Today is Tuesday, September 1st, 2020. Here’s what you need to know:
Good morning,
World-famous singer and songwriter, Adele, has come under fire for posting a photo on Instagram that re-sparked the debate between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. The photo in question shows Adele wearing a Jamaican flag bikini, gold chains and Bantu knots in her hair--a protective African hairstyle.
Debates surrounding appropriation and appreciation have been on the rise in the past several years, and it’s not random. As social awareness rises in communities, differentiating between appropriating a culture and appreciating a culture has become normalized to the point where it’s recognized almost immediately.
The difference between appropriation and appreciation is that appropriation is taking one’s culture and using it for personal reasons while appreciation is the active attempt to learn more about other cultures to broaden horizons. Adele’s instagram post has garnered nearly 100,000 comments both in support and opposition.
User @gabriellesawh commented, “As a woman whose father is from the Caribbean, thank you for showing the respect for Caribbean culture. Although you may not be from the Caribbean, you are embracing what the Caribbean stands for.” Other users commented about the rift between ideologies and understanding from users in the United States and those around the world. Comments in opposition to the look ranged from “It’s the cultural appropriation for me” to @sconniesarah stating “I get that you are feeling yourself in this photo, but don’t steal Black hairstyles.”
News from The Post:
Learn how to adapt to online classes with this nifty listicle. (The Post)
Soulful Yoga offers yoga for pregnant women. (The Post)
Sunday, locals, students, professors and administrators assembled to protest racial inequality by walking the streets of Athens. (The Post)
Athens Weather
Don’t forget your umbrella! Today will have a high of 85º with cloudy skies and a chance of rain in the afternoon. Tonight, the low will be 68º with a slight chance of rain. (Courtesy of Scalia Lab)
You might also want to know…
Apple and Tesla stock splits attract sharp rise in shares. (NBC News)
United Airlines will no longer charge customers for domestic ticket changes. (NPR)
Hamas and Israel agree to ceasefire on Palestinian border. (The Guardian)
Digital Director
