Oh na na, RiRi, why’d you have to go and do that?
Rihanna is a lot of things: singer, songwriter, actress, and uber-successful entrepreneur and one of the best-selling music artists of all time. But, as it turns out, she’s also often caught up in backlash for cultural appropriation. The 32-year-old Barbadian sparked controversy after she posted a topless photo of herself (with her arm strategically placed across her chest) on her social media accounts. The photo sees the ‘Only Girl’ singer in a pair of lavender satin boxers, statement earrings, and, what appears to be a diamond-studded necklace with a carving of the elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings, Ganesha.
Now, wearing a pendant of Ganesha may not have been such a problem if she had paired it with a tasteful outfit. However, the move to only pair the necklace with boxers from her brand (to promote the item), well, she’s been accused of mocking the Hindu culture, with them making a point: “our culture is not your costume”. After all, the large elephant head of Lord Ganesha is meant to symbolise wisdom, understanding, and a critical intellect that one must possess to attain perfection in life. Some of the comments on the photo on Instagram include:
“Can we stop sexualizing people’s religion for clout. I just don’t understand the purpose of having a necklace with lord Ganesh as part of a lingerie campaign.”
“I’m fine with you wearing this as long as you respect Hinduism.”
“How is this okay when a person has more than enough resources to at least find out the meaning and significance of the chains and pendant around their neck?”
Unfortunately, this only seems to be fueling the fire between Rihanna and netizens in India, following her public support for the farmers protesting the new agriculture laws of the country. At the time, the singer had tweeted a link to a CNN story that detailed how internet access around New Delhi was cut off following violent clashes between police and farmers. Some celebrities in India hit back, saying it wasn’t her place to get involved. With this latest development, Lawmaker Ram Kadam pushed people to realise how she has no place in their issues. He tweeted:
“It’s appalling to see how @Rihanna shamefully mocks our beloved Hindu God #Ganesha. This exposes how #Rihanna has no idea or respect for Indian culture, tradition and our issues here.”
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In recent years, with more education on cultural and religious appropriation, more and more celebrities are being put on the stands. Rihanna herself has faced backlash after, in an attempt to emulate what happens “western-style icon meets eastern aesthetic”, she donned Chinese clothing and ornaments for the cover of Harper’s Bazaar China. Later, in her Savage X Fenty lingerie fashion show, sacred Islamic verses played in the background.
*Cover image credits: Instagram / @badgalriri
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