Sophisticated stupidity

Muslim Girl: Beyoncé’s Appropriation of Um Kalthoum is an Orientalist Nightmare.

Western appropriation of MENA and Asian culture is offensive because of the long history of imperialism and colonization inflicted on that region. The same West which constantly marginalizes and discriminates against Arabs and Asians for their cultural and religious practices, is the same West that finds it “trendy” to rock a bindi, participate in color runs, or use classical Arabic music in a exotic performance. To have control over how an entire region is depicted and understood by the rest of the world speaks to the nature of the White imperialism. The constant othering and marginalization of Arabs highlights the West’s dominance over the region. Appropriating what suits their commercial or political needs, while leaving behind the entire essence of the culture, just furthers the Western fantasy that the Middle East is a foreign land waiting to be claimed.