What is acculturation? It is the attitudes and/or behaviors modified as a result of contact with a different culture. To put it a different way, it is the process of cultural absorption of a minority group into the dominant group. There are two models in which this can occur. The first being the linear model. In this model acculturation happens, thus weakening the original ethnic identity. The second is the two-dimensional model. In this model there are four outcomes to the acculturation process: assimilation, integration, rejection, and marginalization.
Both of these models are exemplified on the red carpet. For this post we will just take a look at the linear model, let's take a look at Mindy Kaling. Kaling is known for her work on "The Office" and "The Mindy Project." She also has two books called Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Why Not Me? She openly talks about how her heritage has a strong impact on who she is and became interested in writing because she never saw a family like hers on television. What makes Mindy different is that she happens to be 1st generation Indian American. On the red carpet, Mindy's Hindu roots rarely make an appearance. She wears mostly shift dresses that are not too revealing.
This is exactly how acculturation works because she is following the norms of the dominant group, therefore weakening her ethnic identity.
She also comments on how this dress relates to her Indian heritage.
Kaling said, ""To me, when Indian women wear saris there’s a little patch of skin [under your bra] that many women can [show] without feeling self-conscious. It’s alluring without being too revealing...And I liked that even though that wasn’t an Indian inspired outfit at all, that sort of revealed that same sort of patch of skin that Indian women do traditionally all the time. It made me want to wear a sari, actually."
"Peering" Into the Future
I think Mindy is a great example of someone who recognizes where she comes from while still acknowledging that she conforms to Hollywood's beauty standards. She has started to wear some Indian clothing on the red carpet. I hope to see her and other celebrities of color start to wear more of their traditional clothing so that young people can see it is okay to mix what is popular in their minority group and the dominant group.