Entertainment
Miley Cyrus Isn't the Only Celebrity Who's Misappropriated a Culture
Pearl-clutchers were shocked Sunday night after seeing little Miley bump-n-grind with "Blurred Lines" singer Robin Thicke. But many people were more shocked by Cyrus's treatment of black women as props, using them exclusively as her backup dancers and smacking one woman's ass while her face was off camera. What's more, this isn't the first time Cyrus has encountered this criticism — it's simply a continuation of her appropriation of black culture in her video for "We Can't Stop." But unfortunately, Cyrus isn't the first star use an entire culture as a trendy accessory ...
There's More Where That Came From
Pearl-clutchers were shocked Sunday night after seeing little Miley bump-n-grind with "Blurred Lines" singer Robin Thicke. But many people were more shocked by Cyrus's treatment of black women as props, using them exclusively as her backup dancers and smacking one woman's ass while her face was off camera. What's more, this isn't the first time Cyrus has encountered this criticism — it's simply a continuation of her appropriation of black culture in her video for "We Can't Stop." But unfortunately, Cyrus isn't the first star use an entire culture as a trendy accessory ...
Selena Gomez
Fellow Disney child star Selena Gomez also caused an uproar when she put on traditional Indian garb and a bindi for her performance at the Billboard Music Awards. Gomez's Indian "theme" for her newest record hasn't exactly gotten rave reviews from Hindu religious leaders. Cultural Appropriation 101: If it's something that can have a religious meaning, you should probably think twice before using it for your next pop single.
Grimes
Selena Gomez is far from the first star to wear a bindi (although she's one of the first to appropriate a sari getup and Bollywood sound): it's graced the heads of megastars like Madonna to indie buzz artists like Azealia Banks and Grimes (aka Claire Boucher). Although the bindi is still debated for its use as a fashion accessory or a religious symbol, Boucher did the smart thing when she realized she was offending someone and posted an apology on her Tumblr.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani is another well-known bindi-wearer, but the Hollaback Girl is an old pro when it comes to appropriating cultures. The most famous instance was with her Harajuku Girls, who served as backup dancers, props and fashion marketing tools for the former No Doubt singer. Did she ever learn her lesson? Not really — one of her L.A.M.B. collections referenced African "tribal" (ugh) prints pretty hard.
Lady Gaga
Now that Gaga has gotten bored with meat dresses and lobsters, she's moved on to appropriating other cultures. And while Gaga has embraced political causes like gay rights in her career and personal life, this one's just for pure shock value. Because, according to her leaked song "Burqa," "She wear burqa for fashion/It’s not a statement as much as just a move of passion."
