Embarrassed to be English

[Traballi]

Got ancestry results back recently and apparently I'm 98% English, tiny bit of Irish but not even Scottish or Welsh. It wasn't a surprise as already looked into family history and been here for centuries.

I'm actually embarrassed of my English lineage to be honest. What's there to be proud of with our appalling history of colonialism and more recent dallyings with the far right and flag shagging?

I see the British flag up where I live and I honestly cringe. I'm also married to someone who is from a country we have a history of conflict with too so that doesnt help although DH doesnt hate us excessively (won't name country in case outing but with our history of wars/ conflict/ invasion, it could be dozens of places lets be frank)

I guess I've had a different perspective on Englishness over many years through the people I know from overseas and I speak other languages too. I also went to a Catholic school (in England) which taught us about slavery and what happened in Northern Ireland. None of which was nice about the English (teacher was Irish). I'm grateful for these perspectives though as I wouldn't want to be brainwashed into being a blind patriot.

I have friends with strong Irish and Welsh roots and they have a real sense of identity to hold onto with it, ancestral languages that they're interested in and a feeling a pride.

If you're English, it's hard to feel like that unless you're in Tommy or Nige's crew, which makes me even less inclined towards patriotism tbh.

Does anyone else feel like this? It's a bit sad really. I'd love to at least be half something else to cling to that identity instead and ignore the English but.

Luckily my DC is only half English and has two other nationalities through DH, and is being brought up in Wales so will probably feel more Welsh. I'm also obtaining a passport from another country through DH soon and I'll be using that for all overseas travel as soon as I can so I can appear to be from there instead.

AiBU or do others feel like this? Being English just isn't cool.

Im not English but its a shame idiots from the far right have tarnished your heritage. I dont know what to say, as ordinary people seem to be believing their lies and propaganda.
I despair sometimes.

I'm delighted to be English. Beautuful country. Democratic. Liberal. Tolerant. Feel very lucky..

You are being completely ridiculous. My DNA results say I have only a tiny bit of English DNA and I was born and raised in England and never lived elsewhere. So I am English. Not proud, not ashamed - just an accident of birth. My ancestors didn't colonise anyone or enslave them (even the English ones). They were the miners, farmers, peasants and serfs,

The history is embarrassing though, oppressors and colonialists

I do think it’s a shame that English people feel this way because of what the Reform crowd have done. I’m very proudly Irish and it is a large part of my identity, but I don’t think as an English person you can have that because it comes across as racist etc. If somebody told me they were proud to be English I would wince

DH is German and we have been told quite a few times while in various EU countries that we don't "seem English"
We usually keep quite and don't advertise the fact unless asked. We spent 10 days in Italy last year with everyone we met thinking we were German, I am not sure why we don't seem English

So were my ancestors, farmers and labourers. I'm talking more about the history of England when it comes to wars and conflict, my family weren't personally responsible for atrocities that I kniw of

Yes there are a lot of negative elements in the history but you will find that to some extent in most countries. England has also done a lot of good for the world - lot of inventions etc

Virtue signal rubbish, get over yourself.

This is exactly it. English pride is so tainted

History isn’t genetics.

And if you hate the history, work hard to make the future better. Modern Germans don’t sit around wringing their hands and they have a similar shitty history. Learn and grow. No one needs to feel proud of anything other than what they do themselves.

Every country and every people in the World has this in their past. Get over yourself.

I'm as mystified by English self loathing as I am by the flag waving patriotism, I think both are narcissistic. You're English by accident of birth, it says nothing about your character or values. You could buy a hair shirt or just get a grip.

Which countries have a proud history in your view?

You are not only being unreasonable you are also displaying an appalling lack of historical knowledge.

English history is no better nor any worse than that of any other European nation (the Swiss NOT excepted) and to be "embarrassed" by things that happened before you were born and over which you had not control is frankly ludicrous.

As the late, great Adge Cutler said: "I weren't there so I don't care. Don't tell I, tell 'ee!"

Who cares, live for the now and stop being such a Debbie downer.

I despise what the Brits did in the past, but I honestly think they could still be ‘proud to be English’ and have the same celebrations the Irish do for St Patrick’s, for St George’s etc but the problem would still remain that Farage and Tommy have tainted what it means to be ‘proud to be English’

I agree OP, the flag shaggers have made it so cringy to be proud to be English even if we don’t have the evil history to contend with.

I am a former colonial subject by origin, and this is ridiculous. Did you personally cause the Bengal Famine? No? Then you have nothing to be ashamed of and I have no beef with you.
There are very many wonderful things about being English, as I am sure you know.

Oh the irony...op you are only able to vent to us all here on the t'internet because of Tim Burners Lee. One of many great inventers to come from England, inventions that have saved and enriched people's lives world wide.

Many countries, sadly, have pretty awful histories. We are not responsible for what our ancestors did.

Have you considered getting over yourself?

Don’t be ridiculous! There are so many things to be proud of as an English person, beautiful country, incredible contributions to science, the rule of law, the functioning of a democracy, rich literature, theatre, incredible architecture, industrialisation, there is literally so much to be proud of. I think you need to travel more and get some perspective. I just don’t get the self-loathing (I was not born in England but I love this country).

Agree.

“Luckily my DC is only half English”

Oh, piss off aboard then. Imagine if I replaced that with literally any other country on earth. What is it with MN and the self loathing by some English posters? I am delighted to be English and think it’s a shame you’ve been blessed with our wonderful country as home.

I am English. I might be a bit of something else, as not done an ancestry test myself, although I've thought about it. Even if I did, I was born in England and lived in England my entire life, so I am English.

I don't feel responsible for what other English people have done in the past. Even if it turns out I am directly related to some really awful people, I am not them. I didn't know them.