The Real Housewives of Dubai may be new to the franchise, but they already have a huge fanbase. Sara Al Madani is defending wearing an Afro wig to a party. On a recent show episode, Lesa Milan threw a Jamaican dancehall-themed party where Al Madani came sporting an Afro wig. She is now defending herself against cultural appropriation accusations.
The ladies came dressed in their best dance hall-themed attire.
Al Madani wore an afro wig and told Page Six in a recent interview that it’s no a cultural appropriation situation.
“I was worried about the look because some people might not accept it because of culture. But the thing is, the Afro exists in my culture,” she explained.
“There are black people in my culture, there are Emiratis that have Afros and we have people of color. So for us, in the United Arab Emirates, it is very normal. But I was worried about other people around the world looking at it in a different way," she added.
She insists that the hairstyle is common among the Arab community and says she has love for all cultures.
“I feel like every time I travel and experience a new culture, I find a piece of my soul,” she said. “So I loved it. I just loved the look, going for that,” she said. “I had so much fun. I love to dance.”
Milan defended Al Madani
Milan, who is of Jamaican descent and one of the three Black cast members on the show, cosigned her co-star’s choice to wear the wig.
She said during the episode, “I’m actually really impressed. Everybody looks insanely good. Sara, with her big Afro, and try nobody come with the cultural appropriation, OK? Jamaica’s motto is ‘out of many, one people.’ Arabs have Afros. I’m out here in a damn blonde wig. We are good, OK?”
