So... Rochelle Humes?

[Cocoabutterkim]

So about time we had some prime time coverage of black women’s experience in pregnancy and childbirth. Hopefully the shocking stats can open up the debate further into the overall experience of black women with healthcare in the UK.
But will you still watch it, now that it’ll be presented by Rochelle Humes instead of Candice Brathwaite?

But Candice relied on other people's research as well. Fair play to her for bringing this to the forefront in her book but that doesn't give her monopoly on presenting it I don't think. This whole drama has descended into colorism debate and I actually feel sorry for RC with the hate she is getting.

Agreed, lots of people have been doing this work and continue too.

When will people STOP with this "not black enough" crap? It's 2021 for Gods sake have we not got past this yet seriously?

I'll watch regardless, but I think RH is a poor choice for this compared to CB.

@yvanka

I watched Candice's Instagram video and didn't think she had a leg to stand on. She never signed a contract, they decided to give the job to someone else, it happens. If her skin colour was an issue then she would never have been considered for it in the first place.

Exactly and the job will always go to the best candidate who has more experience not because they went through something otherwise there would be no presenters around but only people with lived experiences. I seriously feel she didn't handle this well at all, she wasn't entitled to that role just because she wrote a book about it and experienced a traumatic birth, many women did. That's not how life works and the very people she is accusing of colorism are the same she will want work from in the future.

I am a fan of both RC and CB and my focus is that there is now going to be a documentary which will highlight this.

I'll watch it because from various insta posts, the documentary will feature black women doing the work such as Mars Lord and those behind five times; so if we protest the documentary we also erase those voice.

@doubleshotespresso

When will people STOP with this "not black enough" crap? It's 2021 for Gods sake have we not got past this yet seriously?

100%

From a quick google I would say that CB was the more obvious choice. I like RC on that music game show she does with her OH but I wouldn't see her as a serious journalist in comparison to CB to do a documentary (not saying she couldn't, just think of her as more light entertainment). I think this probably comes down to a popularity contest rather than a colour issue though, RC is the bigger name so likely to get the bigger audience even if CB is the better choice academically.

I won't be watching. I'm bored of mixed race women being the face of Black women when it comes to important issues.

My 2nd birth was extremely traumatic in terms of dismissiveness and lack of medical care. As a Darkskinned Black Woman, I know how we are often negatively viewed (we can stand more pain, right?)

What also irks me about this kind of debate is a feeling that we are honour-bound to watch, rounded up as it were 'You MUST watch this'. So many take it upon themselves to be the voice of unambiguous Black Women/tell us what to think and do, and they can't even see how problematic that is in itself.

I won't buy into any of it. If others choose to watch it that's their choice and nothing to do with me

*non-ambiguous

Personally feel RH is a bad choice for it. That is all

Rochelle Hume presenting a documentary about the maternal mortality rates of Black women in the U.K.

Leigh Anne Pinnock presenting a documentary about colourism in the U.K.

There are dots and I’m going to need you to connect them in 2021.
✌🏾

A tweet from Kelechi Okafor...

I have no issue with Rochelle Humes doing the documentary, my main issue is that whenever it comes to Black issues, a lot of the time in the UK the media put mixed race women to the forefront and this is sort of implied that this is the black experience. Colourism will tell us that the mixed Black experience is very different from someone who is dark skinned or has two Black parents.

Leigh Anne leading a doc on colourism, meanwhile her fiance tweeted about Black girls looking with burnt toast with strawberry jam on when they wear lipstick. Colourism is clearly a thing, and it is consciously or unconsciously understood by the media and I think this is why we see light skinned/mixed Black women leading race/racism topics.

Check out Black Mums Upfront and Black Ballad UK who have been speaking about this issue for a long while...there are many others but I have forgotten their names.

Again, no issue with Rochelle, but sometimes it would be nice to see a Black (2 parents) leading something and it still be popular.

@DeeCeeCherry
I'm not saying that you must/must not watch but are you not curious to see the findings of the study and the coverage of what I imagine to be a range of black women of varying hues regardless of who is presenting?

My second birth had issues too. I'm lighter skinned but interestingly, my presenting mid wife, a black woman, ignored me telling her that I thought I was about to deliver. Eventually she took me seriously and dd arrived safely but it could have been a difference experience.

Interesting starts to leave here while we have this discussion.

@feistymumma

So what is the commotion about really if these are two different production companies?

The commotion is that Candice was set to do it FIRST!!

She may not want to say too much on the matter but I think she is low key outraged it’s no disrespect to RH I like her.

I wouldn’t say RH is the best for this particular role would you?

The audacity of people to ask is Rochelle not a black woman speaks volumes!

Rochelle is of colour... there is a difference!

I will watch OP. I would have liked to see see Candice have the opportunity to shine rather than RH who has quite an established platform as it is.

It’s like media think ohhh we will you use a face of colour to blend things... we notice!!

@waakyeandredred

Rochelle Hume presenting a documentary about the maternal mortality rates of Black women in the U.K.

Leigh Anne Pinnock presenting a documentary about colourism in the U.K.

There are dots and I’m going to need you to connect them in 2021.
✌🏾

A tweet from Kelechi Okafor...

I have no issue with Rochelle Humes doing the documentary, my main issue is that whenever it comes to Black issues, a lot of the time in the UK the media put mixed race women to the forefront and this is sort of implied that this is the black experience. Colourism will tell us that the mixed Black experience is very different from someone who is dark skinned or has two Black parents.

Leigh Anne leading a doc on colourism, meanwhile her fiance tweeted about Black girls looking with burnt toast with strawberry jam on when they wear lipstick. Colourism is clearly a thing, and it is consciously or unconsciously understood by the media and I think this is why we see light skinned/mixed Black women leading race/racism topics.

Check out Black Mums Upfront and Black Ballad UK who have been speaking about this issue for a long while...there are many others but I have forgotten their names.

Again, no issue with Rochelle, but sometimes it would be nice to see a Black (2 parents) leading something and it still be popular.

I love Kelechi for putting this perfectly. It is not "not black enough crap!". And we do navigate spaces different when someone is unambiguously black and when someone is mixed race.

Discussing this and colourism is not divisive or crap, it is absolutely necessary

** Leigh Anne leading a doc on colourism, meanwhile her fiance tweeted about Black girls looking with burnt toast with strawberry jam on when they wear lipstick.

If this is true it’s really appalling and I’m shocked he wasn’t called out on it!

Just compare the differences in stats
Black women 40/100 000
Mixed race women 16/100 000

There is a massive difference. The role absolutely should have gone to a black woman (unambiguously black) whether CB or not.

@DeeCeeCherry
I'm not saying that you must/must not watch but are you not curious to see the findings of the study and the coverage of what I imagine to be a range of black women of varying hues regardless of who is presenting?

No.

Kelechi Okafor's Tweet put up by waakyeandredred sums up my feelings entirely.

The mixed Black experience is not mine. Black Mums Upfront breaks down these and similar matters very well. I can and do relate to that.

I think its really poor to assert you had something taken away from you when you were never in the running. 2 different production companies 2 different presenters. Divisive and manipulative.

@doubleshotespresso

When will people STOP with this "not black enough" crap? It's 2021 for Gods sake have we not got past this yet seriously?

It’s not that she is not black enough. Leigh-Anne is not full black. Her boyfriend certainly doesn’t feel that way either.......so speak for yourself.

I agree with you @DeeCeeCherry. I doubt I will watch. Taking colourism and the "mixed race women as the face of all black women" thing out of the equation, RH is still a poor choice as she lacks the gravitas for the issue IMO.

Agree. Role should have gone to a black woman.

Misbeehived
I think its really poor to assert you had something taken away from you when you were never in the running

She didn't "assert".

This is how misinformation gets spread around

Rochelle Humes is black in my eyes and can identify as such but this is a role for a woman with two black parents.

@DastardlytheFriendlyMutt I think those figures for mixed race women includes all mixed race women not just black/white. The experience of mixed Chinese/white are I imagine very different.

If anyone has found the stats for mixed race women broken down that would be really useful. I imagine skin tone/facial features rather than race has a bigger impact on experience and quality of care for women than wether both parents are black.