Boundary Transgression honestly sounds like some passive aggressive nonsense to explain racism. Boundary transgression is always either a monstrosity or sacred as we discussed in class. American pop culture is just a mixing of cultures, but there are quite a few times where it is deemed unacceptable. In the 50’s, for a white person to buy a race record was unacceptable. Just as it was strange for a black singer to perform opera, it was boundary transgression that was not okay to the public eye.

In class we discussed the concept of American political culture instilling segregation, even with the mixing found in pop culture. This is how we get cultural appropriation and minstrel shows. The idea that black people listen to or create music that is beneath a white audience, for a then, white entertainer to take that same musical, entertaining or culture concept and profit from it is boundary transgression. For example, Elvis with “Hound Dog” originally sung by Big Mama Thornton or Pat Boone “Tutti Frutti” (a version I’ve never heard before until someone told me) originally sung by Little Richard. However, cultural appropriation is a complex topic as some cultural appropriation is derived from stereotyping, such as Miley Cyrus and her performances in 2014 and Gwen Stefani in the 2000’s. It’s a hard factor that is prevalent in today’s society but has been happening for decades.