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.

You can't do anything without offending someone these days. Seems like appreciation to me, and she looks amazing.

@Phoenix21

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.

Yea this is what I gathered from the comments I was reading! So it's good to know that a lot of black people aren't actually offending! I feel it's media taking it out of context, once again!! Not sure why I'm surprised!

I doubt many Americans would be able to find Jamaica on a map or know anything at all about it, its culture or its people.

@Phoenix21

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 read that. It appears that there is a massive difference in the UK vs US mentality with this. It caused some issues earlier with BLM movement too afaik

@Phoenix21

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.

Yes it seems to be that they're just not really understanding what it's about, surely Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean culture?

I think African American seems to have taken over as the default for ‘black’. Which is pretty odd considering... well, Africa is a continent for a start (not a homogeneous block of culture, history and language) and not a single nation, then you have countries where there are large numbers of black inhabitants...

So once again Americans are kicking up a fuss coz they have nothing better to do. Sad existence

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!

Yep. Seems to be mostly Americans who are outraged.

@angieb89

So once again Americans are kicking up a fuss coz they have nothing better to do. Sad existence

More like because they cannot simply imagine that it works differently somewhere else.

Hmmm. wondering about inclusion.....

If she is participating in a celebration of culture why should she get criticised for dressing to fit in with that celebration? Should she show up in a tweedy skirt and twin set with pearls?

If we non Caribbeans ignore things like Carnivals then we are not being inclusive. Personally I like to join in because a lot of traditional Brit culture is dull - it's what I've always referred to as "too white bread" and have thought it's the immigrants (wherever they are from) that add zest to life in the UK.

(frankly I think she looks dreadful but that's just due to a silly mix of what she's wearing. And for goodness sake, get yourself a last name!! not a fan.....)

The problem is African Americans don’t seem to realise that Africa is not the only continent with a black population.
Case in point is Kamala Harris who is often described as being African American when her father was Jamaican.

Well, I guess if Adele is culturally appropriating them so is every person,black or white who is not Zulu. That is unless people are suddenly arguing black people are an homogeneous group with no cultural distinction/individuality.
(That’s if this hairstyle did truly originate with the Zulu people and they didn’t appropriate it from someone else)

@SmudgeButt

Hmmm. wondering about inclusion.....

If she is participating in a celebration of culture why should she get criticised for dressing to fit in with that celebration? Should she show up in a tweedy skirt and twin set with pearls?

If we non Caribbeans ignore things like Carnivals then we are not being inclusive. Personally I like to join in because a lot of traditional Brit culture is dull - it's what I've always referred to as "too white bread" and have thought it's the immigrants (wherever they are from) that add zest to life in the UK.

(frankly I think she looks dreadful but that's just due to a silly mix of what she's wearing. And for goodness sake, get yourself a last name!! not a fan.....)

Damned if you do, damned if you don't! :( I fear Americans are going to cause more segregation! The rest of is should try our hardest to not allow this to happen.

On the BLM movement - like those on the march in London yesterday that ended up at speakers corner heckling and yelling at women’s rights speakers? Uhuh.

because that genuine integration and celebration of cultures is something that doesn't really exist in the USA.

^^Not the case, the US is very integrated in many different areas. I suggest you go to NYC, Miami, and parts of California as examples.

The way I see it, as a W11 born and mostly raised person is that the carnival is part of my heritage. Adele lives in Notting Hill I believe and therefore, it’s part of her heritage too. She’s simply dressed for carnival and as carnival is for celebrating Jamaican and West Indian culture and the mix of our cultures in the Notting Hill area from 1950s, anybody making a fuss about this doesn’t know a lot and is being a prick.

Because it’s getting all the ‘good’ from a culture without having to experience all the negative experiences that often come with being black in a predominantly white country , such as institutional and systematic racism, being told your hair looks unprofessional etc because at the end of the day you are white So will never fully understand.

Tbh it's white Americans as well. Like when a huge group of them homed in on one white person who was minding her own business in a restaurant and they were aggressively forcing her to raise her first, which she refused. They were shouting and screaming in her face!

Over time - but on some areas (like in the U.K.) you get the culture bubbles. I have family there (lives there for coming on 20 years now) and I was surprised find all their friends were from their own county of origin.

Half Jamaican and I think people are entitled to be offended if they feel that way. I don't think anyone has a right to say people can't get offended by things. Although, perhaps it's from the fact they don't have Notting Hill Carnival in the US and don't understand the celebration.

On any other day and/or for any other person, a lot of black people in the UK would deem that cultural appropriation.

I'm gay and I have no issues with straight people wearing rainbows on pride day but if they got an undercut and started wearing dungarees to 'look like a lesbian' I might consider that to be cultural appropriation. I imagine it's similar.

Not if you were around in the 80s - that was the fashion...

Wow never knew that only lesbians had undercuts and wore dungarees.
I must have missed that memo.

@Lifeisabeach09

because that genuine integration and celebration of cultures is something that doesn't really exist in the USA.

^^Not the case, the US is very integrated in many different areas. I suggest you go to NYC, Miami, and parts of California as examples.

I will bow to your knowledge of Miami and California as I don't know them at all but having lived in both London and NYC I have to disagree. NYC is incredibly diverse but communities tend to live in clearly defined neighbourhoods across the boroughs. With the exception of some geographical communities (e.g. the concentration of Jewish Londoners in north London) diverse London communities tend to be more squashed up cheek by jowl and there are fewer clearly defined neighbourhoods and more genuine integration as a result.

I’m black British with Jamaican parents and I personally don’t have an issue with Adele’s outfit. It’s up to her.

However, when people (usually white) say that is it not cultural appropriation when black people wear blond wigs etc... it is a little different. Often we do it to fit in. We are told that our natural hair isn’t ‘professional’ or looks messy. Black children are still discriminated against in school uniform policies with locs and braids being banned. There was a case not so long ago where a young mixed race girl was discriminated against at school for wearing her hair in her natural afro...

So whilst I do not have an issue with Adele’s outfit, likening black people often feeling like they have to fit in with what society deems acceptable with white people, who when they are usually accused of cultural appropriation are doing so for entertainment seems a bit off.

They are not the same thing at all.