‘How woke culture exposed a deep-seated racism in me’

Historic prejudice against Black people has been well-documented and the legacy affects those of us living today. But there are other casualties too…

Two weeks ago, I posted an essay entitled:  ‘I’m not as pretty as other women and I never will be’ about experiencing racism growing up and in the modelling industry. If you’re familiar with my writing you’ll know that race is something I avoid talking about, but now of course, it’s a conversation so many want to have, and (often) with good reason.

In reading the aforementioned essay, the boy, (who is English and apparently oblivious to the common understanding that English people are now no longer allowed to complain about anything Black people say or do because you know: racism), said he found something felt off with my capitalising B for Black people, while using a lower-case w for white people. When he pointed it out I felt admonished but I’m a journalist and following a practice we, for the most part, use at work. But in explaining this to him, I felt deep down that the real reason might be something I don’t particularly want to address.