Sam Smith Defends Himself After Making Controversial Remarks About Racism
"Here's to people being allowed to be people."
Sam Smith, Golden Globe/Grammy/All the Other Awards Ever winner, recently witnessed an instance of racism against a friend and responded to it in the way anyone in 2016 would: by hitting Twitter and expressing his dismay in 140 characters or fewer.
Just experienced my friend getting verbally abused racially in London. I am absolutely SPEECHLESS.January 20, 2016
I never ever ever ever thought that would happen here. Absolutely speechless and hurt.January 20, 2016
I feel like I have to shine some sort of light on it. The police were so unhelpful in the situation and its deeply shocked me.January 20, 2016
Sam's tweets are clearly coming from a good place, but the Internet was quick to point out that racism has been a problem for a while now, and that as someone whose music is influenced by R&B, he should be more educated on the matter.
Sam ended up addressing the matter with an Instagram post, explaining that he doesn't profess to understand the experience of racism, but that he does have personal experience with bullying.
People are right to voice their concern when a celebrity speaks about racism in a way that could seem naive, but it looks like everyone in this social-media meeting of the minds ended up agreeing on one thing: that no one should be judged for the color of their skin, their sexual preferences, or their gender. Ever.
Follow Marie Claire on Instagram for the latest celeb news, pretty pics, funny stuff, and an insider POV.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
-
Sabrina Carpenter's Micro Shorts Are a Slice of Fashion History
She was brave to trot it out at the height of winter.
By Kelsey Stiegman Published
-
Tom Parker Bowles Says Stepfather King Charles Could be "Fantastic" at Another Job if He Wasn't Monarch
Just imagine.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Cartier Celebrates 100 Years of Trinity With a Miami Pop-Up
A look inside the Art Basel event.
By Michaela Bushkin Published
-
32 Celebrity Podcasts Worth Listening To
Grab some headphones and tune in.
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
The 30 Celebrity Memoirs That Are Actually Worth Reading
Britney Spears, Demi Moore, Jessica Simpson, and more drop some serious bombshells in these pages.
By Andrea Park Published
-
The Unstoppable Alia Bhatt
Bollywood’s silver-screen darling is both at the top of her game and just getting started.
By Neha Prakash Published
-
The 30 Best Movies on Hulu Right Now
From 'Fight Club' to '10 Things I Hate About You.'
By Brooke Knappenberger Published
-
Queen Elizabeth Has Passed Away at 96
After a 70-year reign, the queen passed away at her home in Balmoral, Scotland.
By Jenny Hollander Published
-
Elizabeth Lail and Dustin Milligan Compete in 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The stars of 'Mack & Rita' could barely hold it together during a round of trivia.
By Brooke Knappenberger Published
-
Charli XCX Isn't Here to Appease Anyone
The pop star talks authenticity, her new album, and taking care of herself while on tour.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
What 'Femininity' Means in 2022
Malala, Amanda Gorman, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and more define the word on their own terms.
By Neha Prakash Published