My culture is not your prom dress: US teen's qipao sparks 'cultural appropriation' row on Twitter

[Mista]

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - An American high school student's prom pictures have unwittingly sparked a "cultural appropriation" debate on social media, British broadcaster BBC reported on Monday (April 30).

On April 23, 18-year-old Twitter user Keziah, who is not Chinese, posted pictures of herself wearing a cheongsam, or qipao - a traditional Chinese dress - for her prom last week.

The debate began when Twitter user Jeremy Lam tweeted a response to her post: "My culture is NOT your... prom dress", accusing Ms Keziah of "cultural appropriation", which can be described as the adoption of minority cultures, typically by dominant cultures.

Since the online furore started, Mr Lam's post has garnered more than 41,000 retweets and more than 177,000 likes on Twitter. On the other hand, Ms Keziah's original tweet has generated more than 5,000 retweets and more than 84,000 likes.

Over the weekend, tens of thousands of other Twitter users have come out both in support and criticism over the concept of cultural appropriation.

Many users responded in support of Mr Lam, who explained in a lengthy Twitter thread why he found the photos troubling: "The qipao was originally a loose dress/garment without shape, made for Chinese women to clean the house and do other domestic chores with. It was then altered and embroidered as a beautiful form-fitting outfit to wear (publicly), which Chinese women were not allowed to do at during the times of extreme patriarchal oppression."



"In a time where Asian women were silenced they were able to create not only a piece of art but a symbol of activism. This piece of clothing embraced femininity, confidence and gender equality through its beautiful, eye-catching appearance," he added.

https://twitter.com/x/status/989981023076208640

"The style was then spread throughout Asia as a beautiful garment and sign of women's liberation."

"I'm proud of my culture, including the extreme barriers marginalised people within that culture have had to overcome those obstacles. For it to simply be subject to American consumerism and cater to a white audience is parallel to colonial ideology."

However, after some commenters suggested Ms Keziah should remove the pictures, she refused and also took to Twitter to explain her decision.

"To everyone causing so much negativity: I mean no disrespect to the Chinese culture," she wrote. "I'm simply showing my appreciation to their culture. I'm not deleting my post because I've done nothing but show my love for the culture. It's a... dress. And it's beautiful."

https://twitter.com/x/status/988115815068139520

As the debate grew, social media users on both sides of the argument weighed in.

"This isn't ok," one social media user wrote. "I wouldn't wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I'm Asian... There's a lot of history behind these clothes."

"If you 'appreciate' and 'love' our culture, you'd know it's a traditional gown," another wrote. "Yet you claim 'it's just a dress'... What you said shows no appreciation but shows plenty of appropriation."

But there are also others who came out in support of Ms Keziah, encouraging her to "stay strong".

"You look gorgeous and the dress is stunning," one user tweeted. "What a wonderful world we live in where we can share culture and dress in special design and style from across the world representing the culture of Earth and the art of humanity."

"Just ignore all these sensitive... people, this is America, where various cultures come together. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a dress you thought was beautiful," another user said.

"Hold your head high, you have no responsibility to answer for anything. BTW you and your dress, both looked so beautiful. Stay strong."

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/...-sparks-cultural-appropriation-row-on-twitter

 

[Mista]

Some people are just too narrow-minded. Instead feeling proud, that guy is pissed that someone else wore a cultural costume of his race.

 

[Dante80]

I've never thought about this subject, to be frank.

Back when I was a teen, I used to listen to Punk Rock music. Long story short, the appropriate attire back in the day (shared by most teenagers in Greece) was German army boots, American skinny jeans, an American flight jacket and...a Palestinian keffiyeh.

I never gave much thought on whether the jacket or the scarf would be considered as cultural appropriation, although it is true that all Greek youth were very supportive of the Palestinian cause (and not so much of NATO or the US).

Not sure what to think now, in retrospect. I'd probably say that I don't view this as appropriation of a different culture.

 

[Akasa]

If a Syrian pilot flies a Russian-made MiG, would that also be a form of cultural appropriation? This is how asinine this worthless article sounds.

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

TBH she doesn't look good in it.. the usual busty American teenagers don't do qipao justice.

Some people are just too narrow-minded. Instead feeling proud, that guy is pissed that someone else wore a cultural costume of his race.

It's America. People get intense over trivial matters

 

[淼淼De微笑]

Have saw the news this morning ,Beautiful girl and dress.
I think most chinese will see it as culture appreciation instead of cultural appropriation.

 

[atan651]

She's gorgeous in a qipao! Thank you Keziah for introducing Chinese culture to Utah. President Xi likes to wear suits (and ties). Is that 'cultural appropriation' I wonder?

 

[jhungary]

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - An American high school student's prom pictures have unwittingly sparked a "cultural appropriation" debate on social media, British broadcaster BBC reported on Monday (April 30).

On April 23, 18-year-old Twitter user Keziah, who is not Chinese, posted pictures of herself wearing a cheongsam, or qipao - a traditional Chinese dress - for her prom last week.

The debate began when Twitter user Jeremy Lam tweeted a response to her post: "My culture is NOT your... prom dress", accusing Ms Keziah of "cultural appropriation", which can be described as the adoption of minority cultures, typically by dominant cultures.

Since the online furore started, Mr Lam's post has garnered more than 41,000 retweets and more than 177,000 likes on Twitter. On the other hand, Ms Keziah's original tweet has generated more than 5,000 retweets and more than 84,000 likes.

Over the weekend, tens of thousands of other Twitter users have come out both in support and criticism over the concept of cultural appropriation.

Many users responded in support of Mr Lam, who explained in a lengthy Twitter thread why he found the photos troubling: "The qipao was originally a loose dress/garment without shape, made for Chinese women to clean the house and do other domestic chores with. It was then altered and embroidered as a beautiful form-fitting outfit to wear (publicly), which Chinese women were not allowed to do at during the times of extreme patriarchal oppression."



"In a time where Asian women were silenced they were able to create not only a piece of art but a symbol of activism. This piece of clothing embraced femininity, confidence and gender equality through its beautiful, eye-catching appearance," he added.

https://twitter.com/x/status/989981023076208640

"The style was then spread throughout Asia as a beautiful garment and sign of women's liberation."

"I'm proud of my culture, including the extreme barriers marginalised people within that culture have had to overcome those obstacles. For it to simply be subject to American consumerism and cater to a white audience is parallel to colonial ideology."

However, after some commenters suggested Ms Keziah should remove the pictures, she refused and also took to Twitter to explain her decision.

"To everyone causing so much negativity: I mean no disrespect to the Chinese culture," she wrote. "I'm simply showing my appreciation to their culture. I'm not deleting my post because I've done nothing but show my love for the culture. It's a... dress. And it's beautiful."

https://twitter.com/x/status/988115815068139520

As the debate grew, social media users on both sides of the argument weighed in.

"This isn't ok," one social media user wrote. "I wouldn't wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I'm Asian... There's a lot of history behind these clothes."

"If you 'appreciate' and 'love' our culture, you'd know it's a traditional gown," another wrote. "Yet you claim 'it's just a dress'... What you said shows no appreciation but shows plenty of appropriation."

But there are also others who came out in support of Ms Keziah, encouraging her to "stay strong".

"You look gorgeous and the dress is stunning," one user tweeted. "What a wonderful world we live in where we can share culture and dress in special design and style from across the world representing the culture of Earth and the art of humanity."

"Just ignore all these sensitive... people, this is America, where various cultures come together. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a dress you thought was beautiful," another user said.

"Hold your head high, you have no responsibility to answer for anything. BTW you and your dress, both looked so beautiful. Stay strong."

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/...-sparks-cultural-appropriation-row-on-twitter

This is just stupid...…..It's like a western guy point to a Chinese bride wearing tradition white wedding dress and say "This is my culture not your...wedding dress when you don't wear something old, something new, something borrow, something blue and a six pence under your shoes"

How many bride, Chinese or otherwise know the culture behind traditional white wedding gown and wear them when they got married? If you need to talk about culture appropriation. People wear white to wedding not because of it represent virginity and purity (it was blue not white, hence something blue) So, if you don't know about this, then wearing wedding dress, regardless of your race is not culturally appropriate...….

LOL, what a stupid guy

 

[艹艹艹]

MILITARY PROFESSIONAL

 

[jhungary]

MILITARY PROFESSIONAL

CHINESE POSTER

 

[Shamsher1990]

TBH she doesn't look good in it.. the usual busty American teenagers don't do qipao justice.

Oh! And hordes of Chinese wearing suites and frocks and every western dress in the catalogue do justice to their respective dresses?

I see way more Chinese wearing every kind of western dress in Vancouver than any western will every do.

Asian cultures are a bit weird. When they wear western dresses for every damn occasion its perfectly normal and when a westerner wears their traditional dress its cultural appropriation. Ask all of these Chinese twitterati their reason for not wearing Qipao more commonly and wearing western dresses as now?

 

[nang2]

I don't support Lam who appears to be just another over-sensitive narcissist.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Oh! And hordes of Chinese wearing suites and frocks and every western dress in the catalogue do justice to their respective dresses?

I see way more Chinese wearing every kind of western dress in Vancouver than any western will every do.

Asian cultures are a bit weird. When they wear western dresses for every damn occasion its perfectly normal and when a westerner wears their traditional dress its cultural appropriation. Ask all of these Chinese twitterati their reason for not wearing Qipao more commonly and wearing western dresses as now?

Does a single Chinese poster here agree with Jeremy Lam, who is just another over-sensitive American?

Anyway, the first pair of trousers in the world were from western China. Otherwise the history of human clothing was mostly about long skirts.

 

[jhungary]

Does a single Chinese poster here agree with Jeremy Lam, who is just another over-sensitive American?

Anyway, the first pair of trousers in the world were from western China. Otherwise the history of human clothing was mostly about long skirts.

technically, the earliest artistic demonstration of pants is Nomadic people across Siberia continent between 50,000 to 10,000 BC, and generally speaking, it refer to Mongol and Russian according to Mal'ta–Buret' culture. Which make sense because I don't think people can survive ice age in Siberia wearing the type of gown like garment wore in the same period.

http://donsmaps.com/malta.html

The first ever actual and the oldest pants found was from Xinjian in 13BC

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

Oh! And hordes of Chinese wearing suites and frocks and every western dress in the catalogue do justice to their respective dresses?

I see way more Chinese wearing every kind of western dress in Vancouver than any western will every do.

Asian cultures are a bit weird. When they wear western dresses for every damn occasion its perfectly normal and when a westerner wears their traditional dress its cultural appropriation. Ask all of these Chinese twitterati their reason for not wearing Qipao more commonly and wearing western dresses as now?

the general dress code for men hasn't evolved that much and suit&tie are now considered universal, but for women things are a bit more complex and trickier, my point is,some girls can pull off certain types of dresses, some can not. as in this case, I do share with Lam that she seems "off" in that dress. differences is, Lam calls it "cultural appropriation", I call it bad taste