Like a Catholic: Dressed for the Very First Time
So how about that Met Gala? Traditionally seen as a way to show how far fashion can go as an art form, the Met Gala's themes have at times gone from boring to amazing to offensive. This year proved no exception.
The theme? Catholicism.
And of course this being the internet, many opinions were had. A lot of very vocal Twitter users found the entire affair offensive. And I can absolutely see why.
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In an age where appropriation is as deadly a term for expression as the sign 'rats found in food' is for a restaurant, a lot of Catholics in particular are claiming that appropriation has now moved into their religion.
And at a time when a lot of Christians are being challenged on their beliefs a lot of us feel the whiplash. We get made fun of or shamed for our religion, yet Hollywood can turn our holy symbols into glamorous (and as seen in some fashion examples, fetishized) icons for their own use.
In the midst of it all, Christians are accused of being insensitive.
It seems we are actually returning to the world of our Christian ancestors in cities like Rome and Corinth. As Mark Twain said, "history doesn't repeat itself but it does rhyme."
As long as Christians are seen as an 'enemy' to culture, this sort of thing is going to happen. So while we cannot fix it, we can respond to it. For me, as a practicing Catholic, I can see two ways forward in how to deal with this situation.
First, we have to address the idea of appropriation, which some regard merely as a "snowflake" term. But academically, appropriation is a neutral word, meaning to take something else and change it to fit your own need. In our modern culture, appropriation has a negative connotation – taking from other cultures to benefit oneself. But now with the costumes at the Met Gala, the question becomes: Can a religion be appropriated?
Yes it can. Surely using religious iconography is so common that one can hardly look in a Museum or art book or TV/movies without seeing some form of religious iconography from Christian crosses to the veils of Islam and the Hindu 'Om' symbol necklaces.
Why, then, is this so different? Why has this inflamed so many people? The main source of anger here is the sexualization of a lot of those dresses. Dresses on the bodies of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Diane Kruger were absolutely beautiful – but their bodies were shown off in such a way that would not be appropriate in church.
Then there's Madonna, who has openly dissed Christianity in the past, now using Christian symbols to adorn her body in a way that makes her look like – well – a Madonna.
It's not so much that we're seeing religious iconography used for the first time, it's who and how they are using the iconography. If Christians thought celebrities were icons or religious ideas with the respect they are due, perhaps there would be no problem.
In this way, it is a lot like cultural appropriation. It's a very different experience when someone from that culture lets you share in his or her cultural iconography.
Cultural appropriators who understand the significance of the symbols they borrow, and who have paid due respect to the symbols they "borrow" might not inflame so many. Some of the celebrities have revealed their disdain, lack of respect, and tolerance for our religion and our symbols.
Their appropriation of the symbols is parody—or worse.
Yet the Bible we believe and the faith we follow tells us to move forward. How do we, as Christians, move from a state of anger into a perspective focused on how this works for the good of God?
This view comes from looking into the very institution from which the Catholic appropriators at the Met Gala drew their inspiration. Some assume Catholics dressed up their churches in beautiful icons, frescos, and stained glass windows in displays of vanity. This may have motivated some bishops, but, as a Catholic, I know the intent for many designers of those churches was to emulate the beauty of Heaven itself.
So perhaps we can get beyond indignation when we realize that, irrespective of the intent of the Met Gala Catholic culture appropriators, someone might look beyond their parody and discover the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the churches that inspired such art.
We have to believe that even those Met Gala gowns can work for the good of those who love God.
