"CUTURAL APPROPRIATION" In This Case? Do You Think So?

Recently, a white girl called Keziah Daum, 18-year-old from Utah in the United States, who has no Chinese roots, was accused of “cultural appropriation” after posting photographs of her high school PROM on Twitter that featured her in a traditional Chinese qipao, or cheongsam. 

Her original April 23 post ⬇

Daum has stood by her decision to wear the dress, which was red and embroidered with gold and black, and it projected a “wonderful message”. 

One Twitter user, Jeremy Lam, had written: 

“My culture is not your ... prom dress.” 

The tweet generated more than 40,000 retweets, nearly 180,000 likes  and thousands of comments on the social media platform.

At the same time, he also gave a lessen of the background and history of qipao.

"This isn’t OK. I wouldn’t wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I’m Asian,” another user wrote. "There’s a lot of history behind these clothes. Sad."

But those commenting in mainland China were less opposed to Daum’s dress.

“Very elegant and beautiful! Really don’t understand the people who are against her, they are wrong!” one person commented on an article by Wenxue City News. 

“I suggest the Chinese government, state television or fashion company invite her to China to display her cheongsam!”

“Party on, beautiful!”

"People need to stop choosing to be offended by everything. Get over yourself."

Weibo users added that Daum looked beautiful and criticised those who have accused her. “Culture has no borders,” one wrote. “There is no problem, as long as there is no malice or deliberate maligning. Chinese cultural treasures are worth spreading all over the world.”

According to Cambridge Idioms Dictionary:

"The act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing  that you understand or respect this culture."

Replied from Keziah ⬇

Do you think it's "CUTURAL APPROPRIATION" in this case? 

Just share your opinion with us below.