First of all: Most people who use the term 'cultural appropriation' don't actually know what that means and use it as a way to attack people essentially for being the 'wrong' race to engage in a given behavior. Frankly, people misusing this term is like people claiming everyone they don't like is a racist: it cheapens the term and makes it hard for the rest of us to take them seriously. However, ignoring however useful, or potentially offensive, her assumptions are, I can understand this random critic's concerns. There is an understandable offense people have when you don't treat their cultural artifacts with respect and strip out their meaning. Now, most people in India who wear a bindi do so as just a fashion piece: this isn't true for everyone, and there are a number of meanings attached to it for many people, but it hard to deny that the choice to wear or not to wear for most women is an aesthetic rather than culturally symbolic one: do a quick websearch and you will see that fashion bindis are sold in India in a great variety as cosmetic jewelry to complement a given outfit. If it is a fashion Bindi, you cannot really make that claim that this is disrespecting the religious tradition: it really has very little to do with the religion already. However, a more traditional red dot, which a pimple might actually look like and which has little to do with fashion and much more so with religious observance, really might justify a sense of offense. That having been stated, OP, I hope your forehead clears up soon, and you manage to avoid any more embarrassing confrontations. FYL.

anyone can where a bindi, theres nothing linked to it, its like getting a henna tattoo or nose ring

I am an Indian, and I find this racist

I initially read your name as unsuccessful pooping. I was a little disappointed when the story had nothing to do with that.

would of said " is it cultural appropriate for me to pop this pimple on your face? "

Man, you should've corrected her! The look on her face would've been PRICELESS!!!!

I am Indian and this really cute guy once told me it was cool that I wore one coz most people don't nowadays. Mine was a zit too :( :(

I respect her passion, but she doesn't know you anyway. just because you don't look Indian doesn't mean you weren't raised with their cultural values. for her to say that to you without being educated is just as bad as what she accused you of.

You should've looked at her and screamed, "YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME, NOTHING!!!" Then stormed off.

Try telling that to someone with a jewish surname in rural Tennessee.