An argument between a black woman and a white man at California's San Francisco State University is being investigated after video of the altercation appeared online.
The woman approaches the man, who has a dreadlocked hairstyle and says he should not wear the hairstyle because it is "from her culture".
"You're saying that I can't have a hairstyle because of your culture?" the man asks.
"That's right, because it's my culture and you know it belongs to me," the woman responds.
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He then asks the woman if she is aware that dreadlocks date back to ancient Egypt: "Are you Egyptian? Nah" he says.
As he tries to walk away from her, the woman grabs his sleeve and asks if he knows where Egypt is.
"You have no right to tell what I can and cannot wear," the man says as the woman blocks his path to a staircase.
As he tries to leave again the woman grabs him and he tells her "stop touching me right now", to which she responds with a smile: "Come back, come back. You put your hands on me, you're going to learn."
But the man storms off saying "I don't need your disrespect".
As she turns around the woman notices the unseen person filming the incident. She asks why they are filming and covers the camera lens.
reported the university issued a statement saying: “San Francisco State University promotes the rights of the campus community to engage in free speech, but does not condone behavior that impedes the safety or well-being of others."
“We are taking the matter seriously and will promptly and thoroughly investigate this incident through applicable University channels, including our campus student conduct procedures,” the statement said.
Cultural appropriation
The incident came to light shortly after the University of Ottawa Centre for Students with Disabilities cancelled its free weekly yoga class for the rest of the semester citing cultural sensitivity concerns.
reported the yoga teacher suggested the name of the class be changed to "mindful stretching", but that idea had to be abandoned as no appropriate French translation could be found.
Toronto yoga teacher Julia Gibran, who is of Indian descent, told Vice Western yoga was cultural appropriation and often did not look at the practices behind the physical movements of yoga.
"In the West in general, we focus on one limb of yoga, and that is asana," she told Vice.
"It's become a very physical practice. But there are ways to acknowledge the roots [of the practice]. People can put a little focus on meditation, or bring in breath work.
"Things shift and change, and the study of asana does help the Western population in terms of anxiety and stress, so it's been such a gift."
