Teenager's prom dress causes cultural appropriation stir
What seemed like just an ordinary fashion choice has turned into a heated debated by many on social media.
Many schools are having or have already had their matric dance, and for most girls, it’s all about a dress that will stand out from the rest. A dress that will turn heads, and one that will show off their beauty and elegance.
But Keziah Daum, a teenager from Utah, USA, is receiving heat after wearing a red qipao, a traditional body-hugging Chinese dress that she purchased from a local store.
Read: Teens use DIY item to create gorgeous prom dress and tuxedo
According to IOL, she said that she chose the dress because it had a high neckline and because she admires various cultures.
She took to her Twitter page to share pictures of the dress after the dance in a tweet captioned, 'PROM'.
PROM pic.twitter.com/gsJ0LtsCmP
— Keziah (@daumkeziah) April 22, 2018
Little did she know that the pictures of her beautiful dress would cause such a stir.
One Twitter user, named Jeremy Lam, accused her of cultural appropriation when he tweeted: "My culture is NOT your... prom dress".
His tweet sent many into a frenzy, with some jumping on the bandwagon to agree with him, whiles others saying that it is more about her showing appreciation of the culture.
just because it’s okay to a few chinese people doesn’t mean it’s okay to all of us? our traditional dress isn’t meant to be a fashion statement or make you appear more “exotic”. there’s a long history behind the dress and white people are not a part of it.
— katana (@bunchukuu) April 28, 2018
there’s a difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation
— ☽ (@70sHarrie) April 28, 2018
Just curious... so when a Chinese (or Japanese, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc.) person wears "Western culture" clothing, anything American (blue jeans!) or European, what does that mean?
— Marlene (@yeahyeahblahbla) May 1, 2018
As an Asian, I don't know what's inappropriate with this. Just a girl going to prom with the dress she loves. I guess people are just bored.....
— Melody Jiang (@melodyjy1990) May 1, 2018
As a Chinese myself, who's also a fashion photographer, I think you look awesome in qipao, stunning and elegant. It also makes me more proud of my heritage now that it's influenced others to share the beauty.
— Dali Ma (@Phoenix_Dali) May 1, 2018
Keziah responded to the hate that she received by tweeting: "To everyone causing so much negativity: I mean no disrespect to the Chinese culture. 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 fucking dress. And it’s beautiful."
The culture appropriation debate has been going on for years. Recently, Teen Vogue reported that artists such as Kylie Jenner and Vanessa Hudgens were accused of appropriation when they were seen at the recent Coachella festival wearing a bindi on their forehead - which is typically worn by women in the Hindu and Jain cultures.
Read: Teen girl wears mom's dress to prom... 22 years later
I don't think that Keziah was appropriating the Chinese culture. I believe that it was a case of her loving a dress, buying it, and wearing it because it made her look good. After all, she did clear the air following the hate she received.
Do you think this is a case of cultural appropriation or appreciation? I'd love to know your thoughts.