Alison Roman's 'Amy Winehouse-inspired' Halloween costume photo resurfaces, internet says 'no need to apologize'
Former Bon Appétit senior food editor and The New York Times columnist Alison Roman is being called out for her display picture on MySpace page after journalist and Twitter influencer Yashar Ali noted that the she had dressed up as a Chola for a party from back in the day.
The Mexican-American subculture group called Cholas are known for their distinct fashion sense. The same is used by some to imitate racist costumes. In a tweet posted by Ali, which has now been taken down, Roman is seen wearing a tank top with hair tied in a bun and fringes covering her forehead. She’s also seen sporting a few fake tattoos. Sharing Roman's picture Ali wrote, "Amid the uproar ar @bonappetit, a source sends me this photo of @alisonroman dressed as a Chola from a party. Note her hoop earring, fake tattoo on her chest and her makeup. Unclear when the photo was taken."
On seeing Ali's tweet, Roman was quick to respond. "This incredibly embarrassing picture was taken in 2008, I was 23 & living in SF, this was my 'SF inspired Amy Winehouse' costume for Halloween — it reads as culturally insensitive, and I was an idiot child who knew nothing about the world/how this would be perceived and I'm sorry." Although she has explained that she had only dressed as Amy Winehouse and didn’t mean to hurt any culture, internet users have expressed mixed opinions.
A few have said that Roman couldn’t have been so ignorant at 23 and slammed her for her racist outfit. "23 is not childhood. You were an adult. Probably a college grad. Stop infantilizing yourself as a way to skirt accountability," read one tweet. However, the majority of them have praised her for owning up to her mistake. One user wrote, "I need someone to tell me why this is offensive. Embarrassing: yes. Cancel worthy: naaah." Another added, "This is a good response. You're owning up and making no excuses. What's troubling is this person posted this for the attention and only to discredit you. Doing good work, growing as a person, and learning to be better each day is the best defense against attacks like these." One more said, "Clearly not Amy Winehouse but you also shouldn't feel the need to apologize."
Meanwhile, Twitter users have also asked Ali what was the need to drag Roman into this, especially years later. Some have even accused him of trying to ruin a woman's career. "I kind of think bashing @alisonroman over this is unnecessary and a little ridiculous. It makes me wonder if maybe @yashar has an underlying agenda. I'm sure this puts me in line for abuse, but c'mon," wrote one. In response to the tweets directed at him, Ali wrote, "That’s why I was willing to tweet it. Most of the time I don't believe such photos are newsworthy. Recent issues she’s had combined w/ this made it different Re Amy Winehouse: Amy didn’t have a tattoo in old English on her chest like that. She also didn’t wear hoops like that." In one of his recent tweets, he has also addressed Roman's apology statement. He tweeted, "Finally, I knew Alison had apologized to a friend for this photo. We can agree to disagree but I always appreciate the honest feedback and accountability."