Nadiya Hussain shares video accusing Ed Sheeran of weaponising 'white tears' after tearful Macklemore apology

Nadiya Hussain shares video accusing Ed Sheeran of weaponising 'white tears' after tearful Macklemore apology

Over the weekend, the British singer took to the stage alone at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field to address the row
Ed Sheeran becomes emotional on stage
The Weekender

Nadiya Hussain has shared a video accusing Ed Sheeran of “white tears” following his on-stage apology amid the ongoing Macklemore tour controversy.

Earlier this month, the Thrift Shop singer was dropped from Sheeran’s Loop tour after making “Free Palestine” comments during shows at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The ensuing fallout saw other support acts pull out, leaving the tour in disarray, whilst Sheeran faces a huge wave of criticism from his industry peers as well as fans over the decision.

Ed Sheeran broke down in tears on stage
Ed Sheeran broke down in tears on stage

On Saturday, the British singer took to the stage alone at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field to address the row directly.

"I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry," he said while becoming emotional.

He said that he felt that many of his loved ones had “abandoned him” and that the past seven days had been “the worst week of his life”.

On Monday, the Great British Bake-Off star reshared a video of therapist Megan Cooper who accused the singer of portraying himself as the victim.

Cooper said: “We're all waking up to Ed Sheeran's statement on stage, and I'm not going to go into what he said, but I do want to focus on one specific point.

“For those of us in white bodies, we need to understand and educate ourselves on white tears.

“White tears [are] a cultural tactic using emotion, consciously or unconsciously, to deflect accountability, to gain sympathy, and to centre self in conflict and challenge, particularly during discussions around racism and oppression.”

Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour after his comments about Gaza (Niall Carson/PA)
Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour after his comments about Gaza

Cooper said that whilst she considers herself a “deeply emotional person” and did not mean to invalidate Sheeran’s feelings, she chastised the singer for making himself the victim.

“Our emotion is now prized above the actual issue, in this case, genocide. What this shines a light on is whose tears get to be seen, listened to, and heard in our society, and whose don't."

Cooper said that people "in white bodies" need "to educate and inform ourselves so that we don't replicate systems of harm whilst we are trying to dismantle them".

Hussain shared the video to her one million followers, though she did not leave a comment.

The Standard has contacted representatives of Hussain and Sheeran for comment.

Original source Nadiya Hussain shares video accusing Ed Sheeran of weaponising 'white tears' after tearful Macklemore apology

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