Harry Styles Has Sparked A Debate About White Privilege After Saying “This Doesn’t Happen To People Like Me Very Often” While Accepting Album Of The Year At The Grammys

Harry Styles Has Sparked A Debate About White Privilege After Saying “This Doesn’t Happen To People Like Me Very Often” While Accepting Album Of The Year At The Grammys
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Harry Styles Has Sparked A Debate About White Privilege After Saying “This Doesn’t Happen To People Like Me Very Often” While Accepting Album Of The Year At The Grammys

“Harry Styles said ‘this doesn’t happen to people like me very often’ and I gotta be honest I can’t think of a type of people this happens for more.”

By zo6OKE5Hk_large.jpg?crop=305%3A305%3B66%2C26&downsize=60:*&output-format=jpg&output-quality=autoby Ellen Durney

BuzzFeed News Staff

Posted 29 minutes agoTwitterFacebookLink

Harry’s House won big at the Grammys, though it wasn’t without a bit of controversy.

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Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic

At last night’s ceremony in Los Angeles, Harry Styles took home two coveted statues for his critically acclaimed album, Harry’s House, including the most prestigious award of the night: Album of the Year.

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Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images

For context, it was widely expected that Beyoncé would win Album of the Year for Renaissance. And so, when Harry’s name got called out, it looked like he was just as shocked as everyone else.

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As he arrived on the stage to accept the award, Harry made no secret of his disbelief, opening his speech by saying: “Well, shit.”

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Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Honoring his fellow nominees — who, along with Beyoncé, included the likes of Adele, Bad Bunny, and Kendrick Lamar — Harry talked about how “inspired” he was by each artist.

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Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images

“I think on nights like tonight it’s important for us to remember there is no such thing as ‘best’ in music,” he said. “I don’t think any of us sit in the studio making decisions on what is going to get us one of these.”

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Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Before handing over to his collaborators, the 29-year-old signed off by expressing his immense gratitude.

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Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images

“I’m just so— This doesn’t happen to people like me very often and this is so, so nice,” he added to cheers from the crowd.

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Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

But it was this last line that left fans a little confused. Allow me to explain.

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Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Being that Harry is a cisgender white man who grew up in England, many people took issue with the inference that "people like" him are historically less likely to win big awards at the Grammys. Particularly considering that the overwhelming majority of Album of the Year winners since 1950 have been white cis men, just like Harry.

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Jason Merritt / Getty Images

‘“this doesn’t happen to people like me often’ who, white british men?” one person tweeted. “don’t get me wrong i like harry styles i just don’t know why he said that specifically? Lmfao.”

DDDfH1FW_normal.jpg no @zedonarrival

“this doesn’t happen to people like me often” who, white british men?