Shilpa Shetty/Big Brother Issue

by Stephen Owen

Feb. 4, 2007

I was heartened to see Shilpa win for her character, personality, self respect, restraint, calmness, forgiving nature and genuineness, a real lesson to us all and a great boost for India I hope.

I hope the programme brings the issue to the fore internationally and that the world saw that 50,000 Brits made official complaints about a few rotten eggs with ignorance issues who many felt duly appalled at. The media may have used them as scapegoats and milked it when many of us have at some time made similar comments in our lives, but we have to start somewhere, and this was perhaps apt. There may have also been some racism from some of the ‘good’ folk too (e.g. Jermaine’s ‘white trash’ comment) but the focus was probably rightly on the 3 or 4 less intelligent British girls.

Why is everyone (including BB contestants addressing Shilpa) making such a big issue specifically out of racism? It is as though bullying is OK or a lesser evil. Britain is politically correct and generally quite ignorant about race, culture, religion and isms (and I teach RE) and so tends to just keep quiet in case any offence is meant. People have committed suicide because of bullying. Ageism, sexism, racism and any other ism are all equally as bad to recipients. It doesn't matter that Jade et al were being specifically racist to Shilpa, the emotional abuse was there (and duly felt) whatever name it has. Shilpa isn’t going to suddenly say, ‘oh, as long as it’s not racism, that’s fine’. Sort the name out later and the hurt out now.

Not so long back, the accepted name for black people was ‘coloureds’. It then changed to blacks and there was a division for Asians. Some haven’t kept up to date with change and are attacked for their racist words. This isn’t racism and neither is their motive. There are many who are very politically correct and always careful about what they say because they don’t want to be accused of racism –e.g. going round the houses to describe a guy who is black without wanting to use the word black or mention his colour, but may well be racist. And there is non racial ignorance and (e.g. some BB comments by BB contestants and BB management) racial ignorance, where people may be blind to the fact, not really knowing what racism is. Also odd how bullying was a part of all BB programmes in the past but largely ignored by the media and public, yet the buzz word ‘racism’ suddenly becomes the greatest crime. Some of the media comments about some of the targeted contestants were pure bullying too and no-one, however bad deserves that. And so many of us are afraid to put our foot in it in case we are seen as racist. This is just because of a lack of understanding (ignorance). If you know what you believe and have a grasp of different issues, cultures and religions, you wouldn’t need to worry. And as we in Britain have to live, work and socialise with all different sorts of people, we owe it to ourselves to educate ourselves a bit on this. A bit stupid laughing at a guy wearing a turban and talking behind his back, saying he doesn’t speak English properly and causing potential conflict if he’s a decent chap and just has a good reason for doing something a bit different. After all, he may think a whole range of things about you, but either understands them or just doesn’t care.

Finally, to turn the tables. Britain has largely overcome the issue of racism other than pockets, extremists, the older 'set in their ways' legion and basic low level ignorance, perhaps in larger number and as highlighted on BB. We Brits are very well integrated and welcoming, perhaps too much when this is taken advantage of and when, for example some immigrants fail to face the huge human rights issues in their own country of origin and instead attack ‘relatively’minor issues here in Britain or fail to integrate or start to be proud of their new home and instead dream and constantly talk of their old home. I am thinking of people who are here voluntarily (who could leave) and clearly for the better lifestyle without compromising cultural and social differences like dress, language and ways which enable and enhance integration.

London is the leader of course whilst skin colour can still be a novelty in other places, but this is just the ‘novelty’ aspect. Black people from the Caribbean got stared at in the 50’s when invited over to work by the British government just as I get stared at when I visit a country where I am different, and some staring can be pretty blatant, but it’s the novelty, not racism that’s the cause in such instances.

India (and many other countries in Asia and beyond) have far greater racism issues. Where are the dark skinned female Bollywood leads? Where are the dark skinned male leads - playing baddies! Why do men seek lighter skinned partners and why so many matrimonial ads for fair skinned brides? Why the social and cultural preference for lighter over darker skinned Indians in so many areas of life if racism isn’t still deep rooted in India? My brother in law (from the south of India) was bullied continually for his darker colour when studying in the north of India. It was just the thing you do, it wasn't a one off. Darker skin is lower caste and related to menial tasks, while lighter skin is the opposite. If you’re a black or Asian guy in Africa, Asia, America or the Caribbean, take a closer look to home and ask yourself if you and your friends, family, neighbours, social circles, work colleagues would gladly and equally accept a much darker skinned bride (and perhaps with different features) or is there racial prejudice behind the scenes. Now ask, what am I going to do about this. Nothing?!

I'll just leave with the proverb, 'people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'.

I'm a well travelled white male Brit married to a South Indian fighting prejudice of all kinds at all levels.

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