Anyangwe asserts that white individuals often enjoy the privilege of doing as they please, implying that they can engage in cultural appropriation without facing the same consequences or understanding the cultural significance behind what they adopt: