It is not uncommon to hear of people discriminating against or committing hate crimes against someone simply because their dress code gives away their identity. Racism has been a long-time issue all over, and although we have come a really long way from it, it has not eradicated completely.
Just recently, a Sikh man became the victim of a racist attack when a white man screaming “Muslim go back” tried to rip off his turban while he waited outside the Parliament to meet the MP.
Ironically, a day after this incident, white models at Milan Fashion Week walked the ramp for the globally popular brand, Gucci, with turbans as an added accessory to the clothes.
All the models sported the ‘pagri’ or turban which is a religious Sikh garb. The community is undoubtedly enraged over this supposed insult, and they have reasons to be.
Twitter erupted with angry reactions and I will let their words to the talking.
1. If you’re using it, at least use it right.
Dear @gucci, the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as ‘hats’ whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products pic.twitter.com/gCzKPd9LGd
— Harjinder Singh Kukreja (@SinghLions) February 22, 2018
2. Asking the real question here.
how is it that a turban can be a hot new accessory for white @gucci models but when a brown man wears one he's a target for violence? they love to steal & sell our culture, but they don't love us. #culturenotcostume https://t.co/OGjaB9WxDQ pic.twitter.com/D6KtUEO8nU
— leo kaLyan (@leokalyan) February 22, 2018
3. How ironical.
And while Gucci sends white models down the catwalk wearing turbans, a Sikh environmentalist has his turban ripped off outside parliament in a hate attack. As someone whose family has been on the receiving end of this sh** for decades, this is utterly depressing. pic.twitter.com/35stzYF7BO
— Tina Daheley (@TinaDaheley) February 22, 2018
4. Cultural appropriation at its best.
https://twitter.com/trilogyalbums/status/966330118493933568
5. Even if we overlook the recent case that came to light, how do we explain this?
My grandpa was recently on a walk in his own neighbourhood with his friends and was harassed with racial slurs by teenage white boys who threw water bottles at him bc he wears a turban but when Gucci does it it’s called “fashion”…… seriously fuck gucci
— Aveneet Grewal (@aveneet_g) February 22, 2018
6. Hypocrites, much?
https://twitter.com/taekwwon/status/966476874040963072
7. Word.
This is unacceptable and offensive @gucci. Wearing another religions article of faith is not fashion, its appropriation! Sikh men are profiled and discriminated against every day for wearing a turban, yet when you put in on a white person, it’s suddenly fashionable and cool?!?! pic.twitter.com/UD0wWjaju5
— BLACKLIVESMATTER (@gurpycolors) February 22, 2018
8. The issue has been a long-standing one.
hey @gucci thanks for using the turban as a fashion item when many Sikhs are discriminated against because of them. in fact my mum's uncle stopped wearing one when he became a teacher out of fear of being attacked.
we are not a fashion statement. pic.twitter.com/zuUgBX2Pv7— raman (@oldmanplant) February 22, 2018
9. This might be funny, but both hijab and turban are objects based on which people are discriminated against.
https://twitter.com/faruuu_/status/966495509652426752
10. For years, it was a garment that attracted hate, and now it’s fashionably appropriate?
https://twitter.com/mjawandz11/status/966933200990646272
This isn’t the first time an Indian garment has made it to brands’ fancily named clothes. Zara recently launched a ‘lungi’ and called it the ‘flowing skirt’.
Clothes don’t belong to any particular religion or community, I know that. But a hijab or a turban is significant in terms of religion and faith. It is also significant in other respects because it is this exact distinctness that draws attention to them and make them targets of hate crime.
So why is it okay to use this garb as a fashion accessory but is unacceptable when a person of colour wears it out on the street? On the other hand, is the brand trying to make the turban an acceptable and popular garb so as to reduce the discrimination?
The outrage is understandable, but if the use of turban was purposeful, then maybe we can hear them out, right?