Is racism on the Isle of Wight worse than it is on the mainland of the UK?

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Worried my mixed raced and obviously disabled Son and I will experience racism. We currently live in a multi cultural city on the mainland.

Yes. Yes it is. Facilities for disabled people - any vulnerable people actually - are far behind the rest of the country too. I lived there for a short time after leaving uni as my parents had moved there. It's a beautiful place to holiday. I would not live there again.

Amigoingmad29weeks How long ago was this, please?

A friend from IOW told me that it's not many years since Estate Agents would tell anyone who was perceived as 'different' to them that there were no homes available, even if there were. I do think it's probably a bit better now though.

HappyDinosaur Woah! Different as in colour of skin or from the mainland I wonder.

I'm going out all day now. Will look tonight to reply to any further posts if there are any.

I want to live on the IOW. Know one person and he says things are improving slowly.

I lived there for years and years. I was not born there. I think it can be a very small minded place, you only need to look at the online comments on various Facebook pages and groups to see the mindset, but I don’t think it is routinely racist or disablist. There may be an element of that among some older people, however.
It’s still a lovely place, just has an online element which is quite alarming sometimes. There’s a lot of Covid denying going on there at the moment, for example.

The name of it doesn't really help I think!

I live on the Isle of Wight. Not sure how long ago happydinosaur's friend is talking about but I call BS. Even if you met a dick of an estate agent, they'd lose their job for saying something like that!!

It is certainly true that it's not very ethnically diverse here. Each of my kids have one non-white friend and those children are the only non-white kids in those classes. In fact possibly in the whole school. For that reason I personally find that PoC are especially warmly welcomed here- anyone with any sense here knows that it would be a positive change for our community if it was more diverse. Post lockdown, come over for a visit- there are twats everywhere in the country but there is a laid-back inclusive non-conformist streak here that I would hope might be appealing.

Re disabled access, I don't think you'll have much problem- we have several schools for severe disabled children and we have a very large elderly population- so spaces have to be reasonably well adapted although I guess we might also have quite a lot of old public buildings.

My parents live on IOW. My only concern would be that if your son requires regular hospital appointments you are likely to end up needing to travel to Southampton or Portsmouth as the main IOW hospital doesn't seem particularly well equipped for some conditions.

No hospital appointments 😊

I meant to add I have also lived and worked in mainland cities and witnessed some horrific and low-key racism that I've never seen here... although since we don't have many non-white residents here I guess there isn't many opportunities to witness it here...

I was in a relationship with someone from the island a year or so back, and spent some time there. I would say it’s more insular than outright racist, but as I’m white British it may have been that I just didn’t experience any racism.

I think they were talking about 20 years ago, if you read up about it it was quite well known at the time by the looks of it. Fortunately it sounds as though things have moved on a fair bit.

I've not lived there, but have visited a few times. Not out of choice, and it's at least 50 years in the past culturally, and in terms of accessibility. They sold golliwog memorabilia in some souvenir shops, who still does that??!

From what I understand, if your need constant medical attention, it is a huge pain as major appointments can only be done in Portsmouth.

I cannot comment on racism (bar selling racist doll shit), but you certainly can't help thinking 'Isle of Wight by name, Isle of White by nature'.

I live on the Isle of Wight, I think things are improving and I really find it hard to believe the estate agent story.

Schools are not great here though, my eldest commutes off the island for a decent 6 form and my youngest is on her way to failing all her GCSEs despite doing well in her sats.

@BrumBoo

I've not lived there, but have visited a few times. Not out of choice, and it's at least 50 years in the past culturally, and in terms of accessibility. They sold golliwog memorabilia in some souvenir shops, who still does that??!

From what I understand, if your need constant medical attention, it is a huge pain as major appointments can only be done in Portsmouth.

I cannot comment on racism (bar selling racist doll shit), but you certainly can't help thinking 'Isle of Wight by name, Isle of White by nature'.

Oh my god I've just remembered last month my husband saw concrete golliwog garden ornaments for sale. He wrote to them to complain and never got a reply but I have been back to the garden centre and couldn't see them .

Good grief most of the comments above do not sound like the Isle of Wight I live on, and moved to from a large multicultural city several years ago..
Yes we are less racially diverse but there us a significant amount of diversity here of all forms.. We even hosted the National Pride event last year..

OP I am sure that you and your will be welcomed..

One thing though is that work is harder to find..but many people commute to mainland.. but if you do have work , housing is significantly cheaper..

Atm we have had one of the lowest coronavirus outbreaks in the country btw ..

I've lived on the Isle of Wight all my life. It's beautiful & very relaxed place to bring up children. It's true it isn't very ethnically diverse but racism is very rarely reported on & I can honestly say I've never experienced anyone being like that here. The only thing I've found is walking into some smallpubs you get looked at &judged to be "local" enough- & I am white British so it's more of a small village feeling than racism if you see what I mean, but on the whole everyone is welcoming. (Maybe I have nice friends?) there are 2 non white children in my sons class, possibly 4/5 in the whole school but their families are just as involved in the community as the rest of us. Disabled access is generally good due to the older demographic living here & there are 2 schools- 1 primary & 1 high for children with various disabilities & obviously a lot of children with disabilities in mainstream.

I live on the Isle of Wight, but I recognise my ability to help is limited as I’m white and won’t have experienced the issues that might be there. But I think people here in general are open minded and accepting.

I think that if there is racism towards your son it would be more from the fact that there is limited cultural diversity here and from a lack of understanding. Not from a place of hatred, Britain first type of mentality. I know that neither is right, but the former can be changed more easily.

A lot will depend on finding the right school for your son, as others have said there have been problems with the education system here historically. Job opportunities are very limited and ferry travel is expensive if you’re planning on travelling back much.

That being said it is a lovely place and I’m very thankful to have been locked down here.

Just remembered when we moved here the neighbours knocked to say hello and asked if we were white people.

We must have looked visibly shocked, then they explained ‘Wight’ people, were we from the Isle of Wight!

I’m afraid I had the “pleasure” of being called a Paki while walking down the road in Ryde.

I was there on holiday with my family and was absolutely shocked. I’ve not been called that in 35 years living in London. My white, British husband had never even heard anyone called that and was upset for days.

Incidents like that cause a feeling that is so difficult to explain. I felt under threat and vulnerable. It’s really put me off the IOW.

Mbell, as an IOW local, I am really sorry to hear you experienced such vile behaviour.

It is true about rubbish secondary schools sadly, you should think about that OP.

It's not true about being culturally behind. It depends what kind of culture you're after. We might be commercially behind. Actually we have a really vibrant independent arts scene, but advertisement isn't always great as everything is a bit small-town. Ie if you're local you know what's going on where.

Oh- and there was local outcry about that shop selling golliwogs too- as in plenty of locals were horrified and they've now stopped.

Whoever said there's some weird online comments was right- there's certainly a reasonable number of (ignorant rather than hateful) strange people out there... the spelling in those posts tells you everything you need to know. But I really would say it's odd pockets rather than reflecting the majority of islanders.

Just wanted to add that I think it’s incredibly beautiful over there, for walking and cycling. Stunning beaches too. The thing which struck me was just how empty the countryside is compared with the rest of the SE. My friend lives near Brighstone and it’s absolutely idyllic around there imo.

Very small minded and boring place being there all time unless you are just holidaying there and yes I’ve heard the same from people that live there. Also many kids grow and leave as well. If you want coast Dorset is far more beautiful and open minded

Are there any Black people living there that can tell me of their experiences?

I live on the mainland but do have family in the IOW and visit a few times a year.

I also have a mixed race son and have on occassions when there witnessed the double looks given to him, plus a few stares. Never any comments made towards him though.