Keziah, an 18-year-old high school student in Utah, United States, recently posted photos on Twitter from her prom, where she wore a qipao, a traditional Chinese dress for women, which ignited a heated debate online with some accusing her of "cultural appropriation".
One of her main critics was a Twitter user named "Jeremy Lam", who wrote: "My culture is NOT your godda*n prom dress."
This comment was retweeted more than 42,000 times, kickstarting a huge debate online. Some called it cultural appropriation, which they say belittles the cultural meaning and significance of qipao to the Chinese.
"I wouldn't wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I'm Asian. I wouldn't wear traditional Irish or Swedish or Greek dress either. There's a lot of history behind these clothes. Sad."
Some came to her defense and felt people were being overly sensitive.
"I'm Chinese and I have no problem with it... like, why? The dress looks nice on you. It's frustrating when ppl get offended by anything for anyone."
Meanwhile, other Twitter users were less offended by the teenager's choice of prom attire, complimenting her on her dress:
"It's just a dress. It's a nice looking dress. A beautiful design. She's showing respect, not defaming it."
In the days since the photos went viral, Keziah said she has made a point of researching the significance of the dress in Chinese history and culture.
"I thought it was absolutely beautiful," said Keziah while interviewed by Washington Post. She appreciated its high neckline, a difficult trait to find in many prom dresses. The dress, she said, "really gave me a sense of appreciation and admiration for other cultures and their beauty."
It was the latest example of a long-running debate over the line between appreciating and appropriating culture.
In 2017, basketball player Jeremy Lin got a mixed response to his new dreadlock hairstyle, with some criticizing him for appropriating black culture.
The term "cultural appropriation" is borrowed from sociology, and refers to people from a dominant culture borrowing aspects of minority culture without the permission of minority members.
Cultural appropriation has sparked debates in the fashion industry, with brands like Chanel, Dior and Gucci featuring designs and elements from the marginalized cultures without giving credit.
Click here for audio and translation of the story
Editor: Jiao Jie
Sources: Washington Post, Medium, BBC
Rotten durian causes panic in college
Click the QR code to follow us
Read English News every day!
长按二维码关注我们