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autocomplete="off"><input type="search" placeholder="Search Bustle..." aria-label="Search Bustle" name="q" class="v" value/><label for="searchCheckbox" class="t"></label></form></div></header><div><article class="cx"><div class="hk"><div class="iP"><div id="ad-unit_3753" data-cb-ad-id="/49944529/bustle/article/universal/1"></div></div><h1 class="hp">Taylor Swift's New Video "Shake It Off" Faces Cultural Appropriation Criticism: Will Her Response Set Her Apart?</h1><div class="hu"><div class="hv"><div class="iU"><span class="iV">By</span><a href="/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/profile/lindsay-mannering-1906984" class="iW" rel="author">Lindsay Mannering</a></div><time datetime="2014-08-18T23:27:11.755Z" class="iX">Aug 18 2014</time></div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bustle.com%2Farticles%2F36273-taylor-swifts-new-video-shake-it-off-faces-cultural-appropriation-criticism-will-her-response-set-her%3Futm_term%3Dshare" title="Share" class="iE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i class="iC"></i></a></div><div class="hq"><div class="kE hs"><noscript><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=375&h=225&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70 375w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=375&h=225&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 750w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70 970w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 1940w" sizes="(min-width:768px) 970px, 375px" alt/></noscript><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=375&h=225&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70 375w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=375&h=225&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 750w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70 970w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png?w=970&h=582&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 1940w" sizes="(min-width:768px) 970px, 375px" alt/></div></div></div><div class="cz iP"><div id="ad-unit_3754" data-cb-ad-id="/49944529/bustle/article/universal/1"></div></div><div class="iY"><div class="gH iZ"><p>After the pom-pom dust settled and the ballet feathers floated away,<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36266-taylor-swifts-shake-it-off-music-video-looks-ranked-from-embarrassing-to-really-freakin-cute"> Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" music video</a> left a sour taste in many mouths. The song, ostensibly about dancing like no one's watching, ran into some dicey territory with some of its moves. In one scene, Swift climbs through the legs of twerkers. In another, she dresses like she is a part of a very stereotypical hip-hop group. Like many pop stars' videos before her — Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop,"<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/22286-katy-perrys-full-length-birthday-music-video-just-made-a-bad-situation-worse-video"> Katy Perry's "Birthday</a>," <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/24891-did-macklemore-dress-up-as-an-offensive-jewish-stereotype">Macklemore's performance of "Thrift Shop,"</a> Christina Aguilera's "Can't Hold Us Down" — Swift has appropriated from a culture not her own. During a time where there are <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36251-obama-tells-ferguson-young-men-of-color-are-left-behind">race riots happening in our country</a>, where there are curfews in Ferguson, where there is violence and fire and gunshots and police dressed in military camouflage, there is Swift, gawking at African-American back-up dancers as they shake their butts.</p><p>It was all fun and games (T. Swifties' got a new video! She's so funny, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36255-taylor-swifts-shake-it-off-music-video-pokes-fun-at-bad-dancers-in-the-best-way">she's making fun of bad dancers</a>! OMG, there's a cheerleader part like in "Hey, Mickey!") until you were able to take one step back and notice, that oh no, this is not OK. There's never a right time to culturally appropriate, but if there was ever a bad time, now might be it.</p><p>Needless to say, people took notice of Swift's poor decisions in "Shake It Off" and were quick to point out they're upset.</p><figure class="gP"><div class="gQ" style="padding-top:47.1893%"><div class="kE"><noscript><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png?w=614&fit=max&auto=format&q=70" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png?w=349&h=164.6908&fit=max&auto=format&q=70 349w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png?w=349&h=164.6908&fit=max&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 698w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png?w=614&fit=max&auto=format&q=70 614w, https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407im_/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png?w=614&fit=max&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2 1228w" sizes="(min-width:768px) 614px, 349px" alt/></noscript><img alt/></div></div></figure><h3>This man has a point:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/PhillyCustoms/status/501491812813373440"></a></blockquote></div></div><h3>Another valid point:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/samfbiddle/status/501483135444742144"></a></blockquote></div></div><h3>Interesting observations:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/walkingparable_/status/501491577605615616"></a></blockquote></div></div><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/AngryBirdRED93/status/501492683626393600"></a></blockquote></div></div><h3>Exactly why Swift can't get away with it:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adamsmoot/status/501492067479355392"></a></blockquote></div></div><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/attackerman/status/501491454964142080"></a></blockquote></div></div><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/atrak/status/501485007060631552"></a></blockquote></div></div><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/Missinfo/status/501484632664473601"></a></blockquote></div></div><h3>What most of us thought:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adelleplaton/status/501490476131024898"></a></blockquote></div></div><h3>"Shake It Off" does, however, baffle some people:</h3><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/MajorPhilebrity/status/501485448569835520"></a></blockquote></div></div><div class="gS"><div class="o_"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/StilettoRoyalty/status/501493728133922817"></a></blockquote></div></div><p>What will make Swift different from those before her will be her response. Perry's <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/33985-katy-perry-still-doesnt-understand-what-cultural-appropriation-means">explanation for her propensity to culturally appropriate</a> definitely missed the mark, Macklemore said that Jewish costume he wore was one big misunderstanding, and Cyrus? Well, we're still waiting. It will be interesting to see if Swift, whose message in "Shake It Off" is to ignore the haters, will actually take heed.</p><div class="gS"><div class="oT"></div><cite class="gK">TaylorSwiftVEVO on YouTube</cite></div><p><i>Images: </i><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>TaylorSwift</i></a><i>/YouTube</i></p></div></div></article></div><div class="K"><input id="navCheckbox" type="checkbox" class="N"/><label for="navCheckbox" class="L"></label><nav class="M"><label for="navCheckbox" class="ab"><span></span></label><div class="O"><i class="P"></i></div><div class="Q"><a href="/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/" class="R">Homepage</a><a href="/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/news" class="R">News</a><a href="/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/entertainment" class="R">Entertainment</a><a href="/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/beauty" 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Criticism?","path":"/articles/36273-taylor-swifts-new-video-shake-it-off-faces-cultural-appropriation-criticism-will-her-response-set-her","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36273-taylor-swifts-new-video-shake-it-off-faces-cultural-appropriation-criticism-will-her-response-set-her","rating":"G","publishedAt":1408404431755,"updatedAt":1524672246277,"bodies":[{"version":"0.3.1","atoms":[],"cards":[["image-card",{"_v":1,"id":"3560413","key":"lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png","source":"","attribution_url":"","attribution":"","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://typeset-beta.imgix.net/lovelace/uploads/62/5b26e790-095a-0132-7062-0add9426c766.png","width":676,"height":319,"orientation":"LANDSCAPE"}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/a6c16160-1368-4a37-aa38-b9b38b2ae4b3-urc9htfh_400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/PhillyCustoms/statuses/501491812813373440","attribution":"phillycustoms on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/PhillyCustoms/status/501491812813373440","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eEven the black people in Taylor Swift's Shake It Off music video somehow appear white. http://t.co/7U9UAL5qeV\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@phillycustoms) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PhillyCustoms/status/501491812813373440\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":null,"attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/samfbiddle/statuses/501483135444742144","attribution":"samfbiddle on 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Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/AngryBirdRED93/status/501492683626393600","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e@taylorswift13 congrats on being the gazillionth white person to profit off of black culture.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@taysexuality) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/AngryBirdRED93/status/501492683626393600\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/6511b4df-21fa-4192-b7cd-30609d301ceb-csp4pcqn_400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adamsmoot/statuses/501492067479355392","attribution":"adamsmoot on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adamsmoot/status/501492067479355392","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIn her next video, Taylor Swift does the 'Stanky Legg' while throwing tear gas canisters at black backup dancers.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@adamsmoot) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/adamsmoot/status/501492067479355392\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/d68a1507-0a3d-487c-8ff6-e41c48701c72-3ppycmc__400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/attackerman/statuses/501491454964142080","attribution":"attackerman on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/attackerman/status/501491454964142080","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eTaylor Swift can probably get away with killing like 20 cops without getting arrested.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@attackerman) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/attackerman/status/501491454964142080\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/322fcb94-1323-4ddf-a564-bb55b2791956-2_qr4ejn_400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/atrak/statuses/501485007060631552","attribution":"atrak on 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Some nice graffiti by Bieber. Let's be urban, everyone! Yay, cupcakes.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@atrak) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/atrak/status/501485007060631552\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/2b83bbff-523d-4e5d-bef5-88f8c7313896-bvwhnbriuaazm7l.png:large","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/Missinfo/statuses/501484632664473601","attribution":"missinfo on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/Missinfo/status/501484632664473601","provider_name":"Twitter","width":691,"height":385,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eeverything's gonna be just fine, guys!\" *tear gas*\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@missinfo) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Missinfo/status/501484632664473601\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":0.557163531114327}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":null,"attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adelleplaton/statuses/501490476131024898","attribution":"adelleplaton on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/adelleplaton/status/501490476131024898","provider_name":"Twitter","width":null,"height":null,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eundefined\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@adelleplaton) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/adelleplaton/status/501490476131024898\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":null}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/4f854326-5401-43e5-abb0-359918963e3c-fxdqe9xj_400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/MajorPhilebrity/statuses/501485448569835520","attribution":"majorphilebrity on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/MajorPhilebrity/status/501485448569835520","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIf Taylor Swift hadn't addressed it, y'all would be saying she was a racist who ignores black culture.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@majorphilebrity) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MajorPhilebrity/status/501485448569835520\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"tweet","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/fb2eb325-343f-4993-ade9-f5c88c97ba75-kxjpaqi4_400x400.jpg","attribution_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/StilettoRoyalty/statuses/501493728133922817","attribution":"stilettoroyalty on Twitter","providerName":"Twitter","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://twitter.com/StilettoRoyalty/status/501493728133922817","provider_name":"Twitter","width":400,"height":400,"html":"\u003cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"\u003e\u003cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHum, I'm confused by this Taylor Swift kid. Either she's finally gone \u0026amp; got a personality that's corky \u0026amp; cute or she's just mocked black pp.\u003c/p\u003e\u0026mdash; (@stilettoroyalty) \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StilettoRoyalty/status/501493728133922817\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c/script\u003e","ratio":1}],["embed-card",{"_v":1,"type":"video","key":"uploads/image/2017/12/11/fd780fc1-dcaa-4ff4-a1af-d78aa45edd49-hqdefault.jpg","attribution_url":"//web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.youtube.com/embed/nfWlot6h_JM","attribution":"TaylorSwiftVEVO on YouTube","providerName":"YouTube","url":"//web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.youtube.com/embed/nfWlot6h_JM","provider_name":"YouTube","width":480,"height":360,"html":"\u003ciframe class=\"embedly-embed\" src=\"//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FnfWlot6h_JM%3Ffeature%3Doembed\u0026url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DnfWlot6h_JM\u0026image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FnfWlot6h_JM%2Fhqdefault.jpg\u0026key=fbc458fcda5b4b77a6032f501881624d\u0026type=text%2Fhtml\u0026schema=youtube\" width=\"854\" height=\"480\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e","ratio":0.75}]],"markups":[["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36266-taylor-swifts-shake-it-off-music-video-looks-ranked-from-embarrassing-to-really-freakin-cute"]],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/22286-katy-perrys-full-length-birthday-music-video-just-made-a-bad-situation-worse-video"]],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/24891-did-macklemore-dress-up-as-an-offensive-jewish-stereotype"]],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36251-obama-tells-ferguson-young-men-of-color-are-left-behind"]],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/36255-taylor-swifts-shake-it-off-music-video-pokes-fun-at-bad-dancers-in-the-best-way"]],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.bustle.com/articles/33985-katy-perry-still-doesnt-understand-what-cultural-appropriation-means"]],["i"],["a",["href","https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM"]]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"After the pom-pom dust settled and the ballet feathers floated away,"],[0,[0],1," Taylor Swift's \"Shake It Off\" music video"],[0,[],0," left a sour taste in many mouths. The song, ostensibly about dancing like no one's watching, ran into some dicey territory with some of its moves. In one scene, Swift climbs through the legs of twerkers. In another, she dresses like she is a part of a very stereotypical hip-hop group. Like many pop stars' videos before her — Miley Cyrus' \"We Can't Stop,\""],[0,[1],1," Katy Perry's \"Birthday"],[0,[],0,",\" "],[0,[2],1,"Macklemore's performance of \"Thrift Shop,\""],[0,[],0," Christina Aguilera's \"Can't Hold Us Down\" — Swift has appropriated from a culture not her own. During a time where there are "],[0,[3],1,"race riots happening in our country"],[0,[],0,", where there are curfews in Ferguson, where there is violence and fire and gunshots and police dressed in military camouflage, there is Swift, gawking at African-American back-up dancers as they shake their butts."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"It was all fun and games (T. Swifties' got a new video! She's so funny, "],[0,[4],1,"she's making fun of bad dancers"],[0,[],0,"! OMG, there's a cheerleader part like in \"Hey, Mickey!\") until you were able to take one step back and notice, that oh no, this is not OK. There's never a right time to culturally appropriate, but if there was ever a bad time, now might be it."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Needless to say, people took notice of Swift's poor decisions in \"Shake It Off\" and were quick to point out they're upset."]]],[10,0],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"This man has a point:"]]],[10,1],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Another valid point:"]]],[10,2],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Interesting observations:"]]],[10,3],[10,4],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Exactly why Swift can't get away with it:"]]],[10,5],[10,6],[10,7],[10,8],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"What most of us thought:"]]],[10,9],[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"\"Shake It Off\" does, however, baffle some people:"]]],[10,10],[10,11],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"What will make Swift different from those before her will be her response. Perry's "],[0,[5],1,"explanation for her propensity to culturally appropriate"],[0,[],0," definitely missed the mark, Macklemore said that Jewish costume he wore was one big misunderstanding, and Cyrus? Well, we're still waiting. It will be interesting to see if Swift, whose message in \"Shake It Off\" is to ignore the haters, will actually take heed."]]],[10,12],[1,"p",[[0,[6],1,"Images: "],[0,[7,6],2,"TaylorSwift"],[0,[6],1,"/YouTube"]]]]}],"summary":"After the pom-pom dust settled and the ballet feathers floated away, Taylor Swift's \"Shake It Off\" music video left a sour taste in many mouths. The song, ostensibly about dancing like no one's watching, ran into some dicey territory with some of its…","nofollow":false,"amp":false,"hasAmazonLinks":false,"region":"US","site":{"name":"BUSTLE"},"primaryMedia":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://imgix.bustle.com/rehost/2016/9/13/db8977dd-0342-46e2-9cd5-7dfb8906ffb5.png","attribution":"","attributionUrl":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://lovelace-media.imgix.net/uploads/62/9e38d020-0959-0132-07ca-0eae5eefacd9.png","caption":""},"author":{"name":"Lindsay Mannering","path":"/profile/lindsay-mannering-1906984","twitter":"lindsayvirginia","primaryMedia":{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://imgix.bustle.com/lovelace/uploads/62/f205a740-ca1f-0130-0b77-4e35c42e3787.png"}},"designer":null,"tags":[{"slug":"entertainment"},{"slug":"taylor-swift"}],"iabCategories":{"edges":[{"node":{"iabId":"IAB1-6"}},{"node":{"iabId":"IAB2"}},{"node":{"iabId":"IAB1"}}]},"watsonCategories":{"edges":[{"node":{"dfpName":"music"}},{"node":{"dfpName":"suzuki"}},{"node":{"dfpName":"dance"}}]},"tagSlugs":["entertainment","taylor-swift"],"watsonCategoryNames":["music","suzuki","dance"],"iabCategoryIds":["IAB1-6","IAB2","IAB1"],"navigation":[{"title":"Homepage","page":{"path":"/"}},{"title":"News","page":{"path":"/news"}},{"title":"Entertainment","page":{"path":"/entertainment"}},{"title":"Beauty","page":{"path":"/beauty"}},{"title":"Fashion","page":{"path":"/fashion"}},{"title":"Lifestyle","page":{"path":"/lifestyle"}},{"title":"Flowcharts","page":{"path":"/flowcharts"}},{"title":"Books","page":{"path":"/books"}},{"title":"Tech","page":{"path":"/tech"}},{"title":"Food","page":{"path":"/food"}},{"title":"Wellness","page":{"path":"/wellness"}},{"title":"Features","page":{"path":"/features"}},{"title":"The Style Squad","page":{"path":"/the-style-squad"}}],"__hash__":-715667932}; __GEO__ = { EU: false } </script> <script>!function(){for(var s=["Promise","fetch","Map","Object.assign"],t=s.length,i=[],c=0;c<t;c++){var e=s[c],n=e.split("."),r=window[n[0]];(!r||1<n.length&&!r[n[1]])&&i.push(e)}i.join()&&document.write('<script defer src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407/https://cdn.bustle.com/misc/polyfills-030818.js"><\/script>')}()</script> <script defer src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407js_/https://cdn.bustle.com/bustle/production/assets/main-f383f2f59b1e.js"></script><script defer src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201407js_/https://cdn.bustle.com/bustle/production/assets/ArticlePostPage-290b4d0d6715.js"></script> </body> </html>