I object to people getting offended and labeling things 'appropriation' for the sake of trying to defend people that don't even want their 'help'. Too many people feel the need to be activists without even knowing what they're talking about or understanding that maybe some of us actually like wearing clothes from another culture, maybe it's our way of paying tribute to something beautiful or that has meaning to us. Maybe some of us want to make a Bahn Mi without being accused of eating a sandwich from a culture that we are not part of. I would consider it appropriation when someone tries to benefit from a culture by claiming that they are part of it when they were not born into it at all, like Elizabeth Warren, for example. But if I want to open up a Chinese restaurant (I'm not Chinese) because I love the food, the people and the culture, I shouldn't be accused of anything other than being an entrepreneur who likes Chinese food. All this can be applied to the trans issue as well....I know plenty of trans individuals and none of them need spokespeople. All these tantrums are being made by people who call themselves "progressive"--even our words are being manipulated and redefined. That's not progressive.
RE: Understanding and Navigating Culture Appropriation will take Collaboration in Society