Is this fleece coultural appropriation?

[Anonymous]

As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

This. You can have your PC wars, but leave us out please.

-Latina

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

But, but, but . . . how will I demonstrate that I am fully "woke?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

But, but, but . . . how will I demonstrate that I am fully "woke?"

On some level, I appreciate that people are being a little more sensitive. There are definitely some things that are offensive and it's good to see that people are paying attention to that. But some people just go so overboard they are the ones who become offensive.

A little girl in DDs class dressed as Pocahontas for Halloween last year. On our town message board, there were posters tearing apart the mom for letting her daughter dress like that. It's a frigging Disney movie. The only people in our town who would have any right to be offended by a 5 year old wearing a Disney costume is my family. And guess what? We were not offended! Yeah, the movie itself isn't the greatest but my kid has watched it.

This fleece is not offensive. Some things that I do find offensive

The Redskins
The tomahawk chuck
Assuming all NA cultures and tribes are the same
Assuming any NA design/inspiration in the Western world is offensive to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

But, but, but . . . how will I demonstrate that I am fully "woke?"

On some level, I appreciate that people are being a little more sensitive. There are definitely some things that are offensive and it's good to see that people are paying attention to that. But some people just go so overboard they are the ones who become offensive.

A little girl in DDs class dressed as Pocahontas for Halloween last year. On our town message board, there were posters tearing apart the mom for letting her daughter dress like that. It's a frigging Disney movie. The only people in our town who would have any right to be offended by a 5 year old wearing a Disney costume is my family. And guess what? We were not offended! Yeah, the movie itself isn't the greatest but my kid has watched it.

This fleece is not offensive. Some things that I do find offensive

The Redskins
The tomahawk chuck
Assuming all NA cultures and tribes are the same
Assuming any NA design/inspiration in the Western world is offensive to us.

I am also NA, and I agree with a lot of what you posted here. Particularly since my tribe is one the NE tribes, and needless to say, we are very different from the Plains tribes, so the whole "all natives look/think/act the same" gets to me.

I do highly dislike stereotypical 'Indian Princess' costumes, and I think sometimes with the Pocahontas costumes, it can start to cross into that territory. Of course, I think verbally attacking a person-- particularly since the child was just copying the movie-- is wrong. Bringing up points about how inaccurate the movie was, and how the real Pocahontas story is actually quite sad, might have been a good starting point as a conversation in that case...

Regardless, the sweater that inspired this thread seems to draw more from the general American Southwest culture/design. Of course, that does have a strong Native influence, but I do not think it is appropriation, no. Honestly, I probably wouldn't really look twice at it.

Given that NA in general are still subject to so many stereotypes, misinformation, and racism, I am glad to see that people are starting to become more sensitive. As long as they do not try to speak for us and are open to hearing our actual opinions, I think the dialogue will be beneficial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I recently presented some research results about my company's "African American" customers to a team with a lot of Black people on it. In the research I referred to "African Amercians" and they told me "Black" is actually the preferred term. So I use that now. I'm sure at some point I'll be told that's wrong and it needs to be switched to some other term.

Here is the basic rule: call people what they want to be called.

It's easy to assume that different people have different opinions about what they want to be called, just to make your life difficult or to make you feel bad, but that's not the case.

I have no problem with different people having different preferences about what they want to be called. That's totally fine and I'm happy to use what they prefer. But our language around race is clearly in flux (and has been for a long time) so they also need to recognize that others of their same group, whatever it is, do not have the same preferences. So best to assume the person not using your preferred term just needs to be told what you prefer, not that what they are using (that some people do prefer) is offensive or disparaging or means that you are racist. And sometimes, we can't poll the entire group that is going to read a communication so maybe we have to go with what we know at least some people prefer, for today anyway.

+1,000,000
Very well stated. Sad that it needed to be said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ohmygod.

Get a fucking grip.

THIS. I can't even take DCUM seriously anymore.

I agree completely that it's ridiculous. But there are parents out there teaching this nonsense to their kids. That everything and anything can be taken as 'offensive' or as 'cultural appropriation'. Where do you think the girls learned about this?

Yep. I was talking with my daughter and her friend the other day about a friend of mine. Just in passing, it came up that she (my friend) is black. My daughter's friend said, "I really don't think we should be referring to African Americans as 'black'." It's very offensive.

OMG. No doubt her parents have been feeding her this garbage.

She sounds like the same ill-mannered and poorly reared twit who corrected me when speaking to an acquaintance, and it came up in conversation that my husband is black. Her daughter corrected me--my head almost exploded. I'm quite certain that I know how to refer to my husband and one half of my family, and I certainly don't need to be corrected by a bratty tween.

Yep. I'm the PP. Somewhere along the line, young people have gotten it into their heads that they, and they alone, are the arbiters of what's appropriate language and what's not. The arrogance is astounding. I would never have dreamed of correcting an adult when I was a child or a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who is Native American on one side of my family...I do not find this I inappropriate at all. What I DO find offensive is when people who have no ties to the culture, nationality , etc., get offended on their behalf. You are white. Please don't tell me or assume I should be offended over something. It makes you look like an idiot.

YES YES YES. So sick of this "white guilt" B.S. and virtue signaling.

[Anonymous]

THIS right here is why I am so tired of living in this area - out of here ASAP...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ohmygod.

Get a fucking grip.

THIS. I can't even take DCUM seriously anymore.

I agree completely that it's ridiculous. But there are parents out there teaching this nonsense to their kids. That everything and anything can be taken as 'offensive' or as 'cultural appropriation'. Where do you think the girls learned about this?

Yep. I was talking with my daughter and her friend the other day about a friend of mine. Just in passing, it came up that she (my friend) is black. My daughter's friend said, "I really don't think we should be referring to African Americans as 'black'." It's very offensive.

OMG. No doubt her parents have been feeding her this garbage.

I recently presented some research results about my company's "African American" customers to a team with a lot of Black people on it. In the research I referred to "African Amercians" and they told me "Black" is actually the preferred term. So I use that now. I'm sure at some point I'll be told that's wrong and it needs to be switched to some other term.

Honest question, no snark intended, but are you over the age of 35?

I'm in my late 30s and recently found out that Black is the preferred term now as well. I was informed of this by some younger friends. I started to pay attention and I've found that in my circle, those around 35ish and over still use AA, but those younger always say Black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ohmygod.

Get a fucking grip.

THIS. I can't even take DCUM seriously anymore.

I agree completely that it's ridiculous. But there are parents out there teaching this nonsense to their kids. That everything and anything can be taken as 'offensive' or as 'cultural appropriation'. Where do you think the girls learned about this?

Yep. I was talking with my daughter and her friend the other day about a friend of mine. Just in passing, it came up that she (my friend) is black. My daughter's friend said, "I really don't think we should be referring to African Americans as 'black'." It's very offensive.

OMG. No doubt her parents have been feeding her this garbage.

I recently presented some research results about my company's "African American" customers to a team with a lot of Black people on it. In the research I referred to "African Amercians" and they told me "Black" is actually the preferred term. So I use that now. I'm sure at some point I'll be told that's wrong and it needs to be switched to some other term.

Honest question, no snark intended, but are you over the age of 35?

I'm in my late 30s and recently found out that Black is the preferred term now as well. I was informed of this by some younger friends. I started to pay attention and I've found that in my circle, those around 35ish and over still use AA, but those younger always say Black.

I teach sociology online. My students range from 18 to 60. People use both, but seem to use "black" when talking about actual people, as opposed to "the African American community" or something like that. I'm white, and 45, and just use whichever seems to be the better choice, or mimic the student if it's a response. I've never had anyone correct me, or send me a private message about it.

[Anonymous]

Whether or not it's cultural appropriation, my guess is that OP now owns a fleece no one in her household will ever wear again.