Dear West Chester,
For this week’s letter, I am going to stray away from the usual lighthearted well wishes and focus on a more serious topic: racism—or, more specifically, cultural appropriation.
If you’re an avid social media user, the chances are high that you’ve seen some posts circulating around this weekend regarding this very issue. It is a very debated concept, and as a white person, I cannot attest to experiencing it firsthand or being the most knowledgeable on the subject. However, I feel like this is something important that should be addressed. Yes, it is 2016 and we as white people would like to believe that racism is a matter of the past. Unfortunately, that could not be further from the truth. It is alive and well in today’s society, and cultural appropriation contributes to it. One such example of cultural appropriation is when white people attempt to wear locs and other hairstyles traditionally worn by people of color.
I believe one of my friends, who is a person of color, summed it up the best when they said the biggest problem is the double standard. They explained that their hair gets called raggedy and they will be side-eyed for their hair, while white people are seen as “earthy” and “enlightened” when they do it. Additionally, as one of my white friends pointed out, when we are told that our actions are oppressive by an oppressed group, it is our responsibility to listen and try to understand why. When you hurt someone, you do not get to decide you didn’t.
Everyone has different opinions, but if you are also a white person, then please recognize that you are coming from a place of privilege. All I ask is that you keep an open mind. To learn more about these issues, I would highly encourage everyone to take a Women’s and Gender Studies course.
Sincerely,
Casey Tobias