As Black Lives Matter protests rise up against systemic racism, TV star India Willoughby laments ‘this is a bad time to be white’
India Willoughby. (Getty for Magic Mike Live/ David M Benett)
Black Lives Matter protests have been taking place across the world as millions of people take a stand against systemic racism and police brutality, but TV star India Willoughby thinks “this is a bad time to be white”.
Widespread Black Lives Matter protests against ongoing police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd initially took place in America but are now happening across the globe.
While the protests were sparked by Floyd’s death at the hands of a white police officer, they are addressing wider, global issues of police brutality against Black people, systemic racism and inequality.
India Willoughby, who transitioned in 2010 and is best known for appearing on Loose Women and Celebrity Big Brother, took to Twitter to comment on protests in London.
She claimed that there was “no trigger”, despite the vast amount of evidence showing institutional racism in the UK and its police force.
She wrote: “What is the end goal here? What tangible thing can the British government do to resolve the death of a man in America? Breaks my heart to see us copying the US.”
What is the end goal here? ?♀️ What tangible thing can the Brit Gov do to resolve the death of a man in America? Breaks my❤️to see us copying the US. (Not even mentioned the social distancing issues) #Protests #BLM https://t.co/jTSl6LeUVu
— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) June 6, 2020
One person replied to her post saying that there was a “white minority” in London, and that in Europe “white women [are] not having children in sufficient numbers because of feminism”.
Willoughby responded: “I agree. Totally against racism of any sort, but opportunities wise, this is a bad time to be white, good time to be Black.”
I agree. Totally against racism of any sort, but opportunities wise, this is a bad time to be white, good time to be black.— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) June 6, 2020
Responding to Willoughby’s comment that 2020 was a “good time” to be Black, sports broadcaster Jeanette Kwakye wrote: “When I started working for 5 News as a presenter I shadowed this woman.
“I hate to think that, me now trying to learn under her, she was thinking, I’m only there because I’m Black.”
When I started working for 5news as a presenter I shadowed this woman. I hate to think that, me now trying to learn under her, she was thinking, I’m only there because I’m black. https://t.co/472nbgYhLw— Jeanette ????♀️⚽️??? (@JNETTEKWAKYE) June 7, 2020
“Not to my face – always in meetings and groups chats. Any achievement being framed as a threat to white jobs.
“Would love some white journalists to no longer be silent when they hear this.”
Every job I’ve ever gotten there has been someone waiting to diminish it by saying this. Not to my face – always in meetings and groups chats. Any achievement being framed as a threat to white jobs. Would love some white journalists to no longer be silent when they hear this. pic.twitter.com/rksZJ3k8XU— Megha Mohan (@meghamohan) June 7, 2020
Willoughby works in the UK media industry, which is around 94 per cent white.
2/In particular, one tweet I made about opportunities through education/diversity schemes. That was the sole point I was trying to make, but with hindsight, it was a clumsily tweet. Happy to hold hands up. Unequivocal apologies for any offence caused ❤️
— India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) June 8, 2020
She later tweeted that she apologised “for any offence caused” and said her tweet was “clumsy”.
Willoughby told PinkNews that she “100 per cent supports the push for more diversity in the workplace”, and said that her tweet was addressing “opportunities”.
