Black girls are less innocent REALLY

[Fidoandacupoftea]

What have we come to as a society. As a mum of young girls I am angry, terrified and just can't understand the world

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-40451554/black-girls-perceived-as-less-innocent-by-us-adults

That's US and Canada. In the UK we don't have the same views. We just are a very different cultures. Also in London where I live and 60 - 80% of people are not white or are from abroad it is an entirely different attitude - we are all just humans living together.

Today 09:11 Lucysky2017

That's US and Canada. In the UK we don't have the same views. We just are a very different cultures. Also in London where I live and 60 - 80% of people are not white or are from abroad it is an entirely different attitude - we are all just humans living together.

What utter shit. I guess you also believe sexism and racism is over too?

Im UK based and find that very easy to believe.

I'm mixed race

I think it really might be different in the UK. I taught for over twenty years in inner city schools, children of all ethnic backgrounds, and there was no concept of black (or other) girls being more adult or needing less protection. If that culture existed, it would probably have shown in schools.

I see it in the UK.

I don't understand why you have posted this, it is going to offend people, I'm black & asian and it has offended me a little bit.

Please think before you create a thread with something to do with race.

That's so sad. I have heard that in the UK black and middle Eastern children are often judged as being much older than they really are as well, which possibly feeds into this problem.

I think it's important to acknowledge that this is a problem, deeply ingrained, and needs to be addressed. Not minimised, not 'it's not a problem in UK'. We need to build understanding between divides. Really really sad.

Doesn't surprise me unfortunately.

LovePeaceAndHarmony, I don't think the op is saying that black girls are less innocent, but that they are perceived as less innocent, and that this is a terrible and damaging misconception. I don't think it is offensive to draw attention to subconscious racist bias.

I have heard that in the UK black and middle Eastern children are often judged as being much older than they really are as well, which possibly feeds into this problem
Where have you heard this?

Morning @squishysquirmy maybe so, but this subject has made me feel uneasy, I just think it's very inappropriate.

I saw a report on it around the time that the tabloids were trashing child migrants - sorry if I have caused offence in any way, or worded things badly.

Today 09:24 barrygetamoveonplease

I think it really might be different in the UK. I taught for over twenty years in inner city schools, children of all ethnic backgrounds, and there was no concept of black (or other) girls being more adult or needing less protection. If that culture existed, it would probably have shown in schools.

Are you white?

My mixed heritage children are absolutely viewed differently then their white peers. And we live in a racially diverse borough of London and they go to a very mixed school. Sadly it's true both for black boys and girls.

Hold on a second, racism clearly exists in the UK but you can't just take a study from the US and insist it applies to the UK without any evidence.

They aren't actually the same country at all.

In the US, black girls are suspended at higher rates than black boys. That's not the case here. In the US, there is a serious militarization in schools with police presence there. That's not the case here. In the US, many schools in southern states still use corporal punishment. That's not the case here. In the US, funding of schools is tied to local property taxes and this seriously affects school quality for black children. That's not the case here. In the US, black children seriously underperform every other group. That's not the case here: WWC boys do. And a large proportion of African children are actually doing extremely well.

There are lots of serious differences between the US and the UK. Please get off social media and the internet and actually engage with british society instead of getting swept into things that have nothing to do with us.

Love with all due respect I think it's very important to learn about things like this in order to challenge WHERE these ideas are coming from...and to highlight the fact that this exists.

It's sickening and I feel very upset about it but I'm glad OP shared.

I agree that a similar study needs to take place in the UK.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone. It is not a comment on the US or U.K. and we live in a global society like it or not. The innocence of young girls particularly struck me as a mum of young DDs. By talking and being more conscious about it we might hopefully address it as parents.

This perception that racism is a serious problem in the US but not here is widely held and I remember thinking it myself when I was growing up, until a relative (who is black) who'd lived in both UK and US said to me that she preferred it in US as at least they'd make clear how they felt about you to your face face as opposed to the subtle way it was expressed in the UK. That made me finally wake up and get it. Of course it's not the same, and yes there are many different factors influencing people in US but I'm afraid stereotypes and misconceptions about black women are definitely a problem here and if this is continued to be ignored and minimised things will never improve. And remember outside of London huge areas of the UK are not multicultural and the only thing that will be informing their perceptions will be a mixture of US and UK media.

And honestly as a black woman, this has not been my experience at all. I feel like people judge you as louder/more aggressive but older or less innocent, not really no.

Tbh, it was the opposite. People assumed as a second gen west african that I was MORE innocent. That my parents kept me isolated from british society a bit. No one could ever guess my age but they always guessed YOUNGER.

You can't just assume that the UK and the US are the same in every way. One of the most annoying things about anti racist discourse in the UK today is how it just follows America. Instead of actually engaging with the UK, it's just easier to copy black twitter and copy everyone else. The Guardian is the worst - it's basically written for an American audience. They never mention the REGIONS, it's all just London, London, London. They never mention class. They never mention anything uniquely british because it's all written to go viral within the US.

I do think there is a problem with poverty and how children are perceived and treated and with social mobility still crap in many western countries being black and being poor still goes hand in hand. Added with racial bias and or just plain racism I can see why this happens.

LovePeace I don't think the OP meant to offend. The title of this thread is strangely worded, that's all.

That's really horrific isn't it

The utter reality is that they only have less innocence around knowing what racism is and it's prejudice because they are on the receiving end of it

LovePeaceAndHarmony

Unfortunately the world does not work in the same vein as your username. Things may make you uncomfortable but it doesn't mean they should be brushed under the carpet while mumbling "nothing to see hear".