I don’t know who appointed nosey, White ladies hall monitors of the world. But it is a position which they have gladly accepted, much to the annoyance and chagrin of everyone else. These stories of White women, White people going out of their way to police mostly people of color are not new. There’s on average about one a week that makes a splash in the news cycle.
This week’s comes from across the pond in London. Recently, Jamelia, a British R&B star and model boarded the train at the London Euston station with her 11-year-old daughter, after wrapping a photo shoot. Shortly after she took her seat, the 36-year-old found herself being questioned—not by a conductor some other train employee, but by another passenger. She shared the incident in a series of tweets and then wrote about it in more detail on her blog.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So, I got on the train with my 11 year old daughter...didn't even sit my bum on the seat good & a lady approaches me & asks me if I have...</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614509421707264">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">...a 1st class ticket. I look around. My daughter & I r the only black people in the packed carriage. I ask her "why did you ask me that?"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614590250127360">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">...she replies "well I've just seen the conductor & he won't let you travel in this carriage" I ask "why?" She says "you need a 1st ticket"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614619354464256">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I ask "why have you assumed I don't have a 1st class ticket?" She says "well, have you got one?" I reply "have you?" She says "yes I have"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614739013713921">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I ask "what made you ask that question to me and no one else?" She says "it's because I wanted to sit with you, I just need to make sure"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614798027653122">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I say "I don't need a ticket for u to sit opposite me, no need to lie, my 11 year old could tell you why you asked, why not just be honest?"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819614859482529792">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">...The least you could do is admit you were wrong to do so" her "no, I wasn't wrong, what are you implying?" - try flip the script on me 😂😂😂</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615009709916160">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I laugh, and say "let's be honest, you've asked me because I look like young black girl & you've allowed your prejudice to speak for you"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615137363529733">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"No, that's not it, I would ask anyone I'm sitting with if they have a 1st class ticket" i burst out laughing she says "don't laugh at me"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615327961153536">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I look her dead in the eye & say "let this be a lesson to you, don't you ever make this assumption out loud again, I hope you feel ashamed"</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615490322694144">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I then pick up my stuff & move to another table in the carriage with my daughter...a white guy sits down where we were sat...Not. A. Peep.</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615597143195648">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My daughter looks over at the lady and says "Are you not going to ask him for his credentials then?" The lady turned as red as a beetroot.</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819615771890421761">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm done not calling people out. I am also raising two wonderful young women who will grow up to call you out too...you have been warned 😑😑😑</p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819616957033017345">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Before anyone asks 🙄😩😂 <a href="https://t.co/O0iqhfH77l">pic.twitter.com/O0iqhfH77l</a></p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819617615819706371">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is earlier...but hella appropriate 😂😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/bbhiugkGnB">pic.twitter.com/bbhiugkGnB</a></p>
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamelia/status/819628108357783552">January 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If that picture was not the perfect way to end this story, I don't know what was. As usual, whenever the issue of race is brought up in public, there are those who, instead of taking issue with the incident of prejudice or discrimination, find fault with the person of color sharing their story. Jamelia addressed that criticism on her <a href="https://www.jamelia.com/new-blog/2017/1/14/first-class-racism">blog</a>.
<blockquote>"Most of my train travel is first class, and I would estimate that at least 60% of the time, I experience this exchange with either another passenger or someone working for the train company. It’s irritating, embarrassing, but I, like many affluent, black women accept it as an annoying part of the space I occupy in society. I have multiple replies to my tweets from people who have had similar exchanges, and rarely are they isolated incidents...Just a week earlier, my daughters and I were talking about people making offensive remarks/actions without being aware of it. I explained the nuances behind institutionalised racism, and we all came to the conclusion that we don't help the problem if we let people offend and upset us and not let them know they’re doing so. We decided, that from now on, we’re going to help people out, we are going to be brave and tell them “I don't like that you did/said that”. I was and am so proud of the bravery my daughter displayed. Yes, she <em>is</em> being taught to respect her elders, but she is also being taught to effectively communicate her genuine feelings, no matter who it may be.
I also received tweets asking why I felt the need to tweet about it, why didn’t i just keep it to myself, I have a chip on my shoulder, I'm attention seeking and “always playing the ‘race card’” If i was to tweet every single racist incident that happened to me as it happened, you would be on the floor. If i and every other person of ethnic minority i know were to do it, i guarantee you it would affect twitter’s algorithms and become a trending topic. I have no doubt about that. The insistence that I don't affect the status quo with my uncomfortable truth is quite telling, and indicative of the issues we face today as a society. The problem is that we <em>don't </em>tell you, we speak about it amongst ourselves, and you get to carry on about your day not realising you've ruined ours. I tweeted because i wanted you to read it. I wanted you to be aware of this happening. I wanted you to know that even if you have these thoughts in your head, it’s not ok to say it aloud.
I do not want to keep quiet about it anymore. We serve no-one by remaining quiet, if anything this renders us complicit in the continuation and validation of this behaviour. It is not ok with me, and it shouldn't be ok with you. Most importantly, i'm teaching my girls not to be ok with it either. I absolutely refuse to send my daughters out into a world that tells them NOT to speak up when someone hurts them. The only way that will happen is if we are all brave enough to put these important conversations on the table now."
Love Always xx</blockquote>
You can read Jamelia's blog post in its entirety, <a href="https://www.jamelia.com/new-blog/2017/1/14/first-class-racism">here</a>.
<i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1484843118585000&usg=AFQjCNGe-l5sXt1cdCX8BqaBK-Zi5SyDoA">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1484843118585000&usg=AFQjCNH1PuEO8gbImLpToQkuMqe-R-8k7g">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1484843118585000&usg=AFQjCNFalCduk6YSd4hU-VwRp5JVCJW3KA"> @VDubShrug.</a></i>
↧