Adele

[angieb89]

I don't understand how she is being culturally appropriate for wearing Jamaican bikini and wearing her hair in a Jamaican style in honour of Notting Hill carnival?
She doesn't seem to be doing it to offend anyone?

Call me ignorant but I would like to understand why some people are kicking off? Seems it mainly African-Americans that are offended and Jamaicans are fine with it.

Seems we can't do anything without upsetting or offending anyone?

For context, I'm white British female.

Just because. I have T-shirt’s that ive bought on holiday with flags, logos, phrases etc. How does that make sense. And the bikini was from Ancient Rome wasn’t it?

People are looking for things to be offended about.

Because it's a carnival thing, I don't see how it's appropriation, is it any different to non-Irish people wearing leprechaun hats etc for St Patrick's Day?

You should probably post a pic so people can judge for themselves.

I think this is an issue where people (if they take the time to read around the issue) do understand the reasons people are upset when they see what they believe is cultural appropriation, they just don't agree with them or see them as valid. So the debate is hard to have really.

If someone says this upsets me because of xyz and the other person says well it's ridiculous to be upset by xyz then I don't know where the debate can go.

I am yet to meet someone in the "some people are offended by everything" camp who is genuinely open to acknowledging that maybe the offended persons feelings are totally valid but so alien to their own experience they can't empathise.

So they say "I don't understand the reason" but when it's explained, they say the reason isn't valid / is ridiculous.

I think there often a bit of wilful ignorance about cultural appropriation on MN but this time I am surprised to hear people have been upset by it as the only reason I saw the picture was Jamaicans I know posting it saying how great she looked!

@dayswithaY

You should probably post a pic so people can judge for themselves.

Here :

www.google.com/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/adele-accused-of-cultural-appropriation-over-notting-hill-photo-showing-off-bantu-knots-12060334

What an absolute pile o shite

Would love to hear from any Jamaican Mumsnet members.

@TweeBree

Would love to hear from any Jamaican Mumsnet members.

From what I could see she was getting a lot of love on Twitter from Jamaicans

I'm not sure if it was a good choice ATM cultural appropriation is controversial. In light of the many threads I read silently about racism I'd say it was obvious there would be a back lash.

She was celebrating in her garden for the cancelled Nottinhill carnival.
A carnival that celebrates Jamaican culture and is sod all to do with African American people.
Had the carnival been able to go ahead this year and she had attended dressed as she is no one would have turned a hair.
If you are looking to be offended then you will always find something to flap your gums about.

@TweeBree

Would love to hear from any Jamaican Mumsnet members.

I would too! Im genuinely interested to know what the problem is! I understand black facing but I don't see a problem with this.

So, if Adele is guilty of ‘cultural appropriation’ does that mean that when Beyoncé wears a blond wig or a Bollywood actress uses skin-lightening products they are doing the same?

I heard about it on twitter - from a black woman. She thought it was a pile of nonsense.

So if you wear something that "belongs" to another culture it is cultural appropriation but if you don't wear it then you are a racist because you are rejecting another culture. Seems like whatever you do you are going to be criticized.

There's a big difference between celebrating a culture and taking the piss.

She's clearly celebrating a culture.

I had dreadlocks for years, is that culturally inappropriate?
I've been told in the past by a black guy with dreads that is really is.
He was horribly drunk and abusive at the time so I think it wasn't his best side! I'd have liked to hear his sober view it might have been a point better made.

@AgeLikeWine

So, if Adele is guilty of ‘cultural appropriation’ does that mean that when Beyoncé wears a blond wig or a Bollywood actress uses skin-lightening products they are doing the same?

This is what I thought but according to some comments that's doesn't count because some African/Jamaican people are born with straight hair or blue eyes! Just doesn't make sense!

Not that I'm suggesting black men are drunk and abusive, before anyone takes that out of context 🙄

On Twitter, it’s mainly African-Americans kicking up a stink. Black British (Caribbean and others) are largely supporting Adele.

For the record I’m black British Caribbean (not Jamaican) and my circle is largely laughing at the Americans over this as they clearly don’t get Adele or London multiculturalism.

I think that it’s regressive to restrict people from trying out styles and clothes from other cultures. It’s becoming politicised and dividing people up into strict segregated boxes, it can only lead to separatism.

‘There's a big difference between celebrating a culture and taking the piss.‘.

@CovidStoleTheRainbow nailed the issue.

Funnily enough it appears from Twitter and other media that it's actually not a problem for the people from that culture. So... Yet again someone who has no idea spouted shit and it made news🤷🏻

For the record I’m black British Caribbean (not Jamaican) and my circle is largely laughing at the Americans over this as they clearly don’t get Adele or London multiculturalism.

I completely agree with this. It's almost impossible for African-Americans to understand London multiculturalism because that genuine integration and celebration of cultures is something that doesn't really exist in the USA (or indeed almost anywhere else in the UK).

Adele if from Tottenham, she grew up in a multicultural town. It’s carnival, sounds like people are trying to make a problem out of nothing.

She looks brilliant, most people at carnivals do.