Okay, here goes...
Scottish Media Has a Race Problem - A THREAD
The death of George Floyd has rightly provoked anger, outrage and condemnation. The parallel discussion on-going in the UK around the racial disparities in the context of Covid-19 gathers pace by the hour.
Scottish Media Has a Race Problem - A THREAD
The death of George Floyd has rightly provoked anger, outrage and condemnation. The parallel discussion on-going in the UK around the racial disparities in the context of Covid-19 gathers pace by the hour.
Nearly every news report, and every opinion being expressed in traditional media about the issue (and of race generally) was that of a white person. Obviously, that should not have been a great surprise. but in the context of the current moment it made me uncomfortable.
Into my awareness came the complete realisation that even though I am often identified as ‘working class’ and that my writing deals mainly with matters of inequality, I am now also part of a larger structural problem – mainstream media dominated by white perspectives.
When it comes to the issue around racial injustice, I don't subscribe to the view that people who happen to white can never have anything of value to contribute. Nor do I believe the performative white guilt we often see portrayed to be helpful in anything but symbolic terms.
However, from my own experience as a w/class person moving in spheres dominated m/classes, I see first-hand how certain experiences are obscured, marginalised and caricatured, often accidentally, by media pros whose insights are constrained by their narrow social experiences.
It strikes me as obvious that on the matter of race, I am at a similar loss. I started thinking of something I could do to show solidarity with people who experience racial injustice first-hand. Something that may inspire others in my line of work to do more than simply observe.
I believe we in media have a larger role to play beyond 'analysing', 'reporting' or 're-articulating' what people of colour are telling us. We have more to do than buy books by black authors. We must also act and be prepared to take a hit for doing so.
If we want real change then we must see ourselves not simply as writers, journalists or commentators, but as allies and activists, thinking and behaving with intent. It is no longer enough to simply use our platforms and influence to ‘cover’ matters of race. We must participate.
We must consider how we may initiate conversations about instigating changes within the institutions in which we work. Scottish media is not well-equipped to grapple effectively with the topic of racial inequality because it is dominated by white perspectives. This is inarguable.
Even those who mean well, with a history of covering social justice, are extremely limited in what they can offer to a debate about racial injustice. That is why those of us with a public platform must do more than simply channel the voices and experiences of people of colour.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is pass the mic. I would therefore like to challenge every publication in Scotland, and every employee, to think very carefully about what they can do to increase and broaden representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Moreover, this is about recogising that there is as much diversity of opinion within any racial grouping as there is in wider society. This is not about selecting 'advocates' based on whether they align politically with us, but simply about representation, however that looks.
This is about more than simply offering a platform. It is about becoming willing to understand why so few people of colour are choosing careers in media. Why pitching columns and stories may be more difficult and how to support that by listening more actively.
We must now be prepared to have difficult conversations with our editors. Our co-workers. Our readers and viewers. We must become willing to draw lines and stand by them. To have awkward conversations. To make professional sacrifices. And to risk criticism and condemnation for it
It is in that spirit that I am happy to announce that with the support and blessing of the @Daily_Record , two women with personal and professional insight on the issue of racial inequality have guest written what would have been my column this week.
@sukisangh is a member of Unite the Union Scotland’s Black and Minority Ethnic Committee. She is a trade union organiser of vast experience and a dedicated grassroots anti-racism campaigner.
@LRH151 is a writer, curator-artist and advocate for collective liberation, active within the trade union movement, holding positions at the NUJ, National and Scottish Executive Councils and the Scottish TUC Black Workers Committee.
I know Suki and Layla will speak to the urgent, complex matter of racial inequality with greater authority and clarity than I ever could. I also know they do not wish to be seen as tokenistic mascots for entire communities. They speak for themselves, from a place of experience.
And I also remain hopeful that others who enjoy a public platform will push through their emotional or professional discomforts and begin acting on their urges to do more than simply ‘write’ about fighting the racial injustice that shames Scotland and the United Kingdom.
