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Stafford asked this question about Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race:
I am white. Would reading this book be an act of cultural appropriation?
SQUAWK I'm not sure that reading any book can be considered an act of cultural appropriation (please correct me if anyone feels differently). As a reader, yo…moreI'm not sure that reading any book can be considered an act of cultural appropriation (please correct me if anyone feels differently). As a reader, you are a consumer (of words) and you are free to form opinions about what you read. Cultural appropriation has certainly happened in the writing of books (see Jungle Book, Arabian Nights, Madame Butterfly...and the list goes on and on). However, reading books (even if they culturally appropriated or had underlying racist tones) enables us to have a better understanding of where stereotypes come from and why they continue to persist. I think it's the thought process or dialogue that comes from reading that enables us all to grow. Read this book. Read any book without being worried about cultural appropriation, and then ask yourself whether there were topics/portrayals in these book that made you uncomfortable. Question the authors' motives and use reading as a catalyst to call out cultural appropriation. In reading this book and recommending this book, a few friends have pointed out their discomfort with the title/cover of the book. If you're not comfortable with showing the book cover in public due to concerns about cultural appropriation: 1. Know that peoples' opinion about what you read is not important and not their business; and 2. You can use a book cover or read it with an electronic device. (less)
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Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race
by Reni Eddo-Lodge
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