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Message: <blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 6704798" data-attributes="member: 3400">On that you may be wrong. There's a current issue rumbling around Tumblr accusing white feminists of cultural appropriation for using the fist symbol embedded in the Venus mirror/women's symbol. The theory goes it was based on the Black Power fist symbol and was used by black feminists. Aside from the strategic foolishness of turning a symbol intended to mean strength through unity into a divisive issue, the claim that the fist symbol originated with the Black Power isn't correct. It dates back to at least 1917 with the IWW (and that case, probably drawn by a causcasian man). But, by the definition most often bandied about for cultural appropriation, we can't call it that even if it is a false claim of ownership because that false claim is on behalf of a minority group. The problem here is that cultural practice isn't owned by any single individual. It may have developed over decades, centuries, or even millennia. Nor is it clear there's a benefit to exclusive use of it. Is it really an issue for a white model to have cornrows in her hair? There may be issues of blatant disrespect or caricature - Native American sports mascots come particularly to mind, here. But most cross cultural practices, even with some kind of differential in power, aren't blatantly disrespectful nor do they take away anything except exclusiveness.</blockquote>