yesssss can this be discussed PLEASE
i’ve tried to bring it up with a few people, especially those who do a lot of activism around racism and every single one of them ignored it
also all these white middle class hipsters reblogging photos of tribes and fetishising them/their culture. ugh the whole thing literally makes me feel ill.
reblogging because i really want this discussion to happen but admittedly i know very little about the subject.
I have stretched ears, and I admit that my own body modifications do reference other cultural practices. I think that stretching, as well as other body modifications, can be culturally appropriative. And not just in the obvious “ho ho I have a tribal tattoo and wooden jewellery from Bali, aren’t I special!” way. These practices have been carried out for a huge number of reasons, and as a white person who has done a little research I’m not aware of all of these reasons.
I decided to modify my body for very personal reasons, relating to my upbringing, experience as a woman surviving fucked up shit, and ownership of my body. I can’t say that my stretched ears aren’t culturally appropriative, so why do I still modify my body in these ways if I am aware? Because of privilege most certainly. Also because as a lady I am taught that there are specific ways that I am “allowed” to express myself or shape my body, and I hate that.
It’s all very murky and I would love to listen to more discussion about body modification as a culturally appropriative practice.