Is dressing up like Michael Jackson cultural appropriation?

Holly O’Neil, associate professor of chemistry and interim assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is under fire after being accused of practicing cultural appropriation Thursday, Oct. 27.

Cultural appropriation is defined as “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,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary.

During the English Department’s fourth annual Halloween party, O’Neil went dressed as pop star Michael Jackson. She performed a dance to Michael Jackson’s song, “Thriller.” A video of the performance was posted onto Facebook, then quickly deleted.

There has been much confusion on the true context of the incident, but Washburn University is currently investigating the situation.

“Washburn University is reviewing concerns raised about a costume worn by an employee to an on-campus Halloween party Thursday, Oct. 27. We are gathering information and hearing perspectives from the students, faculty and staff who were involved and have been affected before developing a response to the situation. Washburn’s commitment to an inclusive campus community will be an important part of this review process.”

The world is changing fast, respect and understanding of people’s feelings, cultures and believes are under scrutiny all the time. While this incident is under investigation to see if the professor was disrespectful to Michael Jackson and what he represents: A successful black American Entertainer man; it does raise the question about dressing up like Michael Jackson is right or wrong.

As a Michael Jackson fan, we always look up to our idol, we love what he is wearing or the way he looked. We all, at some point, tried to grow our hair, wore a Beat It Jacket or put on a Fedora. Is that Cultural appropriation? No it is not, it is just fandom. Michael Jackson companies and Estate even sold costumes for people to dress up like the King of Pop.

So when does this go wrong? Where is the line not to cross? In the world of today, the line has been pushed back and some of the fans might find themselves in deep water.

It is definitely wrong when an individual dresses up like Michael Jackson to disrespect the Black American Culture or the man himself. That’s obvious and that individual is clearly not a fan and clearly a racist or an idiot.

When it does go complicated is when fans do it without realising they’ve been disrespectful. It is clear that the Estate of Michael Jackson is aware of the situation, and this is why they have casted a black American for their MJ Musical. The story takes place during the Dangerous era where Michael was light skin colour due to his condition but the actor is a black man with no make-up.

It is not just a question of skin colour here, it is also about gender, make-up and attitude. As a white man growing up in a multicultural environment, I am always aware of my surroundings and what people around me could feel or think. So it is weird to me when I see fans going to extremes when they dress up like Michael. I am uneased when I see white men/women painting their faces darker to look like Michael Off The Wall era or going crazy on make-up to look like Michael HIStory era. And that is the same for Black men/women painting their faces white to look like Michael Dangerous era. This discomfort is actually the line of today’s cultural appropriation to not cross.

And perhaps there’s a wider issue with the use of makeup to present with a ‘lighter’ complexion to match Michael’s skin tone in the later years as a result of his vitiligo. Is it right that white men and women use white make-up to replica a black man who had lighter skin through no choice of his own? And is that acceptable just because Michael’s complexion changed? Would white impersonators choose to perform as Usher, Beyonce or Prince? You’ll note we don’t see this and it’s possibly because of some seeing appearance for their tribute, over the identity of who Michael actually was.

Michael Jackson was a black American man. As a holder of a Master’s Degree in Biology, I know the complexion between black and white are different. It’s a biological fact and that is what makes the world so beautiful. So when you are not a black man and trying to look like one, it is not only physically challenging but also can be seemed disrespectful.

I see nothing wrong with wearing Michael’s outfits, dancing and chanting to Michael’s music… as ourselves. I personally don’t as frankly, I do not have the body type to pull off one of Michael unique sense of style (even if I wish I could).

So where are the lines for us the fans? I think we just have to ask ourselves few questions when we dress up like Michael Jackson and make sure we do not disrespect others by the way we look.
Do I have the body type to pull it off? Is my make-up too much and can it disrespect others? Do I have the facial bone structure? Do I look like Michael or Do I look like a clown? Do people cringe or laugh at me when they see me? If the answers to all those questions are negative towards not doing it, just be yourself, and don’t go overboard in respect of the culture and Michael.

But this is not it, attitudes and situations are also big factors. When you are a fan dressing up like Michael on a regular basis but their attitude is mean or disrespectful, you miss representing not only our community but also Michael himself. We also all went to see impersonators, and even if we do not say anything, we all witnessed moments where we raised our eyebrows, cringed our faces or laugh at them due to the way they look. Let’s not forget that those people are making a living by dressing up like Michael Jackson and frankly if they do not pull off the look and the dance, they are not worth paying to watch them. Was Michael Jackson an oversized white man with a clown face shuffling around a pub stage? Was Michael Jackson a white old lady trying to do a routine in a Town Hall?

Michael Jackson was the best in his craft and while I understand going to see an impersonator is maybe the closest to the real thing, do not settle for second best. There are amazing impersonators out there who look the part but also can do the moves. Make sure you select those when you want to see one.

Is dressing up like Michael Jackson cultural appropriation? As you can see, the answer is not easy. It will all depend on you, the decision you are making and the situation you are in. But as long as you are respectful, honest and true to what Michael Jackson represent, go for it and have fun!

Sebastian for MJVibe

Feel free to leave your opinion in the comment box below as I would love to hear your view on that matter.