Photo: AFP
Serena Williams sparked online debate after asking her followers to share their thoughts on the use of cotton plants as hotel decor.
On Thursday (September 25), Williams took to her Instagram story to pose the question, sharing a video of what appeared to be a cotton arrangement in the hallway of a hotel she was staying at.
"All right, everyone, how do we feel about cotton as a decoration? Personally for me, it doesn’t feel great," Williams said.
In a follow-up clip, Williams held a piece of the cotton in her gloved hand, comparing its texture to nail polish remover pads.
“So actually it feels like nail polish remover cotton,” she said as she wiped her nails with part of the cotton arrangement.
Williams was staying in New York City following her recent appearance at an event for Nike and SKIMS. The tennis legend stars in the brand's latest campaign.
The hotel decor sparked buzz on social media, with users debating whether the use of the cotton plant was appropriate due to its ties to slavery.
"I think it's a beautiful plant and decoration. We don't dislike cotton, we dislike picking it," one social media user weighed in.
"Yeah that’s a little wild. Not my idea of tasteful decor but hey 😩," another person commented.
"Yeah using cotton as decor always rubs me the wrong way," a third person chimed in on social media.
"Its hold negative connotation but at the end of the day its still a plant lol," a fourth user said.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.