Monday Musings

Yesterday, on social media, I was called out on a closed support page because my profile pic is of me in sugar skull makeup.  This particular individual had a real problem with me "appropriating" the culture from which "Dia de Los Muertos" comes from and considered my profile pic to be offensive.  This person was not even hispanic, but has a significant other who is.

I won't go into the details of that encounter, but to make a long story short, I contacted the admin of that page and the conversation was put to a stop quickly.  Thank goodness.  However, this has prompted me to address the concept of cultural appropriation a bit.

First, let me tell you how I view America.  I view America as a great melting pot of cultures, races, religions and fascinating people.  No two of us are just the same.  I feel like we should explore other cultures and if there is something about a culture that "speaks" to us, it is just fine to adopt that into your own culture in some way.  I see no problem with it.  Some of my ancestors came from Germany and I am just fine with anyone using anything from the German culture here in America.  What's that you say?  You like to have a pint of Guiness at the local Irish pub?  Go for it!  I don't even care if you wear green on St. Patrick's Day.  And by the way, some of my ancestors were Irish.

I feel like we need to be very careful when we start telling other people that they "can't" do something  or wear something because they are not of the heritage that something came from.  When we start saying that we open a very big can of worms.  How do we tell which is an appropriate culture to adapt and which is not?  How do we possibly figure that out?  And then do we discriminate against white people and say they can't enjoy sugar skull makeup or celebrate "Dia de los Muertos" because they are white?

Spiritually speaking, I observe spirituality in a rather eclectic way.  I was brought up Christian and had myself baptized in the Catholic church when I was 17.  The honoring of ancestors is something that really speaks to me.  It's a very personal thing.  Most days I wear at least one item of clothing or jewelry that is a skull or sugar skull.  People who know me have just come to accept me as I am and know this is a part of me.  The rest of my spiritual journey is a pretty fascinating thing, from my celebration of honoring our ancestors at the silent supper to the beliefs I have and the little rituals I perform. It is not me being racist towards the Hispanic community in any way.  I was pretty proud of that sugar skull makeup.  On November 2, I put it up as my profile pic again and haven't taken it down yet.  Now I just might not for a very long time.  Nobody "owns" the right to appreciate "Dia de Los Muertos", sugar skulls, or La Catrina.  I can celebrate it if I want to and I can choose to celebrate it in my own way if I want to.  "Freedom of Religion" tells us just that.

During the course of this online exchange, I was referred to as "white privileged".  Is that perhaps a bit racist in itself?  Does this other person discriminate against me because I am white?  White, maybe.  But hardly privileged.  I grew up poor and still struggle to make ends meet and raise our daughters with a rich musical background.  I make sacrifices so they can have great experiences and a good and cultured life.  Nothing has been handed to me and it hasn't been easy.  It has been wonderful, though, and I wouldn't change any of my life for anything.

If you have any thoughts on cultural appropriation, please feel free to comment in the comments section.  I'd love to hear from you.

Check back tomorrow when I draw a tarot card for Tarot Tuesday.  Peace.