Woke Syracuse University student calls again for Kansas City Chiefs name change after epic Super Bowl victory – claiming it is ‘cultural appropriation’ and ‘disrespectful’
- Grace “Gray” Reed called on the Kansas City Chiefs to change their name
- Reed claimed that the football team and their fans promote “cultural appropriation.”
- Fans have been known to wear arrowhead-shaped signs and sing the “tomahawk crop.”
A New York student called on the Kansas City Chiefs to change their name to end “cultural appropriation” following their Super Bowl win.
Student Grace “Gray” Reed, who uses the pronouns “they” and “they,” highlighted in Syracuse University’s new paper, The daily orangethat the Super Bowl champion’s name is “racist” because they pushed for a time of change.
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 12 in a 38-35 win — which was widely celebrated by their fan base, known to chant the “tomahawk crop,” inspired by Native American roots.
Kansas City fans often come to games with head marks in the shape of arrowheads, while some dress in Native American cultural attire.
“The Chiefs’ chant and name question the effects of portraying such widespread stereotypes in popular media and sports as detrimental to the communities they are supposed to represent,” Reed wrote.
College student Grace “Gray” Reed, who uses the pronouns “they” and “they,” stressed in Syracuse University’s new paper, The Daily Orange, that the Super Bowl champion’s name is “racist”
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 12 in a 38-35 win — which was widely celebrated by their fan base, known to chant the “tomahawk crop,” inspired by Native American roots. Pictured: A cheering fan during the Super Bowl on Feb. 12
Reed condemned cultural appropriation, claiming that sports teams from different cultures take for mere entertainment.
“Wearing traditional clothing that is not part of one’s culture or using the images of another culture without permission sends a message that culture and identity are not worthy of respect,” Reed wrote.
“This couldn’t be further from the truth, as a person’s culture is a critical part of their identity and deserves to be respected.”
Reed warned that stereotypes and hate crimes can arise when people steal from other cultures and customs.
“For the indigenous community, it causes effacement because it ignores the cultural meanings, rituals, and values of the diverse tribes,” Reed wrote.
“As a society, we have allowed racist and outdated images to perpetuate even as Indigenous people have asked for their demands to be respected.”
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl on February 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 38-35 victory. Pictured: The Super Bowl on February 12
Kansas City fans often come to games with head marks in the shape of arrowheads, while some dress in Native American cultural attire
Reed condemned cultural appropriation, claiming that sports teams from different cultures take for mere entertainment
Reed denounced sports teams for propagating hatred by appropriating different cultures and continuing “harmful practices.”
The student urged Kansas City to “take responsibility for the imagery they use in their branding and change it to something more acceptable.”
They insisted that the Chiefs could have used the national attention of the Super Bowl to teach their fans to respect Native cultures, out of respect from community members.
“Clearly, the Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of work to do before they can be considered a role model for good representation,” Reed wrote.
“Not only should they listen to Indigenous activists about the reality of the images they choose to represent their branding, but they should also take advantage of their outreach to further educate football fans about why their branding is harmful to Indigenous communities.”
