If you haven’t heard, singer Adele — who’s lost, according to one estimate, 150 lbs. — is making the news with a bikini pic.
It’s not for a reason you might guess — apparently, skimpy beachwear can be a weapon of wickedness.
The megastar’s in hot water for her swimsuit, and let this be a lesson to all you emotional dressers: If you’re in a funky mood, don’t let it show. Unless you’re from a funky place.
In your veins, that is.
On Sunday, Adele posted herself in a swimming top consisting of cups calling to the Jamaican flag.
In addition, the entertainer banded her hair into Bantu knots like these:
As per WikiHow, the noggin “knots are a cute, flirty style traditionally sported by African woman of certain cultural groups and some women of African descent. However, these knots work well with just about all hair types.”
Or maybe they don’t.
Trigger Warning — I give you indelicate Adele:
The outrage over cultural appropriation came quick, in part compliments of Forbes 30 Under 30 journalist Ernest Owens:
“If 2020 couldn’t get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for.”
It seems the girl’s graduated to that worst of all new things, the dreaded “P” word:
“This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic.”
If 2020 couldn't get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for.
This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic.
Hate to see it. pic.twitter.com/N9CqPqh7GX
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) August 30, 2020
As noted by People, a follower commented thusly:
“Dear white people, please just be yourselves and stop it for good with cultural appropriation. Adele the bantu knots were unnecessary. The Jamaican flag bikini top was unnecessary… Please just stop it.”
In reply to some likening her racial raze to black people straightening their hair, one Instagrammer fought ignorance:
“Woooow. I hate this world. People coming for black Americans… man, come live here in the US as a black American, then come talk to me. We lose jobs, get kicked out of school, sporting events [for] wearing our hair like this [because it’s] unprofessional. Its a slap in our [faces] when a white [woman] does it and gets praised. We wear these styles to protect our hair and to make it easier to deal with. Its part [of] our culture. We literally have [to] learn how to take care of our hair. Straightening our hair is not comparable. Thats just ignorant.”
Others addressed attempted comparisons:
There’s a difference between letting natural hair being grown from the head&doing nothing with it.And making styles with the natural hair being grown from the head. Till this day in some countries won’t allow black people to do both. There’s cultural significance not pointed out.
— Precious (@Precious2053) August 31, 2020
The difference is the black culture was forced to accept blonde hair and blue eyed as beauty among society; however, when black people began to embrace there hair and ethnic features it became popular in society. It may not be racist but it can be problematic.
— Traci (@Traci42257505) September 1, 2020
ever heard of…albino which are BLACK women that have NATURALLY blonde hair come again?
— themepage (@chanellethemes) September 1, 2020
black women can have naturally straight hair, we “cry” over tha shit that we get looked down upon we get “thugs” etc just based off our skin yet when a white women does it it’s okay? they want our style not our blues.
— themepage (@chanellethemes) September 1, 2020
When I thought people though clearly than this. Hair color and hair texture are not culture, hair styles are so learn your facts before you speak and if you’re not black it’s not your business to be in.
— Taetaetuesday⁷/BLM (@jooniesbbyyy) August 31, 2020
Y’all act like African Americans are not displaced Africans. Y’all act like our ancestors wanted to be enslaved. We can speak on an appropriation of Bantu knots.
— kuki (@kukipooki) August 31, 2020
This user was aghast:
Adele just posted a picture wearing bantu knots and a Jamaican flag top pic.twitter.com/964CbV3rQ4
— $ (@2000sphase) August 30, 2020
The hoopla’s a hair-raising helping of where we are — violent mobs are in the streets, burning our cities; murders are rampant, robberies are up, and black-outfitted revolutionaries have declared themselves enemies of the Constitution.
Groups embraced by the media are applauding evil (Language Warning):
“He was a f—ing Nazi! Our community held its own.”
Antifa & BLM in Portland celebrate the homicide of a purported Trump supporter who was affiliated with Patriot Prayer, a Portland-area conservative group. pic.twitter.com/xjIWk0KHN2
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 30, 2020
But despite a defunding of cops, a mob of another sort’s still ready to police the horrors of hair.
#Priorities.
We’ve got some serious work to do, America.
Meanwhile, someone pointed out that Jamaica’s alright with Adele’s attire:
This is the Jamaican National Emblem. Our National Motto is:
“Out of Many, One People”Unless you disrespect us or try to come at us aggressively, then all is good.
The world needs love and light.
And ya’ll don’t listen to Bob Marley and it shows. pic.twitter.com/F3XCw9BElw
— Keiko (@GolferGirl305) August 31, 2020
Back to moral equivalency, a few tweeters offered other examples of culture theft (which — of course — doesn’t exist, as no one owns an aesthetic):
It’s a two-way street, hypocrites. pic.twitter.com/V0Jb7I3RJt
— Bart4u (@Bart4u2) August 31, 2020
And when black men wear kilts, that’s ok for @MrErnestOwens .
⬇️this isn’t cultural appropriation. pic.twitter.com/WSErL6rL2y— JT. 🇷🇺👍🇷🇺😉 (@johnjtaylor64) August 31, 2020
And you wanted it, you got it:
Culture appropriation right? pic.twitter.com/38lyMpUMiB
— Uche Umeevuruo (@UcheUmeevuruo) August 31, 2020
Lastly, it may not directly apply, but how could I withhold this?
Ladies and gentleman, a reminder of how different the world once was:
I take it you won’t be watching that Benny Hill DVD I lent you, Ernest. Shame. No worries though, just pop it in the post. pic.twitter.com/N5JxArwGpT
— Albert Clutterbuck (@Albert20mufc) August 31, 2020
Stay classy, RedStaters.
And safe from the mobs — all of them.
-ALEX
See more pieces from me:
If You Picket, It’ll Never Heal: Portland Mayor Assumes the Violence Will ‘Just Burn Itself Out’
Father of Kenosha Man Shot by Police Won’t Trust Any Investigator Who’s White
Call ‘Em Chicken: KFC Flies the Coop Over COVID and Cancels Your Contaminated Claws
Find all my RedState work here.
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