Adele has been accused by a US student group of “normalising sexual harassment” in the lyrics of her hit song ‘Hello’.
MRCTV recently reported that posters have been placed around the campus of the University Of Oklahoma by the University’s Gender and Equality Centre displaying lyrics from ‘Hello’.
The quoted lyrics read: “I must have called a thousand times”, with the message written below: “Even great songs can normalise sexual harassment”.
Kathy Moxley, Director of the Gender + Equality Center, explained to Fox News that the posters were to promote Stalking Awareness Month. Another post includes the Maroon 5[/a] lyric: “Baby, I’m preying on you tonight. Hunt you down, eat you alive”.
“To begin a much needed conversation about harassment on college campuses, the University of Oklahoma Gender + Equality Center used popular songs that students listen to, to attract students’ attention and to bring awareness to subtle messages in popular song lyrics,” Moxley said.
“The music examples were used to demonstrate how aspects of popular media could be interpreted to normalise unhealthy relationship behaviours.”
However, the campaign has been criticised by Dan Gainor, the VP Business and Culture at Media Research Center. He told Fox: “I think creating a ridiculous comparison undermines the true horrifying nature of stalking and sexual harassment. The bureaucrats who did this aren’t helping women. I think the university needs to talk to its staff and tell them to stop being idiots. Their goal is to educate and help protect people. Not hold them up to ridicule.”
NME has approached a press representative of Adele for a comment on the campaign.
Meanwhile, Adele has been confirmed as one of the live performers at next week’s Grammy Awards. The Grammys ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on February 15.
Source: NME
