Controversy Surrounding The Use Of Cultural Appropriation In Film

Michael Bai Humanities IV Period 1 Social Justice Draft March 28th, 2024.

Title: Who doesn’t love watching a good movie? Picture this: a blockbuster hit featuring vibrant cultural elements from around the globe. Sounds amazing, right? Well, not quite, but it is. Beneath the surface lies a continuous issue – cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is the borrowing of a certain aspect from another culture; however, this has commonly been mistaken with cultural misappropriation, which does the same however stereotypes and/or marginalizes the group they are taking elements from (Cultural Appropriation). The debate surrounding the use of cultural appropriation in film is a contentious one, with one side arguing that it offers more representation to unnoticed and underrepresented cultural groups.

Moreover, when they are depicted, they are often portrayed through stereotypical lenses that fail to capture the complexity of their cultures (Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative 2023). According to their analysis of 100 top-grossing films from 2022, "Asian and Pacific Islander characters were frequently depicted as exotic or mystical, perpetuating harmful stereotypes rather than providing authentic representation" (Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative 2023). Moreover, a YouTube video by Cultural Critique titled "The Problem with Cultural Appropriation" provides further insights into the negative impacts of cultural appropriation in film. The video highlights how cultural appropriation often leads to shallow and inaccurate representations of marginalized communities, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and undermining authentic cultural expression (Cultural Critique). As stated in the video, "Cultural appropriation perpetuates stereotypes and undermines authentic cultural expression in film, contributing to the marginalization of minority groups" (Cultural Critique). Works